Launch of Action Committee on Court Operations in Response to COVID-19

Richard Wagner, Canada’s Chief Justice, and federal Justice Minister David Lametti will co-chair a new Action Committee on Court Operations in Response to COVID-19.

It met for the first last week via videoconference.

Its role will be to provide advice on how to gradually restore operations of courts throughout Canada:

"The Action Committee will provide national leadership to support the work of provincial and territorial governments, individual courts, and court administrators in progressively restoring the full operation of Canada’s courts while ensuring the safety of court users and staff."

"The Action Committee will consider health and safety information provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada’s First Ministers, and other public health authorities in light of the unique context of courts. The Action Committee’s collaborative work includes senior-level participation by federal and provincial governments and the judiciary, and focuses on developing court-specific health and safety guidelines that can be adapted to the needs of individual courts and communities."

"As Canadians and their communities emerge from the present crisis and adapt to new realities introduced by COVID-19, the courts will be crucial to a broader national recovery. By providing provincial, territorial, and judicial decision-makers with the best possible health and safety information, the Action Committee will support them in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of court users, while advancing Canadians’ common interest in a safe and accessible justice system."