Attorney General Forms Justice-Media Liaison Committee

Brings Together Judiciary, Media, Legal And Police Organizations And Ministry Reps TORONTO, March 29 - Attorney General Michael Bryant has announced the creation of the Justice-Media Liaison Committee to improve interaction between the news media and the justice system, as recommended by the Panel on Justice and the Media. "I am very pleased to bring together representatives from the judiciary, media, police and legal communities and the ministry to work together on justice-media issues," said Bryant. "The establishment of this committee fulfills one of the recommendations made by the Panel on Justice and the Media, and will enhance the ongoing relationship between media and the justice system." In its August 2006 report, the Panel on Justice and the Media made 17 recommendations on ways to improve mutual understanding between the justice system and the media. One of those recommendations was to establish a committee to facilitate communication, education and problem solving. The committee's mandate includes providing expertise and advice on justice-media issues, giving feedback on draft proposals and public education materials, helping to develop protocols and identifying systemic issues that affect justice system-media interaction. The Justice-Media Liaison Committee members are: - Sue Sgambati, veteran crime journalist from Court TV Canada - Dianne Wood, justice and courts reporter for the Kitchener-Waterloo Record - The Honourable Justice Russell Juriansz of the Ontario Court of Appeal - The Honourable Justice James Carnwath of the Superior Court of Justice - The Honourable Justice Joseph A. De Filippis of the Ontario Court of Justice - Chief Paul Hamelin of the Midland Police Service, a former president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police - Hilary Linton, a Toronto lawyer and mediator, representing the Ontario Bar Association - Thomas G. Conway, a civil and commercial litigation lawyer in Ottawa, representing the County and District Law Presidents' Association - Ralph Steinberg, a Toronto criminal defence lawyer, representing the Criminal Lawyers' Association - Elizabeth Bucci, counsel in the Ministry of the Attorney General's Courts Services Division, who will serve as committee chair - Michal Fairburn, counsel in the ministry's Criminal Law Division - Ellie Sadinsky, director of the ministry's Communications Branch The McGuinty government has already implemented many of the panel's recommendations, including: - establishing an agreement with Chief Justice Roy McMurtry to launch a pilot project to bring cameras to the Court of Appeal - appointing a media contact person in every courthouse across the province - creating a new justice-media section of its website, which includes resources and useful links. "We have already made significant progress implementing the panel's recommendations," said Bryant. "I look forward to making further changes to improve the way the media and justice sectors interact and understand each other." Disponible en français www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca Backgrounder ------------------------------------------------------------------------- PANEL ON JUSTICE AND THE MEDIA Contact Info The McGuinty government continues to make progress implementing the recommendations of the Panel on Justice and the Media. Today's announcement of the establishment of a Justice-Media Liaison Committee is the latest step forward. Background Attorney General Michael Bryant established the Panel on Justice and the Media in January 2005. It brought together representatives of the media and justice sectors to recommend ways to improve understanding between the media and the justice system. The panel held discussions and received public input through written submissions and meetings, and also studied best practices from other jurisdictions. Its August 2006 report contained 17 recommendations in the areas of openness, education, working in the electronic age and the ongoing relationship between justice and the media. Status of Recommendations When the panel's final report was received in August, the Ministry of the Attorney General immediately began implementing recommendations that fell under its jurisdiction: - Each court location in the province now has a designated media contact person to provide information and service to journalists, and to facilitate access to documents and courtrooms. - The ministry, the Advocates' Society, Legal Aid Ontario and the Radio-Television News Directors Association have formed a working group to develop learning material for professional organizations on justice-media topics. - The Ontario Justice Education Network is getting support from the ministry to develop learning modules for high-school civics and law students. - A new "Media Resources" section is now part of the ministry's website. This section contains an online media guide, links to dockets and judgements, where available, information about all levels of courts, as well as information providing greater clarity about the sub judice rule that governs what journalists can and cannot publish before and during a trial. - The Attorney General and Ontario Chief Justice Roy McMurtry have agreed to a pilot program to put cameras in the Ontario Court of Appeal. An implementation team is now working out details, including when the cameras will be up and running. Implementation of other recommendations, including increasing access to court records and outreach to postsecondary institutions and high school students, is underway. Disponible en français www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca For further information: Greg Crone, Ministry of the Attorney General, Minister's Office, (416) 326-1785; Brendan Crawley, Ministry of the Attorney General, Communications Branch, (416) 326-2210 HELP | CONTACT US | PRIVACY | IMPORTANT NOTICES © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008-2009 — Last Modified: February 15, 2009 For further information: Greg Crone, Ministry of the Attorney General, Minister's Office, (416) 326-1785; Brendan Crawley, Ministry of the Attorney General, Communications Branch, (416) 326-2210