Court of Appeal
Guest: Hon. Robert J. Bauman, Chief Justice (Ret.) of BC Supreme Court
On this edition of Journal, we take a different look at the disorder on our streets – and boy, has it been a bad couple of months.
There was the machete killing and hand maiming near the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Then last week, a sucker punch dropped another stranger outside the Hudson’s Bay store, followed by the knife attack on two individuals in a store on Robson Street in the middle of the day.
What is happening that led Vancouver’s Mayor Ken Sim to say, “Vancouverites are sick of this crap”? Unfortunately, there is enough blame to go around for this deterioration in our cities and a lot of finger pointing.
But let’s start with the decriminalization experiment that led to wide open drug use, safe supply drugs being diverted to young kids, a shortage of treatment beds or involuntary care for those who are seriously mentally ill, or the revolving door of catch and release for violent repeat offenders.
Sitting in judgement on all these issues is our court system. Broadly speaking, what is holding up real bail reform? Why are repeat violent offenders so often back out on the street? Is it a lack of facilities or policy direction?
And what about access to justice? We hear far too often about delays resulting in charges being dropped. Not enough judges? Not enough courts? Never mind the prohibitive cost of a lengthy trial.
Today I am joined by the Honourable Robert J. Bauman, former Chief Justice of BC and former Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal in BC. Recently retired, I want to ask him what the courts are doing right but also, where are the weaknesses and what are the solutions?
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