The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) and Manitoba Justice jointly hosted a Justice Summit on February 18, 2011. The event was attended by 34 individuals representing selected functional units within the provincial justice system (Sheriff Services, Prosecutions, Legal Aid, Corrections, Probations and Clerks of the Court), representatives of the MGEU, the Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys (MACA), Legal Aid Lawyers Association (LALA), and senior Justice Department staff.
The Summit process included a combination of small and large group discussions that sought to identify common issues of concern among stakeholder groups, and identify recommendations for the department to improve system efficiency, service delivery, information sharing, and workplace safety, among other considerations.
The Justice Summit Executive Summary has been released, complete with recommendations to the Justice Department, and several stakeholders within the MGEU met this morning with Justice Minister Andrew Swan to discuss strategies to move forward.
“Obviously it’s always a valuable experience when front-line staff has the chance to work with their peers and with senior departmental staff on common issues and concerns,” said MGEU President Lois Wales as she welcomed participants today. “What’s even more rare is the opportunity to have the Minister of the department come and meet with front-line staff to talk candidly about what the department is prepared to do with the information they’ve been provided.”
Minister Swan spent much of his time during the 2 ½ hour meeting discussing the executive Summary, and covered each one of the 10 recommendations made to his government by Justice Department staff.
Swan committed to working on improving information sharing among different levels of the government to ensure things like accidental releases are not allowed to happen, and to address the chronic workload issues that MGEU has consistently brought forward on behalf of its members.
The concept of video technology was a major agenda item, and Swan said it was also a priority item for government. Challenges will arise, he said, in implementing this initiative but it’s a concept that does have his support, he said.
The prospect of a new jail is already moving forward, the Minister noted, after concerns about inmate overcrowding and correctional officer safety was raised. A review committee has been struck to determine where, and what type of facility or facilities, should be built.
Participants from the Justice Summit who were not able to attend today’s meeting will receive their copy of the Executive Summary in the near future by mail.