BarTalk August 2001
Volume 13, Number 4

“Once in a generation opportunity,” says AG

Attorney General Geoff Plant announced on July 27, 2001 the establishment of an Administrative Justice Project to review more than 60 administrative justice agencies in BC, including the Worker’s Compensation Board, Labour Relations Board, Human Rights Tribunal and Commercial Appeals Commission.

“This project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to examine and improve Administrative Justice, which is the day-to-day point of entry to the justice system for most British Columbians,” said the Attorney General. “We know that there are public concerns with many of these agencies, including questions about delays, costs, access, fairness and the increasing complexities of the administrative process. For half a century, governments have created administrative agencies one at a time, to deal with particular policy issues. This is the time to look at Administrative Justice as a system rather than as an adhoc collection of agencies.”

The Attorney General believes that lawyers have an important role in bringing forward ideas for improvement. “In my five years as Justice Critic, every lawyer I spoke to had an idea for how to make an agency or tribunal work better, “ said the Attorney General. “I encourage the entire legal profession to take advantage of this opportunity to improve the quality of the administration of justice.”

The Justice Project, led by Steering Committee Chair Gillian Wallace and administered by Project Director Wendi Mackay, is tasked with:

• a review of the mandates of the province’s administrative agencies to ensure they are relevant to a modern and efficient economy;

• recommendations to eliminate overlapping jurisdictions and multiple proceedings;

• recommendations to streamline administrative procedures; and

• recommendations for government to support the work of administrative agencies in an appropriate and effective way.

The project’s process will include a core review of agencies, development of background papers, development and dissemination of a White Paper, public and stakeholder consultation, and development of recommendations and draft legislation. The terms of reference and timeline are online (www.ag.gov.bc.ca).

CBABC President Carman Overholt welcomes the review process: “Our members are involved with administrative justice agencies, tribunals and commissions on a daily basis. We expect that the skills, experience and judgment of lawyers will once again be accessed by government to help improve our system of justice.”

This article was published in the August 2001 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.