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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 27, 2000

MONTRÉAL- In the wake of the October 24th Québec Court of Appeal decision on the remuneration of judges, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) in Québec is calling on the provincial government to take immediate action to implement the recommendations of the Bisson Commission which determined the compensation for Québec Court judges and judges of the Municipal Courts of Laval, Montréal and Québec.

The President of CBA Québec, George Hendy of Montréal says it's time for action. "The Canadian Bar Association position is that Québec judges should be assured remuneration parity with judges in other parts of Canada." He says the importance of protecting judicial independence in our democratic system dictates the necessity for a fair and apolitical system to determine and adjust the salaries of judges.

The October 24th decision by the Quebec Court of Appeal reiterates the principle established by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1997 that the remuneration of judges should be determined by an independent commission.

The CBA has long championed a formal independent process for establishing judicial compensation and benefits. "Canadians should not have to worry that judges have something to gain or lose in making their decisions," says CBA President, Daphne Dumont, Q.C. of Charlottetown. "Judicial independence is a cornerstone of our free and democratic society."

"An independent justice system must not be susceptible to political whim," she continued. "It means that when Canadians go before a provincial court or any other court, they are guaranteed that the judge will deal with their case in an independent and impartial manner, free from interference."

The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada are members.

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CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein, Canadian Bar Association, 500 - 865 Carling Ave. , Ottawa, ON, K1S 5S8; tel.: (613) 237-2925; E-mail: info@cba.org