Thursday, March 18, 2010

Open Court


TV cameras in BC courts?

By all means.

Bring it on.

B
.C. Attorney-General Mike de Jong says he would like to see cameras in the province's civil and criminal courts with a pilot project as soon as this fall.

“The justice system belongs to people that it is designed to serve and who pay for it,” said Mr. de Jong, who practised criminal and matrimonial law for six years before entering politics. “I am also very concerned about what I see is a growing disconnect between the justice system and the people,” he said yesterday in an interview.

There are those who are opposed, suggesting with some good sense that the players will begin playing...to the cameras that is.

This may be what comes to pass, but it is a small price for more transparency.

Of course, this being Canerda, we are looking at a "pilot project."

God forbid anyone in office should ever just make a decision and get behind it.

Unless, of course,m it means more tax revenue.

5 comments:

Gary L. said...

"“I am also very concerned about what I see is a growing disconnect between the justice system and the people,” Ha, ha, ha!
Mr. De Jong, tell that to the Ministers that vapourized after the Rail Gate blew wide open.
You won't.

Cheers,
Gary L.

Anonymous said...

and what of the witnesses?
Would they want their image on TV for every criminal to see?
Maybe if they can wear a niqab.

Anonymous said...

Ahh, and the perfect place to begin such an experiment would be the BC Rail trial so we can really watch the chickens come home to roost, no?

David Berner said...

The pint about witnesses is well taken Keith. As I understand the proposal witnesses would not be revealed.

BC Mary said...

Agreed, the BC Rail trial is the perfect place to begin showing televised court proceedings.

It could easily be done!

BC Supreme Courtroom #20 is well equipped already, I understand. It was designed to accommodate the Air India Trial.

Since BC Rail was once owned by the citizens of B.C., people in all corners of the province should be able to follow the proceedings which, we hope, will explain how BCR ownership slipped from public hands into private pockets.

Citizens should contact the Attorney General's office advocating that those cameras in BC Supreme Courtroom #20 be used for that purpose.
.