News Release

For Immediate Release
December 21, 2004

TORONTO — Attorney General Michael Bryant is announcing seven justice of the peace appointments for Kitchener, Newmarket, Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie, London, Dryden and Cornwall.

“We are addressing the province’s immediate need for more justices of the peace,” said Bryant. “This government is committed to timely and efficient access to justice for all Ontarians.”

The government is announcing the appointment of three new, full-time, presiding justices of the peace. As well, four part-time, non-presiding justices of the peace have been reappointed as full-time, presiding justices of the peace. The appointments were made through a new, interim process to ensure that qualified candidates are selected.

“This new appointment process is a first and interim step in our plan to transform the justice of the peace system, which will help build strong communities and ensure that Ontario continues to have a justice system that is second to none,” said Bryant.

The government plans to further transform the justice of the peace appointment process in order to make the system more open and transparent, and to permanently establish appointment standards to ensure that only qualified candidates would be appointed.

“Justices of the peace are playing an increasingly important role in our justice system,” said Bryant. “It is important to ensure that only the best candidates are appointed and that they are appointed in a fair and transparent way.”

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