At Toronto’s new amalgamated bail court, a crammed hearing schedule is forcing more people to stay in jail, even in cases where the Crown is agreeing they should be released.
The exasperation in Justice of the Peace Ann Walker’s voice said it all.It was now past 5 p.m. on Tuesday in courtroom 204 at the new Toronto regional bail centre and tensions were running high.
The courtroom was having to juggle the bail matters from the jurisdictions of two courthouses that had recently shut down as part of the amalgamation of Toronto’s provincial courts. The Ontario Court of Justice decided that Courtroom 204 would hear cases from the former courthouses in both North York and Scarborough.
“This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever put over consent releases,” Walker said, adding the outcome “bothers me a lot.” She said the cases would be added to the following morning’s docket with priority. The problems have raised questions about whether criminal charges will end up being tossed for violating a person’s constitutional rights. It has also raised concerns that long days could lead to mistakes at a time when the bail system is under increased scrutiny.
The ministry said it couldn’t comment on remarks made in court, saying it continues to work with the judiciary and others to “identify any necessary improvements as we move forward.” Meanwhile, almost all criminal cases are now heard at the new downtown mega-courthouse on Armoury Street,attributed to burnout, inadequate pay, and a refusal to commute downtown due to the time and cost.
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