A report on the Canadian justice system by the MacDonald-Laurier Institute has found reform is urgently needed in some areas of the country, which is described as facing a significant justice deficit.
The report has ranked the provinces and territories in terms of various metrics including public safety, efficiency and fairness and access to justice. Prince Edward Island is in top spot with a grade of B+ while Newfoundland ranks second and New Brunswick ranks third — these two provinces both received a grade of B.
Ranked last at number 13 is the Yukon, which received an overall grade of C but received an F in both support for victims as well as cost and resources, as did Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
(graphic via www.macdonaldlaurier.ca)
The report, however, says there’s room for improvement in every province and territory.
In every part of Canada it was found there was disproportionate levels of Aboriginal pople being locked up in relation to the population but things are particularly bad in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The report states while the problems are serious, the opportunities for improvement are there.
The MacDonald-Laurier Institute is a public policy think-tank based in Ottawa.
