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11 | Friday July 14, 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER |www.insidehalton.com Justice system needs to `embrace' technology: Naqvi by Nathan Howes Oakville Beaver Staff Acknowledging Canada' s judicial system is "bogged down" by delays, Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi says the best way to make it more efficient is by embracing technology. That was the key message behind Naqvi' s presentation Thursday, July 13 at Oakville' s Harbour Banquet & Conference Centre. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce-hosted breakfast, which drew close to 100 people, was the attorney general' s first public address to the Chamber. "We really have not seen a very comprehensive, unified approach in using technology, when it comes to making the (justice) system more efficient," said Naqvi, who also serves as the Government House Leader and Ottawa Centre MPP "In 2017, when I can pick up my phone and open an app to do pretty much everything, it does not make sense we are running a justice system, which is so important to our day-to-day functioning, in the old paper format." He noted the judicial system has begun embracing technology, including small claims court, which utilizes electronic filing (e-filing), resulting in more than 50 per cent of claims filed online. Civil matters can be e-filed in five Ontario municipalities -- Newmarket, Ottawa, Sudbury, Brampton and Toronto - and Oakville will get that ability this fall. "These are civil matters that tend to be more complex. W e're creating that opportunity to be able to file matters online. We're doing the same thing with family law, moving to online to do child support payments. You don't have to go into a courthouse," said Naqvi. There will also be opportunities for various tribunals to expand digitally, he said, citing the landlord and tenant boards or the Ontario Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi | Nathan Howes/Metroland Municipal Board (OMB). "But, we've just started," Naqvi admitted. Ideally, speaking from the provincial government perspective, he suggested people would be able to use online dispute resolutions, in some cases, and use alreadyaccessible tools to get legal matters resolved. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I strongly feel those are the really important structural changes that we have to make," said Naqvi. Infrastructure also has a "very important" role to improve the judicial system, the MPP said, citing Halton' s recently-announced, stateof-the-art courthouse as an example. Naqvi called the court, which is to be located in Oakville, near the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, a model for all future law buildings the Province will construct, as it will be fully-integrated with technology "We are working really hard to ensure we've got the enabling fundamentals in that courthouse, when it comes to access to Wi-Fi, closed-circuit televisions, so you can have witnesses from remote areas participate in the proceedings," said Naqvi. Incorporating technology in the judicial system does have challenges, though, Naqvi said, citing privacy issues, "very sensitive" information and commercial matters. He also acknowledged it may not be simple to make the complete switch to digital. "We have a bit of a reluctance to using technology. In my view, none of them are good reasons to continue with the status quo. We need to make some real strides in using technology," said Naqvi. Following the Ontario attorney general' s remarks, Faye Lyons, the Oakville Chamber' s vice-president of government relations and advocacy, moderated a Q-and-A session with Naqvi. He was asked if the Province supports the federal government' s proposed marijuana legalization bill, which, if passed, would take effect by July 2018, and if regulations would need to change in Ontario to reflect it. Naqvi acknowledged control of drugs is a federal jurisdiction. However, the provinces will have a responsibility in how cannabis is distributed in retail and the minimum age for consumption, as well as in public health and road safety, he added. "All provinces, Ontario included, have been working very hard for several months in developing regulatory framework, in response to legalization. If we don't, there is a free-for-all," said Naqvi. W INDOW S & DOORS SHUTTERS & BLINDS Since 1999 AyA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE 1195 NORTH SERVICE ROAD WEST ' KITCHENS O F O A K V ILLE Bronte & Dundas, Oakville fasada.ca A Y A O A K V IL L E .C O M 905.827.3331 HunterDouglas Gallery