October 29, 2009

MANITOBA URGES STRONGER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTION ON ISSUE OF MURDERED, MISSING WOMEN: CHOMIAK

– – –Province Asks Ottawa to Reform Justice Inefficiencies, Simplify Process for Police to Obtain Warrants Attorney General Dave Chomiak urged the federal government today to take a leadership role in co‑ordinating national efforts to end the tragedy of missing and murdered women.

“In Manitoba, the RCMP and the Winnipeg Police Service have created an integrated task force to review all outstanding cases and have also stepped up measures to quickly find women who are reported missing,” said Chomiak, who is attending a conference of federal, provincial and territorial justice ministers in Fredericton this week.

“This issue goes beyond the boundaries of Manitoba. It is a national scourge that requires a national effort to solve these horrendous crimes and save lives,” Chomiak said.

The minister also called on Ottawa to reform the Criminal Code to remove inefficiencies that hinder criminal investigations. At present, the code often requires police to make multiple applications before different judicial officers when applying for wiretaps, search warrants and surveillance orders.

“This inefficient process requires police and judicial officials to duplicate their work and can lead to delays in investigations, increased risk of security leaks and the possibility of inconsistent decisions,” Chomiak said. “We urge the federal government to amend the Criminal Code to allow all warrant applications arising from a police investigation to be brought before one judge in a single application.”

While at the Fredericton conference, Chomiak and other justice ministers are sharing information on crime-fighting initiatives and justice reforms. Among the key measures under examination are priorities identified by the western provinces to combat organized crime.

This follows on fruitful meetings of western ministers of justice in September and March of this year, Chomiak said.

“Organized gangs are behind much of the crime we see on the streets of our cities,” the minister said. “By working together on co-ordinated approaches we improve our ability to make all Canadians safer.”