The Liberal government tabled a major bill today to modernize Canada's criminal justice system and speed up court proceedings by, among other things, eliminating preliminary inquiries except in the case of crimes that carry a life sentence. The bill also takes steps to address the over-representation of Indigenous persons in the criminal justice system and addresses domestic, or "intimate partner" violence. While crime rates have gone down, criminal cases have become more complex and trials are taking longer, she said. Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould explains what her justice system reform bill will do 1:55"More importantly, it will make a significant contribution to a necessary culture shift in the way our criminal justice system operates." Vulnerable, marginalized peopleThe stakeholder report said many working in the justice system believe it is overburdened by vulnerable and marginalized people which it wasn't designed to deal with.

Source: CBC News March 29, 2018 16:18 UTC