Justice

Our legal system helps to keep us safe, regulate our commerce, and provide the stability Alberta needs to thrive. Rising crime rates and long court wait times are growing issues in Alberta. We’ve listened to experts and everyday Albertans to put together a plan to address the biggest issues facing our justice system. 

Crime Reduction Strategy:  Albertans deserve to be safe. Alberta’s economic hardships have come with a rise in crime rates. We want to tackle crime in a way that puts results first. That means addressing root causes and investing in crime prevention. We will:

  • Increase support for community watch groups and funding allowances for religious and ethnic groups to better protect the security of their facilities and their populations . 
  • Create a $100 refundable tax credit for home security systems.
  • Tackle root causes of crime, including poverty, mental health and addictions.  
  • Invest another $5 million into the regional Victims of Crime fund. 

Reducing Court Wait Times: Justice delayed is justice denied. Court wait times in Alberta must be reduced for both civil and criminal court cases. The Alberta Liberals would establish a task force to consider strategies for reducing wait times, including standardizing case management procedures, encouraging alternative dispute resolution, hiring more clerks, and pressuring the Federal Government to appoint more Kings’s Bench and Appellate Justices.

Mental Health and Drug Courts: The Alberta Liberals are committed to maintaining drug and addiction courts and implementing Mental Health programs to better deal with persons suffering mental health issues that require interventions by our Courts. By addressing the mental health and addiction issues underlying crimes, we can greatly reduce the rate of reoffense in Alberta and keep citizens safe.

Family Law Reform: Dealing with Family Law can be an emotionally trying experience. When done wrong, the repercussions can reverberate through lives for years to come. It is critical that we ensure just outcomes and act in the best interest of the children. Alberta Liberals support  Family Law reforms, including but not limited to: 

  • Creating an informal family case management system to reduce the need for costly and emotionally-draining trials.  
  • Creating a unified family court. 
  • Establishing an Access Program Coordinator position within the Justice and Solicitor General ministry to enforce child custody and access orders

Opposition to Provincial Police Force: The Alberta Liberals oppose any attempt to replace the RCMP with a provincial police force. Such a move would waste $200 million in taxpayers' dollars annually and leave Albertans less safe. 

Protecting tort claims: The Alberta Liberals oppose changes to the tort system that would eliminate or reduce victims’ rights to pursue claims when injured in motor vehicle accidents.