Yes, Mr. Chair. I’m pleased to be here to speak to you about Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Summary Convictions Procedures Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their review of this bill. The Summary Conviction Procedures Act allows for a ticket to be issued to a person who is accused of committing an offense under a territorial law or municipal bylaw. The ticket indicates the amount of the voluntary payment for an offense, as well as the date on which the person is obligated to attend court if the person wishes to challenge the ticket.
Mr. Chair, the act outlines the procedures that need to be followed in order to convict a person who has failed to pay a ticket or attend court. This usually involves holding a trial in which the accused is not present, which involves calling a peace officer such as an RCMP or bylaw officer to the witness stand to provide sworn testimony about how the ticket came into existence. This results in policing and court resources being used in a less than efficient manner.
The bill before you today was developed at the request of the RCMP, the City of Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, and the Territorial Court. The main reason for the bill is to permit a court to automatically convict a person who receives a ticket if that person neither pays the ticket nor appears in court to contest the ticket. One of the proposed amendments removes the need to hold an unnecessary trial when a person fails to show up to court.
Mr. Chair, other amendments in this bill will also raise the maximum fine from $150 to $500 for failure to appear in court as required under the act. The fine amount has not been changed since 1986. The proposed increase takes into consideration inflation, while also encouraging individuals to appear in court if they wish to dispute the charge. The bill also includes minor amendments to clarify a provision relating to ticket information, and to ensure that the terminology is consistent throughout the act.
The Department of Justice is pleased that these amendments will save both time and money for courts and peace officers, which will in turn allow peace officers to spend more time serving the residents of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Chair. I would be pleased to answer questions that the committee members may have regarding Bill 7. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.