Yes. I am here to present Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act.
I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Development for their review of this bill, and for the constructive feedback they have provided. A number of motions were made in committee, and I am pleased the bill has improved as a result. Bill 24 includes a number of proposed amendments to the Coroners Act to create greater efficiencies in the process to form a coroner’s inquest jury and the procedures for conducting a coroner’s inquest. To this end, the amendments would be:
• Allow for the assembly of a jury panel, from which the jury may be selected;
• Add provisions outlining the procedure for selecting jurors from the jury panel;
• Allow persons to be excused from jury service in certain circumstances;
• Allow the Chief Coroner to create rules of procedure for inquests; and
• Improve the clarity and readability of certain provisions.
These proposed amendments came at the request of the Chief Coroner, and the bill has her support.
I would be happy to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 24. Thank you.