QUEEN'S PARK - The on-going campaign to force Attorney General Michael Bryant to appoint more Justices of the Peace (JP) in Niagara began to pay off this week, as Bryant finally announced a new JP appointment in the region. However, Erie-Lincoln MPP Tim Hudak said Niagara should continue the campaign until all the vacant JP positions have been filled.

Hudak, Niagara Regional council, local mayors and opposition MPPs have been calling on Bryant to address the shortage of JPs in the region and across the province for some time. On Monday, Bryant announced the appointment of seven new JPs across Ontario, effective March 21, including Justice of the Peace Bruce Phillips in St. Catharines.

"It looks like the Attorney General may finally be waving the white flag and surrendering to our call for more JPs," Hudak said. "However, Ontario still has fewer JPs today than when the McGuinty government took office three-and-a-half years ago. We need to keep the pressure on, because Niagara requires at least three more JPs to handle the provincial offences caseload."

The shortage of JPs has resulted in considerable court date cancellations across Ontario. Unpaid provincial offences fines in Ontario now total more than $250 million, and another $1 million is added to that every week, according to the Municipal Court Managers' Association of Ontario. The shortage also hampers the ability of police officers to obtain search warrants to investigate suspected criminal activity, such as drug dealing.

In Niagara, net revenue from provincial offences declined by 37 per cent ($765,000) in 2005 alone because of court delays (Niagara Falls Review, April 8, 2006). In fact, the on-going shortage forced provincial courts in Niagara to close for practically all of July, August and September of last year.

The Ministry of the Attorney General website defines a qualified Justice of the Peace as: "a responsible individual with integrity and the ability to understand and interpret relevant legislation and bylaws, knowledge and understanding of Ontario's judicial system and process, excellent oral and written communication skills, sound interpersonal skills, good administrative skills and superior analytical ability combined with sound judgment."

The annual salary for an Ontario Justice of the Peace is $88,511, plus benefits.

Applications to become a Justice of the Peace can be sent to:

Ministry of the Attorney General Office of Judicial Support Services 3rd Floor, 720 Bay St. Toronto, ON M5G 2K1

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Contact: Tim Hudak, MPP

Biography:Bruce Phillips, Justice of the Peace

Justice of the Peace Bruce Phillips has been a corporal and constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, serving in several communities in Ontario and Manitoba. He has also worked as an intelligence coordinator at EKATI Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories. He was an investigator for Ontario's Special Investigations Unit from January 2000 to July 2003. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Phillips to St. Catharines in the Central West region.