Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 16/99) - The courthouse debate in Yellowknife is heating up.

Eight months after a feasibility study on a new courthouse was tabled in the legislature, Justice Ted Richard is calling for MLAs to hurry up and decide the fate of the courthouse.

"I'm anxious the government make a decision on the new courthouse," Richard said.

"We need a better and improved facility."

The feasibility study concluded by recommending the GNWT build a new stand-alone courthouse for nearly $25 million as the most cost- effective option.

Renovating the current building was estimated at nearly $28 million.

To Richard, that option makes sense for more reasons than simple fiscal prudence.

"We're the only judicial centre within a jurisdiction of the provinces or territories that doesn't have a stand-alone courthouse," he said.

"We're housed here cheek by jowl with the executive branch of government."

Richard says the separation of the judiciary from the legislative and executive branches of government is important not only structurally but also geographically.

That means for justice to be served, people must feel that they have taken any grievance against the GNWT, for example, to an impartial and independent body.

The perception of impartiality and independence can currently be called into question because the judges, court clerks and court reporters not only come through the same entrance, but share the same elevators, washrooms and parking stalls.

Security is another concern.

"There's no waiting room for a complainant or an important witness. They have to sit three feet away from someone who they have an axe to grind against, perhaps," Richard said.

He said jury members use the same entrance as the accused and for serious cases, there could be security fears.

Richard said more meeting rooms and a courthouse wired with up-to-date technology would help justice.

Short appearances such as bail hearings could then be carried out by video conference.

"At the Supreme Court level, we have fewer criminal cases because Nunavut has gone but we didn't do the Nunavut cases at the Yellowknife courthouse," Richard said.