Judge Urges Talks In Prisoner Transportation Case

Judge Urges Talks In Prisoner Transportation Case

Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 15:06

 

 

Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench was the scene of a Charter challenge yesterday over the duty RCMP have in regards to prisoner transportation in the North.

 

The issue first came to light a few months ago, after the RCMP were unable to fly a Black Lake man home following his court appearance in La Ronge.

 

The lawyer for 38-year-old James Cook says he spent weeks apart from his family because he didn’t have the money for a plane ticket.

 

Legal aid attorney Felicia Daunt says the facts of the case are straight-forward and the RCMP should be flying people home.

 

The judge has adjourned the case for now.

 

The parties involved have been told to come up with a solution together.

 

But Daunt worries more people will fall through the cracks of the system while the issue is debated endlessly.

 

Meantime, a lawyer for Saskatchewan Justice says RCMP try to do their best, but flying everyone home is hard to do.

 

Alan Jacobsen also believes the case isn’t something that should be dragged into the Charter of Rights arena.

 

Other lawyers for the government say people should realize there is a cost to being in the justice system — and the RCMP don’t always have the resources to pay for individual flights home.