Some Crown prosecutors on strike in Quebec may be forced to continue to work
Posted Feb 8, 2011 01:01:11 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Crown prosecutors and government lawyers in Quebec are pounding the picket line but some may be forced to continue their work because of essential services laws in the province.
The 1,000 government lawyers and 450 prosecutors have launched job action to back their demand for a 40 per cent pay hike.
Quebec prosecutors top out at about $102,000 a year, compared with their Ontario counterparts at $196,000.
Quebec’s Treasury Board president says the salary demands are excessive.
While the strike is on, one law expert said criminal cases where a person is not in jail will likely be postponed.
Sébastian Grammond, the Dean of Law at the University of Ottawa, said rules covering essential services will mean cases where the accused is in prison will likely go forward.
He said rules about essential services in Quebec will affect this strike.
“There are some employees who still have to do their work if this is considered to be essential,” he said.
“Exactly what is considered essential in this case I don’t know, but my understanding is that if there is someone in jail waiting for trial then they will, it will go on.”
He said the biggest impact will likely be on criminal cases where it is the Crown versus an individual.
