Bill No. 155 - Public Prosecutions Act. - 2nd Reading

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I'll keep my remarks short on second reading.

I've listened with interest to what the Leader of the Official Opposition had to say just now, and also in Budget Estimates. I think he raises an important issue. As he pointed out and I will reiterate, this Public Prosecution Service - one of the only independent public prosecution services - was born out of the Marshall Inquiry. We talk a lot about the need for an independent Public Prosecution Service, but we also need to remember that the rationale was because of the systemic racism and injustice to which Donald Marshall Jr. was subjected. I think the equity concerns brought forward by my colleague are important.

I will just confine my remarks to say that we are glad there is a jurisdictional scan of best practices. I think that's positive. I think updating legislation is positive and bringing Nova Scotia into alignment with other jurisdictions. I think the rationale given by the minister to term limits sounds good.

With all bills, but particularly with this bill, which is coming forward as sort of a housekeeping amendment, when any housekeeping is done to a bill that impacts an independent body, the question always has to be asked: Whose house are we keeping?

The question will be for the Law Amendments Committee, and hopefully we'll have presenters. I would love to hear the reaction of the Public Prosecution Service. I don't know if they'll come. They did break a long spell of not doing that somewhat recently. Maybe they'll do it again. I don't know. Others with expertise around the legal profession and the role of the Public Prosecution Service, and also from communities disproportionately impacted by the work of that body - I certainly hope to hear from them. We'll definitely will have more to say on third reading.