LCO: Modernizing the Provincial Offences Act Consultation Paper

A heads up for those interested in the Law Commission of Ontario’s Modernization of the Provincial Offences Act project. The Consultation Paper is scheduled for release early next week. It lists about 20 issues on which we want people’s views: should we address this issue? And if so, what should we recommend? We also want to know if there are issues we missed.

We were aware of the Streamlining Paper emanating from the MAG Working Group and tried to avoid duplication of issues. We’ll do the same with Bill 212 which recently received second reading, although it addresses only a very few of those we are listing in the Consultation Paper with a number of those housekeeping matters.

We’ll hold an extensive consultation period following the release of the paper, until February 1, 2010, leading to the release of an Interim Report with recommendations by late spring.