Nunavut court looking for justices of the peace in 12 communities
People appointed to role responsible for conducting marriages, hearing some court cases
The Nunavut Court of Justice is looking for people interested in becoming a justice of the peace in 12 communities. (File photo)
Updated on June 15 at 9:45 a.m.
The Nunavut Court of Justice is looking for people interested in becoming a justice of the peace in several communities across the territory.
People are needed to fill the role in Kimmirut, Clyde River, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Sanirajak, Resolute Bay, Naujaat, Taloyoak, Gjoa Haven, Kugluktuk, Sanikiluaq and Arctic Bay.
The role comes with responsibilities that include presiding over court cases, conducting bail hearings, signing search warrants and conducting marriages.
Those appointed will receive specialized training, according to the posting.
The request for applicants does not list a legal background in the requirements to apply — applicants need to be at least 19 years old and a resident of Nunavut for the past 12 months.
The court’s appointment committee also considers an applicant’s knowledge of the community, and knowledge of Inuit language and societal values.
According to Nunavut’s Justice of the Peace Act, anybody who is appointed may remain in the role until they reach 75 years of age, leave Nunavut, or are removed from his or her post for reasons laid out in the act.
The court asks anybody interested in applying to send in a resume, cover letter and three references along with documentation that proves they meet the eligibility criteria to ncj.chambers@gov.nu.ca.
The committee that considers the applicants is composed of a member recommended by a senior judge; a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice; a justice of the peace; and two members of the public who are not Government of Nunavut employees.
There is no deadline to apply.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the current policy that sets out who sits on the committee that considers applicants to become a justice of the peace.
No JP in Iqaluit could return a call or email despite multiple attempts to perform a wedding ceremony for me.
“The request for applicants does not list a legal background in the requirements to apply — applicants need to be at least 19 years old and a resident of Nunavut for the past 12 months. ”
That is bothersome. Decisions about whether people will remain locked up or on bail or about violating conditions go before JPs, whether or not an allegedly abusive spouse will get to go back home will go before a JP. Not just petty crime, either. Today, for example, according to the court docket that is available to the general public, someone who is being charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault, the most severe form of assault short of murder, will be appearing before a JP rather than a judge.
Highly unlikely the person you are referring to is appearing on trial.
Rather should they be held in custody pending trial or will they be released (usually with lots of conditions).
JPs are trained to cover all of their responsibilities including summary trials.
I agree that people with legal backgrounds are best-suited for the JP role, but (in case anyone assumed otherwise), this isn’t a Nunavut thing — does *any* province or territory limit JP jobs to people with legal experience? Ontario definitely doesn’t. BC doesn’t either, although I think it only puts those with legal backgrounds in court.
In NU, there are four different levels of JPs; not all of them are allowed to preside at contested court hearings.
JP Training Levels
There are four levels of JP training for this program and three special designations:
Level1- Orientation & Administration
conduct weddings
sign statutory declarations & administer oaths
receive informations
issue or cancel summons, arrestwarrants & appearance notices
grant adjournments
sign consent releases & comittals
Level2- Show Cause & Search Warrants
accept guilty or not guilty pleas
conduct judicial interim release hearings (including for youth court)
issue or cancel search warrants
issue warrants to enter & arrest
Level3- Sentencing & SOTls- Ex- Parte Trials
sentence summary conviction & SOTI guilty pleas
conduct ex-parte trials on SOTI matters
Level 4- Trials-
conduct trials of summary conviction, NunavutStatutes & By-Laws
breach of conditional sentencing hearings
peace bond applications
adjournment of child welfare hearings
Designations
youth court judges(YC)
telewarrants(TW)
designation to work under the Family Abuse Intervention Act(FAIA)