BRAMPTON COURT MANAGER REFUSES TO ASSIST LOCAL CITIZENS

NEWS RELEASE - CANADA COURT WATCH (Halton/Peel District)

In what can be described as no less than a slap in the face to tax-paying Canadian Citizens, Brampton Court manager Doug Westlake snubbed local citizens who approached the court. The contingent of Peel-Halton Court Watchers from the Canada Court Watch Program were assigned to introduce the program to the court and to quietly, but visibly observe court proceedings.

Court Watch participants attempted to present to the court manager a small introductory package consisting of one page covering letter, a small brochure, a complaint form for court officials and a small advertising poster. One Court Watch participant said "as this program is new and we had not attended this court before, all we wanted to do was introduce ourselves in a friendly manner and to ensure that court staff knew who we were so that our presence would not disrupt the court."

Mr. Westlake, the court manager, took a very brief look at the introductory letter, but without reading it, threw it back on the counter. He then told the Court Watch representatives that he would not accept the material nor did he want it given to any of his staff in the building. He then walked away without any further word, leaving members of the community in the lurch. Secretaries nearby seemed puzzled at his reaction but just stared away and went on with their work.

Court Watch participants at the court were disappointed by Mr. Westlake's reaction. One Court Watcher said "Obviously our courts do not like being watched. The reaction of Mr. Westlake further supports the claim by a growing number of Canadians that our justice system has grown into a huge industry which has lost touch with the hearts and souls of the people. They seem to forget who pays their salaries. This emphasizes the need of civilians to watch over our courts. The judges and lawyers have their own regulatory bodies that do not seem to be accountable to the public. Our court system is spending hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars, and many of these people who supposedly work in the name of justice and fairness, seem to have placed themselves on high pedestals, so high, that they cannot even give ordinary Canadians the time of day. Mr. Westlake's refusal to give only 5 minutes of his time to the citizens of the community is an insult to every law abiding, tax-paying Canadian. His actions further add discredit to the justice system which only increases our resolve to work towards making our justice system fairer and accountable to the people."

In response to an alarming increase in the number of Canadians complaining about the bias in the courts and the destruction of families in family courts, Court Watch groups have been established in various communities to respond to the onslaught and to help their fellow citizens. Coordinating the effort is the Canada Court Watch Program, which is a pubic educational program sponsored by N.A.P.P.A (The National Association for Public and Private Accountability).

Rev. Dorian Baxter, the National Chairman of N.A.P.P.A. stated "there are too many families being destroyed by our system of justice. I get hundreds of people calling me to tell of their horror stories with the justice system. Canadians are fed up and the Canada Court Watch Program will assist citizens to deal with the problem in their respective communities. The Citizens are going to expose those judges who promote bias and they will boycott the lawyers in their communities who employ unethical practices against families."

One of the slogans that N.A.P.P.A. advertises in its materials which seems appropriate for its mandate is a statement by Sir Randolf Churchill which reads "The citizens shall fight, and the citizens shall be right."

Canada's Chief Justice Lamer expressed his concern about "Judge bashing". He wants Canadians to give judges more respect. He is right about the judge bashing but unfortunately many of the judges are so far out of touch with the people that they miss the point why people are bashing them in the first place. Canadians in droves are losing respect for the justice system. Every time a judge places the future of another child into the sole custody of a parent who impedes parenting and who acts in a vindictive manner, then another family opposed to the court system is created. Unless the judges and those running the system start to realize that until fairness, justice and equality between men and women are returned to our courts, that an ever increasing number of Canadians will turn away from our system of justice and "judge bashing" will only get worse. All sectors of society, including lawyers, police officers and professionals openly admit that family courts are bias and in too many cases failing to address the needs of children. Recent testimony before the Senate and House of Commons on custody and access provided clear evidence of the failure of the justice system.

Without respect for justice there will be a meltdown. Many Canadians would argue that this is necessary as it is too far out of control now. A number of months earlier, on the very same Brampton Courthouse steps, officers from the Peel Region Police were asked to give candid opinion about what judges thought to themselves. Their simple response: "There is no justice in Family Court - Just Us!".

It is time for Canadians to take action.