ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – The head of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Human Rights Commission says the province’s budget cuts will mean delays in hearing cases.
John Walsh says the reduction of 180-thousand dollars will cut two administratrors and a lawyer from the commission’s staff.
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The commissioner says that means that cases that were once heard in 12 to 18 months after being filed are now going to take an average of about three years.
He also says that mediation and education programs will be largely eliminated — and he says that “regressive” and “unfortunate”.
A spokesman for the provincial Justice Department says the minister is unavailable for comment about the impact of the cuts.
Premier Kathy Dunderdale has said that the province’s forecast debt of 9.5 billion debt means that cuts to government-funded positions are necessary.
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