justice denied

This same justice system has been denied to injured workers for years and this just proves us right the justice system in this country is for the people who can afford to buy it it's time for the working class to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Justice failed ordinary citizens


Times ColonistJanuary 31, 2009

An effective and equitable legal system is as critical to a democratic society as free elections.

Unless all citizens have access to justice, the rights and responsibilities established in laws or a constitution are meaningless.

In British Columbia today, they only apply to some citizens -- those with money and influence, or the backing of protectors who wield those advantages.

Lawyer Peter Ritchie laid bare B.C.'s shame this week.

Ritchie, who represented two daughters of a couple killed in the Queen of the North sinking, delivered a scathing rebuke as he announced they had been forced to settle out of court. The law's limits, B.C. Ferries' intransigence and the tremendous legal costs -- many imposed by the provincial government -- made it impossible for the two girls to pursue legal recourse.

If someone you love dies because of negligent actions, "don't go looking for justice in the province of British Columbia," Ritchie said. "Unless you are wealthy, you won't be able to afford court in B.C.

"Very sadly, two lovely teenage girls from Penticton will never know what happened to their father," he added. "Our so-called justice system has let them down."

The provincial government wanted the girls to pay $15,000 to cover courtroom costs. It wanted another $25,000 to pay for a jury. They would have had to pay for witnesses to be flown from Prince Rupert, including B.C. Ferries employees.

No other province charges such fees, says Ritchie. In Alberta, the costs would be $800; in Ontario, $645.

Yet in B.C., the price for just a courtroom and jury would be $40,000.

And every step of the way, the girls would face a corporation with vast resources fighting a war of attrition. B.C. Ferries, like any participant in our system, could throw up barriers at every step. The corporation had even refused to agree the girls' parents were dead, forcing them to go to court for a legal ruling -- and pushing up their costs.

This disease eating at our system isn't just harming individuals. The legal system should be exposing systemic failures. The public has a great interest in knowing how the Queen of the North disaster happened. No other process has provided vital answers. Now costs have blocked access to answers through the courts. The only alternative is a costly, slow public inquiry.

More broadly, the erosion of justice undermines the basic compact that holds society together. We accept the rule of law on the basis that access is equal and that the process is fair.

That is no longer true. In too many cases, the moneyed and powerful have legal power; average citizens can forget about justice.

That is a formula for oppression, exploitation and, eventually, disorder, as people take whatever action they can to defend their own interests when the system will not.

Link to Story:Times Colonists

out of the mouth's of babes

NEVER HAVE THE ABUSER'S BEEN SO WELL TAKEN CARE OF THEN BY THE ABUSED
Well it was said to me by a young man who might be one of the army that defeats these enemy's of justice these people have taken the meredith agreement and twisted it to fit their own agenda to rape and pillige the live's of inocent injured worker's this act was put in place so canadian worker's could have some kind of life if injured but the goverment and the unions leaders and the wcb saw a chance to be able to screw the working people of this country and they took it.They are the enemey's of everything it means to be Canadian.If they ask you to join their unions say no if they ask you to vote say no because as long as you vote and join their union you support their abuse JUST SAY NO

does wcb really benefit the public and business

this bad faith act really helps no one other then unions some doctors and big company's it certainly does not help the small business man because his premiums keep going up and i doubt they get the same kind of rebate that the big company's enjoy .The only people that do not benefit is the injured worker he is tormented and cutoff at every turn and even if he does get training out of WCB like the one whom they paid 33,000 to a private school to upgrade him for a ten dollar a hour job.

who benifits from worksafebc

Some injured workers are victimized to keep this secondary economy going these people live the high life while the injured worker starves and loses his home family and sometimes his life.The money that is wasted on the creation of excess paper work caused by denial's and countless appeals that should never take place.And the hundred of thousands of dollars spent on the hiring of private investigators to follow and spy on injured workers where there is no appearance of fraud.then we have the matter of hiring hi- priced people like Hue Herv to evaluate people so the Worksafebc can try to coverup what's being done to injured workersthis can't be cheap i would guess it would be cheaper to pay the worker what's due to him.