For the Criminal Lawyers' Association, we are urging that this amendment not be adopted. If you look at our submissions, and as you see in the statistics, 86% of cases that have preliminary inquiries are resolved following that preliminary inquiry. I think that's a very important statistic to bear in mind. Preliminary inquiries don't just provide a gatekeeper function, although that is how they are traditionally described, to weed out cases that ought not to proceed to trial because there isn't evidence. They also provide a case management function. Those cases that do continue on to trial are managed much better because the preliminary inquiry circumscribes the issues much better. Therefore, witnesses don't necessarily need to be called again at the trial. The case management function of the preliminary inquiry is a very important thing to bear in mind when talking about taking away the preliminary inquiry.
On September 18th, 2018. See this statement in context.