P.E.I. Greens planning to present a police accountability bill

Green MLA Trish Altass has given notice in the P.E.I. Legislature that she intends to introduce a bill making changes to the police complaints process in the province.

"Prince Edward Island has one of the most restrictive police complaints processes in the country," Altass said Tuesday.

"Having appropriate, efficient and transparent complaints processes are important to ensure police services remain accountable to the communities they serve."

The coming bill will focus on one particular aspect of the process, she said:the length of time someone has to make a complaint. Currently, Islanders have six months to make a complaintand there is no possibility of an extension.

Altass said her bill would change that time frame to 12 months, and allow for extensions if they are in the public interest. Twelve months is the time limit inmost provinces, she noted.

While this bill will have a narrow focus, Altass said her party is looking into other parts of the process. For example, she is concerned that witnesses to police misconduct cannot make a complaint as P.E.I.'s process now stands.

The Green Party is planning public consultations on the question this summer, with an eye to making further amendments.

In Canadian politics, opposition MLAs' bills rarely pass when the governing party has a majority.

However, the Green Party of P.E.I. has had some success, including a billpassed in 2018, when its MLAsformed the third party in the legislature.

As well, a private member's bill sponsored by Altass involving the powers of Health PEI recently passed second reading.

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