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Trial by Zoom? The Response to COVID-19 by Canada s Courts
#MMPMIDC7264448
Puddister K
; Small TA
Can J Polit Sci
2020[May]; ? (?): 1-5
PMIDC7264448
show ga
COVID-19 has made videoconferencing a regular occurrence in the lives of
Canadians. Videoconferencing is being used to maintain social ties, run business
meetings?and to uphold responsible government. On April 28, 2020, Members of the
House of Commons sat virtually using Zoom. The virtual sitting was the first of
what will become a stand-in for regular proceedings, allowing the Members to
fulfill some of their parliamentary duties while complying with physical
distancing (see Malloy, 2020). As the legislative and executive branches look to
digital technology to allow the business of government to continue, what about
the judicial branch of Canada's government? Courts are an essential service. This
is best articulated by the Chief Justice of Nova Scotia: ?The fact is, the Courts
cannot close. As the third branch of government, an independent judiciary is
vital for our Canadian democracy to function. It is never more important than in
times of crisis? (Wood, 2020). In this analysis, we seek to understand how courts
have responded to COVID-19 and the challenges of physical distancing through the
use of digital technologies. This is accomplished through a systematic review of
COVID-19 statements and directives issued from all levels of court across Canada.
We briefly compare Canada to the United States, a jurisdiction that demonstrates
greater openness to technology.
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