A working visit to Canada of the representatives of the Communications Committee on Judiciary took place
Within the framework of the improvement of judicial communications, coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs of Canada, during March 18-29, 2017, a working visit to Canada of the representatives of the Communications Committee on Judiciary took place. This Committee was created as a result of the signing of the Memorandum on cooperation and collaboration of the representatives of the judiciary of Ukraine. The program was held in the Ottawa (Ontario), Halifax (Nova Scotia province) and Montreal (Quebec province). The visit was aimed to provide a detailed overview of the current experience and best practices in judicial communications, which are used by the judicial authorities and, in particular, by the courts in Canada. The representatives of the Committee got acquainted with the practice of communication departments, the work of advisory and consultative committees on media and public relations, access to the information and documents on court cases and judges.<
In addition, the participants got acquainted with the organization of briefings on high-profile and socially important issues, as well as with public awareness of the work of courts, judges and the judiciary in general. Within the framework of the visit, there were meetings at the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs of Canada, the Department of Justice of Canada, The Ottawa Courthouse, the provincial and federal courts of Halifax and Quebec, the Supreme Court of Canada, and with the representatives of the Canadian Bar Association.<
The High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine was represented by Ms. Svitlana Maksymova, Chief Specialist of the Sector for Working Support of the Commission leadership of the Commission Secretariat, who noted the fruitful work and productivity of the Communications Committee. “The project is designed for four years, plenty of activities planned: analytical, informational, educational, which will improve the image of the judiciary and trust to it”, - said Ms. Svitlana Maksymova. The closest event proposed by the Communications Committee within the framework of the Project and under its support is the first national forum “Independent Courts and Free Media: Synergy for the Future”, which will be organized by the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the High Council of Justice, the Council of Judges of Ukraine, State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, the Supreme Court of Ukraine and the National School of Judges of Ukraine. The forum is scheduled for May 2017.
