Finance committee  That's correct. There are scant resources available to jurors right across the country. There hasn't been a national organization until now—the organization that I founded—that speaks on behalf of jurors and represents them at the table in justice discussions and within the justice community.

Finance committee  Thank you, and thank you, honourable members of the finance committee, for the opportunity to appear before you once again. I would like to take a moment to recognize the incredible work of this committee during this global catastrophe and to thank you on behalf of all Canadians.

Finance committee  I apologize. Supreme Court justices raised concerns about the timeliness of trials once courts resume, especially with respect to criminal and civil trials. I second these concerns, along with the expectations being placed upon potential jurors. Extremely resistant and unwilling to respond to a jury summons in the post-pandemic environment, many Canadians will not be equipped to serve on a lengthy trial so soon after the crisis, yet this will be the expectation.

Finance committee  And then you fulfill your civic duty and you don't have access to support.

Finance committee  Jury duty is the most important civic duty left in Canadian society, and it is the last mandatory civic duty left in Canadian society. When you receive a summons, you are bound by law to respond to it. We want Canadians to welcome the opportunity to serve their communities in court to deliver justice and not to want to shirk the responsibility or find ways to avoid it.

Finance committee  Despite its core function, jury duty has been vastly overlooked, undervalued, and underinvested in, and it has not kept pace with the modern world. Many jurors have expressed frustration at the lack of support for their service. Employers have felt inconvenienced, even suggesting employees are somehow responsible for being selected above their duties and commitment to the workplace.

Finance committee  Thank you, honourable members of the finance committee, for inviting us to be here today. My name is Mark Farrant. I'm the founder of the Canadian Juries Commission, a not-for-profit representing Canadians serving on jury duty and on coroners' inquests. I founded this organization based on my experience as a juror on a first-degree murder trial that left me shattered and living with PTSD, depression and anxiety.