Word of the St. Stephen courthouse closure coming as a surprise to our local MP.
MP for South-West New Brunswick, John Williamson says he is concerned how this decision will effect citizens, especially those who have been a victim of crime, “And it is going to be more difficult for those individuals to access justice with the change that’s coming to St. Stephen (with the courthouse), whether they live in town, or live elsewhere in the County, including Campobello and Grand Manan.”
Williamson says though the federal government gives money to the province, the closure od the courthouse is ultimately a provincial decision.
He says one of his government’s priorities is to invest in rural communities, and he doesn’t understand why the Gallant government would choose to cut these services.
Williamson tells us, “It was the wrong decision to make. It was the wrong priority to make when you consider that they could have found cost-savings elsewhere without impacting the justice system.”
