The Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys (MACA) terminated discussions with the provincial government on Friday, citing a lack of tangible resources to tackle prosecutor burnout. The organization filed a grievance in April 2023, urging the province to address the heavy workload burden by enhancing salaries and recruiting more prosecutors. After two and a half years, the grievance was scheduled for arbitration earlier this week.
Ben Wickstrom, MACA’s vice president of prosecutions and spokesperson, revealed that they opted out of mediation sessions on Friday morning due to a perceived lack of substantial progress. Wickstrom emphasized the urgent need for additional resources to alleviate the prolonged workload pressures faced by prosecutors, which have intensified since the initial grievance was filed with the former Progressive Conservative government.
According to Wickstrom, the introduction of body-worn cameras has amplified the volume of material attorneys must review, while anticipated modifications to the federal Criminal Code are projected to result in stricter sentences and more contested bail hearings. This, in turn, necessitates an increased number of Crown attorneys to effectively advocate for the Crown’s stance in court.
MACA raised concerns about retention challenges in Manitoba, noting the migration of experienced Crown attorneys to provinces like Ontario and British Columbia, where resources and compensation may be more attractive. In response, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe stated that the NDP government had recruited 35 new Crown prosecutors and substantially elevated their pay. However, Wickstrom disputed this claim, asserting that the new hires merely filled existing vacant positions rather than creating additional roles.
Wickstrom underscored the ongoing recruitment and retention issues, highlighting a prior arbitration decision in February 2024 that awarded Crown prosecutors a five-year agreement with nearly 14% wage increases retroactive to 2022. Despite this, Wickstrom emphasized disparities in compensation between Manitoba and other provinces, impacting the province’s ability to retain prosecutors.
While Wiebe expressed disappointment over MACA’s withdrawal from negotiations and affirmed the province’s readiness to continue discussions, Wickstrom indicated that new arbitration dates were being arranged, potentially prolonging the resolution of the grievance for another year.
