Man. Crown lawyers go to public arbitration

The union representing Manitoba's Crown attorneys will begin a public arbitration process with the province Wednesday in an effort to address workload issues it says are causing illnesses and burnout.

In the first day of the hearing, tobe heldat a downtown Winnipeg law firm, the Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys will likely table a year-old report recommending the province hire 70 additional Crown lawyers and 70 support staff over the next seven years.

That would roughly double the number of Crown lawyers in the province.

In addition to new staff, the report recommends the average caseload for Crowns be much less than the current average of 319.

Association president Lisa Carson has said some Crown prosecutors working in rural Manitoba's circuit courts carry upwards of 500 cases at a time.

The association filed a grievance in 2006 but staved off arbitration in favor of working with the government to find a solution.

Wednesday's hearing begins at 9:30 a.m.