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1 3 Th u rsd ay, A u g u st 4, 2011 O A K V ILLE B E A V E R w w w .in sid eH A LTO N .co m By Tim Whitnell METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Ontarios attorney general says added help for victims of crime is coming to Halton and across Ontario. Attorney-General Chris Bentley was in Halton recently to speak to representatives of various area social service agencies and listen to their concerns and thoughts about legal advocacy for their often-marginalized clients. He told them about a new program that will create a community support family court worker in each of the provinces 50 court juris- dictions, including Halton. The advocate would be a full-time employee in the family court services field based out of an area social services agency. Their job would be to help victims of crime, such as abused spous- es, navigate through the complex legal sys- tem. They can do some court advocacy when a lawyer is not available, Bentley told the Beaver not long after his roundtable meeting with, among others, members of the Halton Womens Place shelter, the John Howard Society and Burlington Counselling and Family Services. Bentley said an announcement on details about the new family services support worker will be made very soon. The A-G said his ministry would give social service agencies the right to decide who to hire in the new role, with the person possibly being co-ordinated by a local shelter or community support agency. Karmel Sakran, a Burlington-based family services lawyer, and Burlingtons Liberal can- didate in this falls provincial election, sat in on the meeting with Bentley. He said the new family court services worker would be wel- comed by local groups like Halton Womens Place. That person becomes the linkage (between) the shelter and the criminal justice system and into the (other) community (services). A lot of women who dont have (legal/com- munity) support go back to the abusive rela- tionship, noted Sakran. During the interview, Bentley also talked about the ruling Liberal partys Justice On Target (JOT) initiative, meant to streamline and expedite court appearances and the overall legal process for accused individuals. Sakran said he met earlier with various court workers at the Milton courthouse to get their feedback on the justice system. Several people mentioned they would like a new courthouse; many would like additional space. Bentley acknowledged Halton, particularly Milton, like other growing regions of Ontario, will need new courtroom space but he wasnt committing to any future plans in that area. However, the A-G did talk about some of the initiatives in Justice On Target, a strategy he announced in June 2008. It set a four-year target to reduce by 30 per cent the provincial average number of days and appearances required to complete a criminal case. The Ministry of the Attorney-General web- site says that in 1992 it took an average of 4.3 court appearances to bring a criminal charge to completion. By 2007, the figure had more than doubled to 9.2 appearances. Over the same period, the average time needed to complete a charge went to 205 days from 115 days. Bentley said Justice on Target is reversing that trend. He said it is establishing better communica- tion between Crown attorneys, their assistants, defence lawyers, the accused and judges and justices of the peace. As an example, he noted that if accused people need to enquire about Legal Aid, repre- sentatives are now available at most courts to help them determine more quickly if they are eligible for the legal financial aid and how to apply for it. With Justice On Target, if you deal with the minor cases (quicker) it frees up more time for the major cases. Program to improve help for victims of crime With Justice on Target, if you deal with the minor cases (quicker) it frees up more time for the major cases. Chris Bentley, Ontario Attorney-General If you have any questions these professionals can answer, please write to: Ask the Professionals c/o The Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville L6K 3S4 or fax to: 905-337-5568 2501 Third Line (at Dundas) Oakville, ON 905 825 3800 Q: What are some diet-friendly ways to stay hydrated in the summer? A: In the summer, its tempting to want to quench your thirst with juices, beer, and frozen cocktails. But at 200-400 calories per drink, they can ruin your attempts to shed those unwanted pounds. Dehydration can stress the body, so getting enough water to drink in hot summer weather is important for general health. Your body can also misinterpret thirst signals as hunger, causing you to eat more. So staying hydrated is also a good habit for curbing your appetite to maintain or lose weight. Aim for 8 glasses of water each day. Remember to stay away from calorie-laden beverages though. Here are some tips for keeping your summer sippers deliciously calorie-free. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water Add fruit slices (peaches, strawberries) or cucumber, lime, and mint to a pitcher of cold water Instead of sugary soda, try naturally fruit flavoured carbonated water Steep decaf herbal tea bags and add lemon and mint for homemade iced tea Call for your FREE smart weight session today 905-825-3800 Patsy Commisso R0HP,RNCP Clinic Director www.metaboliccareclinics.com