Jury Duty Appreciation Week Bill

Honourable senators, I rise to speak as the friendly critic of Bill S-226, An Act respecting Jury Duty Appreciation Week.

As you may know, the bill would designate the second week of May each year as jury duty appreciation week across Canada. Many will recall that an identical proposal received unanimous support in this chamber in the previous Parliament before dying on the Order Paper. I thank Senator Moncion for bringing it forward again.

Colleagues, trial by jury is a pillar of our justice system — rooted in law, history and our democratic traditions. When citizens serve as jurors, they uphold the right to a fair trial and bring the community’s voice into the courtroom. Jury service allows ordinary Canadians to contribute directly to the administration of justice, ensuring diverse perspectives within decisions that profoundly affect people’s lives.

In criminal matters, especially those involving serious offences, the judgment of one’s peers remains a fundamental safeguard of liberty.

Creating a jury duty appreciation week is not just a symbolic gesture. It aims to address a real gap in public understanding and in the support provided to those who fulfill this civic responsibility. A dedicated week would help bring further awareness to Canadians about the essential role that jurors play and foster greater respect for this duty so that citizens may answer the call with pride rather than reluctance.

One of the clearest reasons this recognition is needed relates to the mental and emotional toll that jury duty can impose. Jurors may be exposed to graphic evidence, hear traumatic testimony or carry the burden of determining guilt or innocence — experiences far removed from daily life.

They perform a vital role, often at a considerable personal cost: time away from family and work, emotional strain and, for some, lasting psychological effects.

As Senator Moncion emphasized, many jurors emerge from difficult trials with anxiety, depression or symptoms that resemble post-traumatic stress. For years, these individuals were constrained by strict jury secrecy rules that prevented them from discussing aspects of their experience with a mental health professional.

Parliament addressed this in 2022 when legislation initiated by our former colleague Senator Boisvenu created an exception allowing jurors to speak to health care providers for therapeutic purposes. That reform was essential, but awareness remains limited.

This is exactly where a national appreciation week could make a difference. By publicly recognizing jurors, we can highlight the human dimension of jury service and promote mental health supports. It creates a platform for courts, governments and the media to speak more openly about juror well-being, reducing stigma and helping build momentum for further improvements.

These concerns were also echoed in committee study during the previous Parliament. The Canadian Juries Commission, led by former juror and advocate Mark Farrant, has long called for better recognition and assistance for jurors. Mental health experts, including Dr. Patrick Baillie, testified that some jurors exhibit symptoms similar to operational stress injuries seen in other high-stress professions. A dedicated week could help bring more attention to these concerns.

Beyond mental health, jurors often face very real financial pressures. In some provinces, compensation remains very low. In New Brunswick, for example, jurors receive only $20 for a half day or $40 for a full day, with that amount doubling only after the tenth day of service.

The CBC recently profiled several New Brunswick residents who struggled with lost income, disrupted schedules and out‑of‑pocket costs while fulfilling their civic duty. These stories underscore that many jurors absorb real financial losses simply for answering a summons.

Some jurisdictions have begun to modernize these supports. Ontario, for instance, recently announced an increase to $120 per day starting on the first day of service, replacing an outdated system that offered very little compensation for the early days of a trial. Measures like these demonstrate that juror compensation is not a minor administrative detail. It has real consequences for the people who serve.

A national jury duty appreciation week would give us a yearly opportunity to highlight these issues, improve public understanding and encourage continued progress in how jurors are supported.

Financial concerns are one part of the story; public understanding is another. For many Canadians who have never served, the realities of jury duty are not well understood. They may not realize that jurors can, in certain circumstances, be sequestered during deliberations, or they may spend weeks hearing complex or disturbing evidence.

As Senator Seidman noted during her speech at third reading last Parliament, many employers are not fully aware of what jury service demands of their employees. A national week would give courts, legal associations and the media an annual opportunity to inform Canadians and share jurors’ stories.

By declaring a national appreciation week, Parliament can send a clear and united message that supporting jurors is important and that we value their service from coast to coast to coast. That national recognition can help stimulate further local efforts to improve juror support.

Honourable senators, jury duty is a vital component of our justice system and democracy, yet jurors themselves have too often been overlooked. Bill S-226 gives us the chance to correct that. It affirms that Canada values its jurors, the time they give, the discomfort they endure, and the mental and emotional burdens they shoulder. It reinforces public understanding of jury service and encourages a culture where citizens are supported, respected and willing to serve.

It is worth noting that when this proposal was previously studied, the witnesses who appeared before the committee expressed strong support for the creation of jury duty appreciation week.

Honourable senators, this bill offers a simple but meaningful way to recognize jurors’ contributions and to give long-overdue appreciation to those who serve. Like our former colleague Senator Boisvenu said during second reading debate last Parliament, raising Canadians’ awareness about civic duty is essential because criminal trials take place across the country every day, where Canadians put their lives on pause to perform their civic duty in the name of justice.

It is only fitting that we express our gratitude to the Canadians who bear this responsibility with integrity and care. Therefore, I encourage all senators to support Bill S-226.

Thank you.