Three Calgary courtrooms will be kept open from dawn to dark to deal with the large number of protester arrests expected during the G-8 summit in June.
Two rooms in adult provincial court and one room at youth court will be running 16 hours a day -- 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. -- from June 26 to 28.
"We are doing this because we want to be able to process people quickly," Alberta Justice spokesman Bart Johnson said Wednesday.
It's an unnecessary move, according to one protest organizer, Yori Jamin.
"I think it's more of an intimidation tactic, to try to make people not come out and exercise their democratic rights. Nobody I know is looking to be arrested," the Calgarian said.
Jamin said he is organizing a family protest for the streets of the city. "I am even inviting my grandparents."
The summit, a meeting of the world's seven most economically powerful nations and Russia, will run June 26 to 27 in Kananaskis Village, about 100 kilometres west of Calgary.
Security experts are concerned protests will get rowdy after the number of arrests made at similar meetings, such as at last year's Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, where 400 people were taken into custody.
G-8 summit security spokesman, RCMP Cpl. Jamie Johnston, said he hopes the extra court time won't be needed. He pointed to the relatively peaceful protest held by about 100 people last week during the G-8 environment ministers' meeting in Banff.
"It's a very different place with a very different kind of people here. We hope everything will remain co-operative," Johnston said.
However, he added: "The best contingency is to be prepared and never have to use it."
For Edmonton-based protester Mike Hudema, the extended court hours are much ado about nothing.
"This is a typical strategy used by police for any mass protest. They always use it when they are trying to discourage dissent."
Hudema said his experience is that most of the time, protesters are arrested and never charged with anything.
The Legal Aid Society of Alberta is looking for criminal lawyers willing to work as duty counsel for accused persons during the all-day and late-night court sessions. It sent out a letter last month urging lawyers to help out.
A letter obtained by the Herald asks lawyers to work one of three shifts -- 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., or 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. The lawyers will need to come in early and stay late to fill out paperwork.
The going rate for duty counsel -- a lawyer who provides free legal advice and assistance to accused people -- is $62 an hour.
The bulk of funding for the extended court time will come from the Alberta government. A small portion will be put in by the federal government.
"The (legal aid) society doesn't expect there would be a large cost associated with this," said provincial justice department spokesman Johnson.
Dan McLennan, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, which represents court clerks and security officers, said he had not heard before about the plan to extend courthouse hours.
"I do have to say I am pleased. It's great news for our members, who will get extra overtime and more money," McLennan said.
However, it will be far from business as usual in the Calgary legal system. All criminal trials will be halted for the last two weeks in June to free up police and RCMP officers for G-8 summit security duties.
There is also a suggestion that inmates be moved from the Calgary Correctional Centre to another facility to make room for the anticipated arrests.
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