Canada is a multicultural society. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 14 stipulates that ”A party or witness in any proceedings who does not understand or speak the language in which the proceedings are conducted or who is deaf has the right to the assistance of an interpreter”.

Interpreters are an integral part of the court system.

The Professional Court Interpreters of Ontario was formed in 2021 by a dedicated group of MAG freelance court interpreters to address pressing labour issues affecting our profession. In December 2021 we expressed our concerns to the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario (MAG), as well as to other stakeholders in the justice system. Beginning with January 1, 2022 our organization implemented a new set of guidelines for our members to improve our compensation and working conditions.

Better working conditions for interpreters will improve interpreter retention, the quality of interpretation that comes with experience, and ultimately, the quality of the justice system as a whole in Ontario.