Michael Armstrong, an associate professor in Brock’s Goodman School of Business, has written a piece recently published in the Edmonton Journal about the need for the Alberta government to provide its juries at least minimum wage.

Armstrong writes:

The Alberta government has committed to raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2018.  As Labour Minister Christina Gray has said, “this is exactly the time for a fair wage because all Albertans deserve a living wage”.  But if her government is serious about fairness, it should set the example by paying at least minimum wage to its juries.

Imagine you are one of the thousands of people summoned for possible jury selection each year.  You spend several hours at the courthouse, waiting to see if you get picked.  If so, you attend your assigned trial for however long it lasts, but receive much less than minimum wage. 

The government pays you nothing during the selection process, and just $50 per day of actual jury duty.  So, if the trial lasts a month (say, 21 weekdays, of perhaps six hours each), you receive $1050 for your dutiful service.

Continue reading the full article here.