The justice system in Quebec could grind to a halt on Tuesday as prosecutors are poised to go on strike.
Representatives of Quebec's 450 criminal prosecutors will be negotiating throughout the day on Monday, but at midnight prosecutors will be in a legal strike position.
Should they walk off the job, a skeleton crew of 50 prosecutors will handle cases that are currently before the courts.
That means that anyone behind bars awaiting trial, or trials that are currently before a judge and jury, will continue, but people who are out on bail will face delays before they have to appear.
It also means that new arrests, and fresh charges recommended by police, will be delayed indefinitely.
Quebec's prosecutors say they are the lowest paid in Canada, with an hourly wage 40 percent lower than their counterparts.
The Association des procureurs aux poursuites criminelles et pénales (APPCP) says their main concern in increasing their salary and proposed rules of ethics.
If they go on strike many are planning to hold a demonstration in front of the National Assembly later this week.
