FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 11, 2002

VANCOUVER–Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch President Carman Overholt today delivered a warning to the Government of BC, in response to increasing concern that proposed budget cuts will impact access to justice for the people of BC.

In a letter to Premier Campbell, Mr. Overholt said “There is no question that there are limited resources available to us in BC, and that important decisions have to be made regarding how those dollars should be spent. To do that requires an understanding at all levels of government that delivering on the principle of access to justice for the people of BC requires a lot more work and consultation than a simple budget-cutting exercise in the name of efficiency.”

“Cuts that ignore the underlying principles of the justice system are not going to increase efficiency – they will lead directly to more costly problems in other parts of the justice system and in other government spending areas such as policing and social services,” said Mr. Overholt.

• Crown counsel need adequate resources to prepare and administer cases, to avoid miscarriages of justice and/or failure to prosecute.

• People need access to courts within their communities, in order to be present and active in cases that involve them, and so that justice can be seen and done in the eyes of the public being served.

• People who are poor need access to legal representation through the Legal Aid system. Legal Aid funding cuts increase the number of people who must represent themselves in court, which increases court backlogs and affects every other court case in the system.

• Backlogs in the system and underfunding of Crown and Court Services result in delays in hearing and resolving cases. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that if a case takes too long to get to court, it must be dismissed and the accused person set free.

“The people of BC want the government to ensure that the justice system is accessible to all, regardless of how rich or poor, and that the end result is fair and equal treatment that protects our society.”

“Those of us in the legal profession know that a strong justice system is the bedrock on which you build a strong, vital economy, by showing the world that this is a stable place in which to live and do business,” said Mr. Overholt. “We are committed to work with the Government to look at creative ways to deliver services within the available dollars, while protecting the basic principles of access to justice.”

For more information:
Caroline Nevin, Associate Executive Director
Director of Communications and Government Relations
Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch
T: 604.687.3404 x320
cnevin@bccba.org