For Immediate Release
February 14, 2005
OTTAWA – Legal aid, the creation of a women lawyers forum, and an address by the attorney general of P.E.I. are on the agenda for the Canadian Bar Association Mid-Winter Meeting of Council in Charlottetown, Feb. 19-20.
Debate on legal aid centres on the CBA’s call for governments to work together to establish consistent, Canada-wide eligibility criteria. “This is about true access to justice for all Canadians that does not depend on where in this country someone lives,” says Susan McGrath of Iroquois Falls, Ont., President of the CBA.
Currently, there are no national standards or controls over the delivery of civil legal aid. This has been highlighted by the virtual elimination of civil legal aid in some regions.
“The problem is compounded by the fact that even in regions where an adequate range of legal aid services are covered, only people on social assistance qualify. Social assistance levels are significantly below Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-offs. This means the working poor have inadequate access to justice without publicly funded legal assistance,” notes Susan McGrath.
The CBA has called for improvements to legal aid for the past decade, specifically for a federal transfer earmarked for civil legal aid linked to the amount actually spent by a province or territory. This would replace the current system, whereby the federal government makes a global transfer for several social services to the provinces and territories, which individually decide how much, if anything, is spent on civil legal aid.
Also on the agenda is the creation of a forum for women lawyers. One of the key reasons is the well-documented attrition rate of women from the profession. “Among the objectives of the forum is to launch a mentoring program that will encourage women lawyers to stay in the legal profession and break through the glass ceiling,” says Kerry-Lynne Findlay of Vancouver, mover of the resolution.
Local organizers Charlottetown lawyers Doug Drysdale of Carr, Stevenson & McKay, and Don MacKenzie of Foster, Hennessey, MacKenzie, welcome the CBA members to Charlottetown. “We’re looking forward to a great opportunity to showcase our city during events at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Founders’ Hall, and Government House,” says Don MacKenzie.
The 2005 Mid-Winter Meeting takes place on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 20 from 8:30 a.m. until noon in the Edward & Island Rooms at the Delta Prince Edward Rooms. The Honourable Mildred Dover, Attorney General of P.E.I., will address Council on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 12:20 p.m. in the Edward and Island Rooms, Delta Prince Edward Hotel. The meeting is open to accredited media.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 38,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
- 30 -
CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein, Canadian Bar Association, Tel: (613) 237-2925, ext. 146; E-mail: hannahb@cba.org.
