Access to justice, the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin believes, is a fundamental right, not an accessory. Since she retired from the Supreme Court in 2017, the former Chief Justice – the first and only woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the country’s history – has continued to work to improve Canadians’ access to the justice system.
Members of the Canadian Bar Association are encouraged to express support for the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin Access to Justice Fund, established in her honour in 2019 by the Government of Canada, members of the Canadian judiciary, a number of national and international law firms, members of the legal profession and the business community.
The MacLachlin Fund seeks to support “innovative regional and national programs that attack a defined problem in a way that is capable of evaluation and of being used elsewhere if successful,” says Virginia A. Engel, Q.C, in a letter to CBA members.
Specific objectives include fostering innovation, establishing evidence-based methods for evaluating outcomes and supporting knowledge-sharing between jurisdictions and stakeholders.
“There is no justice without access to justice,” the former Chief Justice famously said. And for many Canadians, access to justice is financially out of reach. CBA members are encouraged to express their support by joining a growing list of donors that have contributed more than $6 million towards the $10-million goal.
More information, including a list of donors, is available on the website of the McLachlin Fund.