PROPOSED NATIONAL BENCHMARKS
FOR PUBLIC LEGAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Report of Canadian Bar Association Access to Justice Committee
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Promoting Preventive
Legal Health
A Tool Kit for Lawyers
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WORKING FOR AN INCLUSIVE JUSTICE SYSTEM
The CBA’s Equal Justice Initiative studies access to justice issues in Canada and advocates for their improvement. Our vision is an inclusive justice system that is equally accessible to all, regardless of means, capacity or social situation.
We know that many people in Canada do not have access to the legal help they need. The legal aid system is overburdened and decades of reforms haven’t solved the problem. In 2011, the World Justice Project ranked Canada ninth out of 12 developed countries on access to civil justice. That’s why we launched the Equal Justice Initiative in 2012. The Equal Justice Initiative offers a comprehensive plan to bring members of the justice community together for change.
The cornerstone of the Initiative is the Reaching Equal Justice report, which sets out targets for improving access to justice – these are measurable, concrete goals that we want to see achieved by 2030. Each target is broken down into milestones and actions that we can begin working on right now. Together, these actions, milestones and targets create a guiding vision and strategy for implementation. But the CBA isn’t doing this alone – we rely on participation from people and organizations all across the justice sector, including lawyers, judges, legal clinics and social organizations. Find out more about what we’re doing – and how you can help.