Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Alberta Justice Minister Says Access To Legal Help Approaching 'Crisis Point'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Aug, 2015 12:17 PM
    CALGARY — Legal experts, politicians and Canada's top judge are saying it's increasingly difficult for low- and middle-income Canadians to get access to the courts.
     
    Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley told a Canadian Bar Association convention in Calgary that there needs to be a review of the province's legal aid since it appears to barely be getting the job done.
     
    She said only people with low incomes qualify for legal assistance, which leaves out middle-class earners who can't afford it either.
     
    Ganley says access to justice is, in her words, "rapidly moving to a crisis point" and something needs to be done.
     
    Beverley McLachlin, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada,  said Canadians who are unrepresented rarely do well in court.
     
    Michele Hollins, outgoing president of the bar association, urged members to get involved in the federal election campaign in a non-partisan way to make sure the issue of court access is heard.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Sask. Gov Wraps Up Public Consultations On Farmland Ownership Restrictions

    Sask. Gov Wraps Up Public Consultations On Farmland Ownership Restrictions
    Saskatchewan's agriculture minister says almost all options are on the table as the government considers the future of farmland ownership restrictions in the province.

    Sask. Gov Wraps Up Public Consultations On Farmland Ownership Restrictions

    Man Who Found Knife Blade In Back Three Years After Stabbing Files Lawsuit

    Man Who Found Knife Blade In Back Three Years After Stabbing Files Lawsuit
    YELLOWKNIFE — A man from the Northwest Territories has filed a lawsuit against health officials claiming they failed to find a knife blade buried in his back for three years.

    Man Who Found Knife Blade In Back Three Years After Stabbing Files Lawsuit

    Judge allows sailors charged in sex assault to return to U.K. until trial

    Judge allows sailors charged in sex assault to return to U.K. until trial
    HALIFAX — A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has ruled three British sailors charged with a sexual assault in Halifax can return to the United Kingdom while on bail.

    Judge allows sailors charged in sex assault to return to U.K. until trial

    NDP wastes little time connecting return of Duffy trial to campaign trail

    NDP wastes little time connecting return of Duffy trial to campaign trail
    OTTAWA — The NDP wasted little time Wednesday in using the return of Mike Duffy as political leverage against the Conservatives, while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau seemed to want to wash his hands of it.

    NDP wastes little time connecting return of Duffy trial to campaign trail

    Dozens Drop Out Of 'biased' Energy Board Review Of Trans Mountain Pipeline

    Dozens Drop Out Of 'biased' Energy Board Review Of Trans Mountain Pipeline
    Dozens of participants have dropped out of the controversial National Energy Board review of Kinder Morgan's proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, saying they can no longer support a "biased" and "unfair" process.

    Dozens Drop Out Of 'biased' Energy Board Review Of Trans Mountain Pipeline

    Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Abuse At Ontario Schools For The Deaf

    Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Abuse At Ontario Schools For The Deaf
    A Toronto man alleges he was abused for years at Ontario schools for the deaf and has launched a class action lawsuit on behalf of other former students against the provincial government.

    Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Abuse At Ontario Schools For The Deaf