The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) today released An Agenda for Justice – Platform Updates 2018. This document, an update to An Agenda for Justice 2017, acknowledges increased government investment in key areas and details several issues still needing support.
“We are pleased to spotlight the work government has done, including increased funding of legal aid for family law services in British Columbia,” said CBABC President, Margaret A. Mereigh. “The BC government also added annual funding for Parents Legal Centres, allowing the two in Surrey and Vancouver to continue operating, and the expansion to more BC locations.”
Ms. Mereigh continued, “As we thank government for increased support, we also continue our call for legal aid to remain a priority, including the tariff that sets compensation for representing legal aid clients in BC.”
An Agenda for Justice – Platform Updates 2018 outlines areas still lacking support including Indigenous justice, the BC Mental Health Act, Court Services staffing and the establishment of a Unified Family Court in BC to eliminate redundancies and delays in the current parallel systems of court.
Further, the updated document identifies emerging issues including legislative changes that are an attempt by government to improve finances at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.
“These issues have a meaningful and lasting impact on BC communities, because residents and the legal professionals who serve them, are all affected,” said President Mereigh. “Our goal is to not only bring these issues forward, but to see our recommendations become action on the part of our elected representatives in the BC government.”
An Agenda for Justice – Platform Updates 2018 is written in plain language for wide accessibility and to expand public understanding of how issues within the justice system affect day-to-day life in BC. To learn more about the issues and to view An Agenda for Justice, please visit cbabc.org/A4J.
The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 38,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with over 7,000 members in British Columbia.
To arrange an interview about An Agenda for Justice, contact:
Kent Hurl
Member Communications Officer
604.646.7868
media@cbabc.org