Submissions and Legislative Updates

On January 12, CBABC delivered a letter to the Attorney General highlighting concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the proposed legislation for a single regulator for lawyers, notaries and paralegals. 

On May 11, 2023, the provincial government enacted Bill 5, Public Service Labour Relations Amendment Act, 2023 which places most public sector lawyers into an existing bargaining unit of the government’s choice.

CBABC submitted a letter to the Minister of Finance and Attorney General expressing deep concern over unilateral action in the face of an ongoing process regarding Bill 5, Public Service Labour Relations Amendment Act, 2023.

In 2021, the Government formed a Special Committee to reform the Police Act. A public consultation was conducted and the final report of this Special Committee has now been published, along with recommendations for modernizing the legislation and policies around policing in BC.

In September, the Court Services Committee of CBABC made a submission to reform court scheduling entitled Modernizing the Supreme Court of British Columbia’s Scheduling System for Civil Matters. The Chief Justice of the BC Supreme Court has considered this submission and provided a letter in response.

Guided by members’ concerns and recommendations, CBABC prepared a written submission to the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the Ministry of Attorney General with recommendations to improve efficiency of court scheduling and e-filing.

CBABC was invited to present before the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of a public consultation by the provincial government for the 2022 budget.

As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a digital transformation of BC’s court system, access to justice increased, but some people are being left behind. CBABC identifies those people, suggests some considerations to follow, and invites dialogue with the courts, Court Services, Justice Services and the Law Society of BC to ensure no one is left behind.

On July 9, 2021, CBABC delivered its final submissions to the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. CBABC received joint standing with the Criminal Defense Advocacy Society to participate in the Commission in the fall of 2019. Our participation and submissions were not to overlap with those of the Law Society of BC.

Specified regulations are amended.