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Justice
March 24, 2014

Provincial Government Enhancing Access to Justice

Legal Aid System to Receive Additional Funding through Budget 2014

To help ensure that those who require legal aid have access to justice, the Provincial Government is investing an additional $7.1 million in the legal aid system in Newfoundland and Labrador over the next three years, with $2.1 million being funded through Budget 2014. This investment is tied directly to recommendations from an external review that was commissioned by the Provincial Government.

“Ensuring that residents have fair access to justice is a fundamental right in a democratic society and these additional resources will assist those who must avail of the province’s legal aid system. This investment will be used by the Legal Aid Commission to improve services to those who are dealing with important legal matters and who cannot afford private legal representation.”
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Justice

The external review of legal aid was completed by John Roil, Q.C., and contains 13 recommendations related to the operations and management of the Legal Aid Commission, all of which have been accepted by the Provincial Government. The additional resources will be used by the commission to address issues around workload, delivery of service and the use of private counsel. In addition, several of the recommendations will require legislative changes to the Legal Aid Act.

The report is available online at www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/publications/pdf/legal_aid_review_march2014.pdf

“We will use the recommendations from Mr. Roil’s review to guide future work and to prioritize the needs of the Legal Aid Commission. The review notes that Newfoundland and Labrador has unique challenges in the delivery of legal aid services and these investments, combined with changes to legislation and the structure of the organization, will help the commission operate as effectively and efficiently as possible in meeting the needs of residents.”
- The Honourable Felix Collins, Attorney General

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to supporting important social programs, strong communities and the health and well-being of children, families and seniors.

QUICK FACTS

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Media contact:
Luke Joyce
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 725-4165
lukejoyce@gov.nl.ca

2014 03 24                                        10:55 a.m.

 
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