2019

British Columbia’s legal aid lawyers are getting a raise, as the provincial government reached a new deal with the Association of Legal Aid Lawyers and the Legal Services Society.

The B.C. government has announced an agreement to increase legal aid tariff rates and to have more conversations about changes to eligibility and coverage, a deal which the association representing legal aid lawyers in the province is calling unprecedented in Canada.

Whistleblowers and B.C. Lottery Corp. officials will have to provide more information to the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering before it can be determined whether they will get standing, commission lawyer Brock Martland said Tuesday.

The new president of the Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch (CBABC) says there is a crisis in the provincial legal aid system that is seeing too many people miss out on the proper supports they need.

“Legal aid across the country has taken a hit over the last few decades”

Over 50 justice sector organizations in B.C. have pledged to work toward improving access to justice in the civil justice and family law field, and the group spearheading the move says the plan is not about prescribing solutions but ensuring collaboration among different players in the system.

The government of British Columbia has announced a public inquiry into money laundering in the province, but legal observers are raising concerns about some of the recommendations made in a recent report aimed at stemming the flow of dirty money in the province.

“Congratulations to the Canadian Bar Assocation, BC Branch (CBABC) as it celebrates Law Week and the anniversary of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Law Week is an important opportunity to draw attention to legal services that British Columbians may not be aware they have access to."

Interview with CBABC Past President, Bill Veenstra, QC

An organization representing legal aid lawyers in British Columbia has overwhelmingly voted to withdraw their services to protest what they characterize as serious underfunding and strain on the system.