ACCESS TO CIVIL & FAMILY JUSTICE A Roadmap for Change

Purpose of the Report To promote a broad understanding of what access to justice means and the access problems facing our civil and family justice system To identify and promote a new way of thinking: a culture shift to guide the approach to reform To provide an access to justice roadmap for real improvement

Major Access to Justice Gaps 12M Canadians will face at least one legal problem in any 3-year period. Few will have the resources to solve them Poor and vulnerable persons experience more legal problems than higher income earners and more secure persons Legal problems multiply leading to social and health related problems Unresolved legal problems adversely affect people’s lives and the public purse

The current system of justice is: inaccessible to so many unable to respond adequately to the problem not sustainable

Principles for Change Put the Public First Collaborate and Coordinate Prevent and Educate Simplify, Make Coherent, Proportional and Sustainable Take Action Focus on Outcomes

Innovative Goals Refocus the Justice System to Reflect and Address Everyday Legal Problems Make Essential Legal Services Available to Everyone Make Courts and Tribunals Fully Accessible Multi-Service Centres for Public Dispute Resolution Make Coordinated and Appropriate Multidisciplinary Family Services Easily Accessible

Institutional and Structural Goals Create Local and National Access to Justice Implementation Mechanisms Promote a Sustainable, Accessible and Integrated Justice Agenda through Legal Education Enhance the Innovation Capacity of the Justice System

Research and Funding Goals Support Access to Justice Research to Promote Evidence-Based Policy Making Promote Coherent, Integrated and Sustained Funding Strategies

Access to Justice is at a Critical Stage The Change Needed Must Be: Major Sustained Collaborative System-wide

Who was on the Committee? Chief Justice of Canada (Honourary Chair) Justice Thomas Cromwell (Chair) Chief Justice of Ontario Provincial Court Judges Legal Aid Deputy Ministers of Justice Canadian Bar Association Federation of Law Societies Canadian Bar Association Forum on Civil Justice Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice Canadian Judicial Council Law Deans Court Administration Public Legal Education Assoc Pro Bono Law A Representative of the Public

Who was Missing? Tribunals Aboriginals Racialized persons Advocacy groups for the poor Others?

Role of Tribunals in Access to Justice