The Legal Aid Services Act provided a new framework for offering legal aid services in Ontario, which led to the founding of Legal Aid Ontario in 1998. The Act was passed in worries about legal aid program accessibility, particularly for low-income people and marginalized groups. Legal Aid Ontario was not founded by a specific person. It was created as a result of the collective efforts of legal experts, social justice activists, and policymakers who understood the need for an Ontario legal system that was more approachable and equitable. An institution called Legal Aid Ontario helps low-income people who cannot afford legal representation with their legal matters. Legal Aid Ontario deals with the societal issue of uneven approach to justice …show more content…
The primary strategies and tactics used by Legal Aid Ontario are focused on providing low-income people with legal aid services, educating the public about legal rights and access to justice, fighting for policy changes, and collaborating with other stakeholders to achieve better access to justice. I've utilized Legal Aid in court a lot, so I know it works. There is evidence that the techniques and methods used by Legal Aid Ontario are a successful means of bringing about societal change in relation to the social justice issue of uneven access to justice. The advocacy work of Legal Aid Ontario has resulted in meaningful policy changes that support greater access to justice. For instance, Legal Aid Ontario's advocacy helped to secure more funding for legal aid services in Ontario in 2020, ensuring that more low-income people have access to legal representation. The public education and awareness projects run by Legal Aid Ontario and in promoting better access to justice and raising knowledge of legal …show more content…
Let's say like in previous years, Legal Aid Ontario is underfunded. In this instance, society undervalues the significance of legal aid services and considers them to be less important than other areas where the government should be investing money. It can also hint that there needs to be more political will to allocate funds to help disadvantaged and vulnerable people access justice. On the other hand, if Legal Aid receives a significant amount of financial assistance, society will understand the value of these services and the necessity to guarantee that everyone, regardless of wealth or social standing, has access to justice. Absolutely, society gains from Legal Aid Ontario because it gives low-income people and disadvantaged groups a chance at justice, helps to lighten the load on the judicial system, averts injustices, and advances the law. By ensuring that everyone has access to the legal system and offering those in need of it legal counsel, Legal Aid Ontario works to advance equality, defend rights, and enhance the efficiency of the judicial system. Other institutions or parties in Canadian society are not at odds with Legal Aid Ontario's
Case Analysis: Trinity Western v. Law Society of Upper Canada In the following court case between Trinity Western University v. The Law Society of Upper Canada, Judges MacPherson, Cronk, and Pardu JJ, at the Ontario Court of Appeal, determine whether to grant accreditation to a private Christian University, that wants to open its own law school. The three-judge panel analyzes the Law Society of Upper Canada’s (LSUC) decision to not accredit Trinity Western’s proposed law facility, which took place in April 2014. The judges consider the Charter rights at stake, as well as the LSUC’s mandate. The case of TWU v. LSUC will be thoroughly examined, with a specific focus on key concepts that influence law-making, such as social development and change,
First, she uses case studies to highlight how this system has personally affected people of the Indigenous community. In the case of R v Gladue, the Supreme Court did not fully consider section 718.2 (e) of the criminal code. This section requires the judge to consider all other options other than imprisonment and to pay particular attention to the circumstances of an Aboriginal offender (Irons, 2018). It is designed to improve the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in prisons and encourage judges to have a restorative approach to sentencing (Supreme Court Judgments, 1999). Chartrand also uses historical context to demonstrate how the Canadian penal system has always been rooted in colonialism.
We can find many opportunities within our own communities to be justice seekers. We can start just like packaging a sack pack, taking one step at a
“On July 30, 1992, an innocent person was convicted of a heinous crime”. Guy Paul Morin, an ordinary man, was arrested, imprisoned and convicted of first degree murder. The victim was Christine Jessop, a nine-year-old girl from Ontario, Canada. She was found murdered in a field about fifty kilometres from where she lived. Due to the investigation team’s carelessness and tunnel vision, the systematic failure of the justice system, and the poor handling of evidence by the crown there was not only one, but two victims in this case.
The murder of Lynne Harper was a tragic and uneventful occurrence to have taken place in the small community of Clinton, Ontario. What is also uneventful is that an innocent fourteen-year-old teenager, named Steven Truscott, was wrongly accused and charged with Lynne’s death. This was all because Steven last saw helping Lynne out by giving her a lift on his bicycle. The legal system failed Lynne, Steven, and their families because the Police and Crown did not follow proper procedures. Even after Stevens’s exoneration, the real murder was never caught and was able to continue living their life, unlike Steven who loss a part of his childhood and adulthood.
This ensures that those who are in poverty are benefitted within the criminal justice system and are not discriminated against. Nova Scotia Micmac and the criminal justice systems is another topic that is given recommendations within the commission. Under this topic a community controlled Native criminal court is proposed, with a Native Justice of Peace that had the jurisdictions to hear cases that involve a summary conviction on a reserve. It would also provide mediation services, rehabilitation and court worker serves on reserves. All of these suggestions are recommended with the hopes that cases such as Donald Marshal, Jr. do not happen in the future and works towards the removing of racist biases within the criminal justice
This is exemplified by a Mississippi public defender, June Hardwick, who we meet in the film. Hardwick struggled to pay her family’s bills, which ultimately forced her to leave the public defenders’ office to pursue a more lucrative paying position in private law. Hardwick had not given up on indigent defense; she stated she would continue to fight for the poor. It is clear that she has given up on the system that supports the
Furthermore, Just Mercy emphasizes the importance of individuals with privilege actively fighting injustice with their resources. The author admits that he could not have accomplished what he did without the support of others, whether they were colleagues or strangers eager to lend a helping hand. Ultimately, Just Mercy is a must-read for anybody interested in social justice concerns or seeking encouragement in tough times. It emphasizes real-life events that will cause readers to reconsider their ideas about our judicial system while also offering insight into how we can all work together to make a
People experience unjust social realities that the law cannot understand or
Bryan’s clients have experienced unimaginable suffering, injustice, and cruelty, and their hope, strength, and `resilience set an example for Stevenson and inspire him to keep fighting. case studies point out that the prisons are full of populations that American society would rather criminalize than provide resources for the poor, the mentally ill, and victims of trauma, for example. Rather than committing collective resources to social problems or empathizing with people from marginalized groups, the justice system scapegoats people who are often victims
He argues that it is not enough simply to be aware of the problems within the justice system; we must also be willing to take action to address them. This can involve advocating for change within the system, supporting organizations that work to promote justice and equality, and simply being willing to stand up and speak out against injustice when we encounter it. This emphasis on individual
A huge way in which the YCJA promotes equity is through its main focus on rehabilitation rather than just the punishment of the child. A study from Justice Canada found that the YCJA’s focus on rehabilitation has led to a significant drop in the rate of re-offenses among youth offenders proving that through rehabilitation, the youth are more likely not to re-offend, resulting in not returning back to the justice system (Justice Canada). To add onto that, the YCJA has created specialized courts for youth to better meet the unique needs of the
The book calls for significant reform, including increased resources for legal representation, greater accountability for those in positions of authority, and addressing the root causes of injustice. Like when Steveneson stated, "The power of just mercy is that it belongs to the undeserving. It's when mercy is least expected that it's most potent—strong enough to break the cycle of victimization and victimhood, retribution and suffering". The greatest threats to justice presented in the book are the abuse of power by those in authority and the lack of resources for marginalized
1. A paralegal is “A person who performs certain substantive legal work for and delegated by a lawyer”. Paralegals will assist attorneys with clerical duties along with, meeting clients and keeping in contact with them, assisting in trials, take care of legal documents and proceedings, as well as planning and developing case information. To me they are the lawyers “backbone”.
Thus, clients should feel empowered in their own lives. At my internship, my supervisor is aware of my commitment to social justice. In addition, it is my job to empower the clients I work with. Specifically, the parents that I work with. In addition, there is limited access to power for clients receiving services through the county.