A bake sale was held at the Alberta Legislature to draw attention to the lack of funding for Legal Aid.

According to one of the organizers, Shannon Prithipaul, due to poor funding for the organization the province’s justice system is becoming two-tiered.

“We are getting a justice system where people who can afford it can get a lawyer and perhaps have defences and defend their rights in court. Then people who don’t have money are just left out in the cold,” Prithipaul said.

“This isn’t how it should be in one of the richest provinces in the country. It’s shameful that the government isn’t doing what it should.”

In his mandate letter Premier Jim Prentice has asked Minister of Justice Jonathan Denis to ensure funding for Legal Aid.

Something Denis said was a joint responsibility between the federal and provincial governments.

“If the federal government isn’t willing to increase its funding that is something that we will look at in next year’s budget.”

Denis said he has sent a letter to other justice ministers around the country to join him in calling for better funding from the federal government for Legal Aid.

He also stressed that the eligibility requirements were set by Legal Aid.

“These are taxpayer’s dollars. If we are going to give Legal Aid additional funds I want it to go towards increasing the eligibility requirement and not more money for criminal defence lawyers.”

Prithipaul said the court system was becoming overburdened with those trying to represent themselves.

“They stand there like deer in headlights going ‘I didn’t know I needed to have a subpoena’, ‘I didn’t know that I had to file this charter notice. I need an adjournment. I need an adjournment’.

“What we need is to have defence counsel for these people. They need someone to speak for them and that is the problem, they just don’t have it they are there by themselves.”

It is something that one local man said he is dealing with right now.

Ron, who did not want us to use his last name, said when he needed a lawyer he was told by Legal Aid that he made too much money on AISH.

He received help from a student lawyer but that lawyer had to quit the case.

“He quit and then sent a referral letter for me back to Legal Aid,” Ron explained.

“Legal Aid says I still make too much money on AISH to qualify for Legal Aid. Go ahead and represent myself. Good luck and good bye.”

Ron estimates he would need about $10,000 to cover his legal costs.

“Without a lawyer I feel I am going to get railroaded.”

It is for people like Ron that Prithipaul and several other groups held their rally.

“Apparently Legal Aid needs every cent it can get so we are selling cookies and cakes and pastry to help make sure that poor people get lawyers,” she explained.

“We are trying to say ‘This is inappropriate.’ It is the government’s responsibility to fund Legal Aid.

“It is not a fair trial if defence isn’t there.”

She said she was glad that Premier Prentice has advised Denis to ensure funding for Legal Aid, “but I want to see the follow through.

“I want to see what happens quickly and I want to see that it is enough.”

Prithipaul said they raised $231 for Legal Aid with their bake sale.

With files from Nicole Weisberg