Alberta defence lawyers to no longer take Legal Aid cases until province agrees to funding review
Defence lawyers working with Legal Aid Alberta voted Wednesday evening to stop taking any cases for two weeks in response to what they call the province's "perpetual underfunding" of the system.
After pushing the justice ministry for an immediate funding review, more than 100 members of three associations representing defence attorneys across the province voted in favour of no longer accepting any legal aid files between Aug. 8 to 19 that require bail only services, courtroom duty counsel, complainant counsel, and cross-examination of complainant services.
The Criminal Defence Lawyers Association, the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association, and the Southern Alberta Defence Lawyers' Association have been pushing the province to increase Legal Aid's budget in line with other Canadian jurisdictions.
"(The justice ministry) refuse to even begin these discussions until next year," the three associations said in a joint statement sent Thursday.
"When Crown Prosecutors threatened job action, the government found money to increase their salaries within weeks. When asked to stand up for impoverished Albertans in legal jeopardy, however, (Justice) Minister (Tyler) Shandro says they can fend for themselves until 2023."
When asked for comment, Joseph Dow, Shandro's press secretary, told CTV News Edmonton the province has reached out to all three organizations for a meeting.
"The President and CEO of Legal Aid Alberta, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Solicitor General and Minister Shandro will be meeting with all three organizations in the near future," Dow added.
Should the province not review Legal Aid funding and resources available to defence lawyers, the association members say they will withdraw all duty counsel services to the Justice of the Peace Bail Office between Sept. 1 to 15.
"Our members have been clear — if Minister Shandro persists in his failure to ensure equal access to justice for all Albertans, further services will be withdrawn."
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