Speeding up arbitration
with witness conferencing

PAGE 9

SECRECY DOCTRINE

JEREMY HAINSWORTH British Columbia’s Supreme Court chief justice says the province’s judicial system “is threatened, if not in peril” because of insufficient government funding.

In a speech to a Canadian Bar Association (CBA) meeting in Las Vegas November 19, Chief Justice Robert Bauman urged members of the Bar to speak out to defend and protect the system.

“The stability and integrity of
our courts and judicial system
are being slowly eroded by a
lack of funding,” Bauman said.

“We are not at the tipping
point yet, but we are steadily
edging towards it.”
British Columbia Crown Coun-
sel Association president Samiran
Lakshman called the speech “a
9-1-1 call to government” to save a
“crumbling” system.

Bauman said he respects the competing demands placed on the various government organizations charged with overseeing court functioning “in our challenging economic environment.”

But, he added, “I question whether we have the full atten-

See Threatened Page 8

Lawyers throw down gauntlet THE LAWYERS WEEKLY Vol. 22, No. 27 NEWS FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION December 6, 2002

Administrative bodies
and deliberative secrecy

PAGE 14

Saying they’re “fed up” with the crisis in funding for the legal aid system, British Columbia lawyers have pledged to gradually stop taking duty counsel referrals beginning in January and leading to “complete closure” by April unless the provincial government takes action.

CHANGING FACES

THE LAWYERS WEEKLY

More than 100 lawyers, many of them gowned, protested the lack of funding outside Vancouver Provincial Court last week. Similar demonstrations took place in Victoria, Kamloops and Penticton.

Phil Rankin, a co-organizer of the protest, told the Vancouver crowd that the withdrawal of duty counsel referrals would be for one week in January, two in February, three in March and four weeks by April.

VOL. 22, NO. 27 NEWS FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION DECEMBER 6, 2002

Some law firms are
revamping their offices,
moving away from a
traditional look

He said the lack of legal aid is affecting access to justice for the province’s families and the poor.

CONTINUITY

ALISTAIR EAGLE FOR THE LAWYERS WEEKLY

“We used to have one of the best legal aid systems in Canada,” said the criminal lawyer, whose father Harry Rankin was among B.C. legal aid’s founders more than two decades ago. “It’s now at the bottom or close to the bottom.”

More than 100 lawyers protested the lack of funding for legal aid outside Vancouver District Provincial Court on Main Street November 29. Protest co-organizer Phil Rankin, seen above speaking to the media, warned the lawyers would escalate the protest early in 2012 unless the provincial government takes action.

shman, said it makes no sense to fund the police and then not have proper court system funding.

budget by 45 per cent and closed 45 legal services offices, leaving seven open. She said legal aid services for poverty and family law

THE LAWYERS WEEKLY

Rankin said the provincial government taxes lawyers’ clients— money that is supposed to help fund legal aid. The lawyers say the B.C. government takes in $100 million a year from the tax while funding for legal aid is $50 million below from what it was 20 years ago.

“The money is not directed to legal aid, despite the fact a need for legal aid funding was the reason the tax was created,” the group said in a news release.

“were almost totally eliminated.”
“They have raised billions and
given us paltry millions,” Rankin
said. “The governments have to
be held accountable. If they won’t
listen to reason, they’ll have to
listen to group force.”
“It makes a mockery of the
police officers’ efforts,” he said. “It
makes a mockery of the victims.

“Crown and defence are standing together and asking that legal aid funding be restored.”

VOL. 22, NO. 27 NEWS FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION DECEMBER 6, 2002

Protest co-organizer Stephanie
Then, between 2009 and
2010, certain criminal cases were
no longer covered and five of the
remaining offices were closed,
she said.

The B.C. Crown Counsel Asso-
ciation president, Samiran Lak-
Vyas told the crowd that between
2002 and 2005, the B.C. govern-
ment slashed the legal services
“We need and we want to
provide [access to justice] and

See Legal Aid Page 27

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065517

JEREMY HAINSWORTH

PAGE 21

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PAGE 22

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