The BCGEU commends the work of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, for its recently released report An Agenda for Justice: Platform considerations. The report outlines serious issues facing B.C.’s legal system and makes numerous recommendations to improve services.

The recommendations supported by the BCGEU include:

• Increased funding for family law legal aid;
• Increased funding for staffing of the Court Services Branch;
• Increased funding to B.C.’s Family Justice Centres to increase staff training and boost the number of trained mediators and family justice counsellors;
• Provide culturally diverse and appropriate programming in prisons, particularly for indigenous Canadians;
• Commit to eliminating the overrepresentation of indigenous people and youth in custody over the next decade;
• Expand the First Nations Court Program.

“This report echoes what the BCGEU has been saying for a long time and that is there needs to be more funding and staffing for both legal aid and court services in B.C.,” said BCGEU president Stephanie Smith. “Our members tell us their workplaces are under-resourced. They’re often interacting with people in crisis and inadequate funding has made doing their difficult jobs even more challenging.”

The BCGEU represents thousands of members for the Legal Services Society and the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, plus native court workers and sheriffs.

You can find the link to the CBA's website here.