Legal aid lawyers step up job action in Alberta
Global News
“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Minister Shandro persists in his failure to ensure equal access to justice for all Albertans, further services will be withdrawn."
A trio of Alberta lawyers’ associations are stepping up their work stoppages after receiving an unsatisfactory response from the justice minister.
On Wednesday, 100 criminal defence lawyers from Calgary’s Criminal Defence Lawyers Association, Edmonton’s Criminal Trial Lawyers Association and the Southern Alberta Defence Lawyers’ Association voted in favour of job action.
“Through escalating work stoppages, our members will make clear to the government that Legal Aid Alberta’s budget needs to be increased now,” a joint statement read on 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, Minister Shandro says they can fend for themselves until 2023.”
The associations wrote letters to Shandro about the “perpetual underfunding of Legal Aid Alberta,” demanding a response by July 29.
On Sunday, Shandro took to Twitter to say a review process is underway “to address administrative efficiencies” and the province was willing to consider Legal Aid’s operating budgets and financial eligibility guidelines (FEGs) for applicants.
“However, that work must be done after the current review is complete and through the 2023 Budget process,” Alberta’s solicitor general tweeted.
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