Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan Consultation Paper on Waiver of Legal Fees for the Needy

The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan recently released a consultation paper on Needy Person Certificates and Waiver of Fees:

"Access to the courts has been described as 'one of the foundational pillars protecting the rights and freedoms of our citizens. In BCGEU, Chief Justice Dickson stated: 'There cannot be a rule of law without access, otherwise the rule of law is replaced by a rule of men and women who decide who shall and who shall not have access to justice.' As the costs of litigation and other legal services rise, concern about financial barriers to access to justice is increasing. In 2006, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) stated that 'advocating for access to justice for poor people”
had become its “top priority.' (...)"

"There are no simple answers to the problem of access. Changes in procedures to assist unrepresented clients, improvements in legal aid programs, support for legal clinics such as Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City (CLASSIC), and encouragement of private lawyers who are willing to act pro bono are among the strategies that have been identified. This consultation paper discusses another piece of the search for solutions: waivers of fees for individuals who are unable to pay the cost of litigation."