U of S College of Law hosts inaugural Saskatchewan Access to Justice Week
SASKATOON – The Government of Saskatchewan has officially declared the week of October 18-25, 2016 to be Saskatchewan Access to Justice Week.
The U of S College of Law has planned a number of activities and announcements throughout the week to engage the public, law students, and members of the justice community in the access to justice conversation.
The week will highlight initiatives that aim to improve access to justice for Saskatchewan residents and will conclude with a public lecture delivered by the Hon. Mr. Justice Thomas Cromwell, recently retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
“We are proud to host the inaugural Saskatchewan Access to Justice Week in collaboration with a range of contributors and partners who represent the collective approach the Saskatchewan justice community has taken to reform projects in this area,” said Martin Phillipson, dean of the College of Law.
"Saskatchewan Access to Justice Week is intended to be one vehicle and approach to engage different communities across Saskatchewan in access to justice conversations and solutions,” said Brea Lowenberger, access to justice coordinator at the College of Law. “We are planning to make some special announcements throughout the week, including launching a number of new initiatives and resources. One of those announcements is the launch of the Architects of Justice program, an initiative that increases public participation in the development of access to justice solutions.”
A 2015 study on the costs of justice reported that almost half of Canadian adults will experience one or more legal problems that they find difficult to resolve and serious in nature in any given three-year period. The study also found that half of those people reported that the problem remained unresolved despite a strong desire to settle the matter. Not surprisingly, unresolved legal problems can have detrimental financial, emotional, and physical health implications on individuals and their families.
Visit the Saskatchewan Access to Justice webpage to learn more about the week, and use the hashtag #SKA2J2016 to join the conversation on Twitter.
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For more information, contact:
Brea Lowenberger
Access to Justice Co-ordinator
College of Law, University of Saskatchewan
306-966-8635