Madam Chair, in terms of the legal aid services that we provide or that are provided through the Legal Services Board, we do, and lawyers do end up working with clients through a myriad of issues. Sometimes social workers are involved and our Health and Social Services system is involved. I think as much as possible we try to take a holistic approach to dealing with our clients. It can be very frustrating I think for legal aid clients to be told that we're only here to help you through some legal issues and you can go somewhere else to get addictions issues sorted out first, or social services, or family issues sorted out first. So we're cognizant of that and ensure that we try to do what we can to help people work through these issues. I would point out that the people who sign up, in effect, to be legal aid lawyers, are taking on this challenge because they're interested in helping people through these very difficult and sometimes often very divisive issues, you know. Wherever possible, we try to see if these can't be resolved outside the courts. I think that that's always our goal and that's why you see us engaging in pilot projects like the mediation project to help families work through some of these very difficult issues. We'll certainly continue to apply that philosophy.
Brendan Bell on Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on February 21st, 2006. See this statement in context.
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 20th, 2006
Page 1191
See context to find out what was said next.