Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to appear before the committee today to review Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act.
I would like to start by thanking members of the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their review and comments on the bill. The Law Society of the Northwest Territories is the organization that regulates the legal profession in the Northwest Territories. Its functions include the investigation of complaints against its members and the discipline of its members.
The bill before you today was developed at the request of the Law Society to update the discipline provisions of the Legal Profession Act. The Law Society has been an active participant in developing this bill.
This bill will result in a number of changes to the way the Law Society carries out its mandate. One of the main changes is the addition of a mediation process that could be used for resolving complaints in appropriate circumstances. Effective solutions can often be achieved when parties have the opportunity to be active participants in a process.
The amendments in this bill will also require that the membership of the discipline committee of the Law Society include at least one person who is not a lawyer. It is the role of the discipline committee of the Law Society to receive and coordinate complaints. This bill will also make it a requirement that at least one non-lawyer must be included on a committee of inquiry, the body responsible for hearing the most serious cases involving the conduct of a lawyer.
Another change that will result from this bill is an automatic suspension of the membership of a lawyer who is sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Protection of the public is an important concern of both the Law Society and the government in supporting this change. Other changes in the bill relating to evidence and procedure are designed to assist the discipline process to run smoothly.
The Department of Justice supports efforts of professional associations such as the Law Society of the Northwest Territories to modernize and improve standards, processes and procedures in the best interest of the profession and the public. I believe that this bill promotes that goal.
Mr. Chair, I will be pleased to answer any questions that committee members may have regarding Bill 13. Mahsi.