Relevance of Community Legal Service Centres (From Self-Sufficiency in Northern Justice Issues, P 171-184, 1992, Curt Taylor Griffiths, ed. -- See NCJ-141302)

• NCJ Number: 141309
• Author(s): H Breier; A Krantz; D Miller
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Northern Justice Soc
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: From a workshop at the fifth meeting of the Northern Justice Society held in Sitka, Alaska, April 1991.

Annotation

This paper describes community legal service centers in the Northwest Territories (Canada), outlines an ideal legal services center, and examines the implications of legal service provision for self-sufficient northern communities.

Abstract

The mandate of the Legal Services Board of the Northwest Territories is to provide legal services to all residents of the Northwest Territories. One of the responsibilities of the board is to devise systems for providing legal aid services to the various regions of the territories. Cultural and ethnic differences and travel requirements are all factors to consider in providing services. The board is also responsible for providing information about the justice system and the administration of justice. The Keewatin Legal Services Society is a non- Native agency that provides legal services for Natives. A major task of the Society is to educate Natives about the nature of the Canadian justice system. It is only in the context of this knowledge that the Natives can understand why and when they need the legal aid services of the Society. The Arctic Rim Law Centre operates much the same way as the Keewatin Legal Services Centre. During the center's first year of operation, it has focused on getting the necessary administrative staff. Ideally, the legal clinics should not be doing criminal work; they should be concentrating on civil matters. Legal services centers should maintain a community base through an independent board of directors composed of community representatives. This is critical for community input on the types of legal services that will be provided.