The Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch (CBA Alberta) congratulates all successful candidates in the 2023 Alberta Provincial General Election.
At the start of this election CBA Alberta put forward our Agenda for Justice, which was shared with all parties and lawyer candidates. In our Agenda for Justice, we made over 30 recommendations which included increased funding for legal aid, for more support for specialized courts, innovation in our family justice system, resources to modernize our justice system infrastructure, the protection of judicial independence, and for our elected representatives to continue to advocate for our system of justice and protect the rule of law.
Alberta’s justice system has been systemically underfunded by successive governments, resulting in an aging system with backlogs in the courts, inefficient processes, and legal aid funding that is unavailable for a significant number of Albertans who need it. Recent investment announcements made prior to the election are welcome, but much more is needed to ensure that the justice system is properly and sustainably funded, and functioning efficiently. Increased investments in our justice system have the support of the majority of Albertans, and the specific recommendations in our Agenda for Justice will not only improve the operation of the system, but also save the government money through increased efficiencies.
We look forward to working with the incoming government and the new Minister of Justice to address the recommendations we have made in the Agenda for Justice and advance meaningful change and innovation.
Amanda Lindberg
President, Canadian Bar Association - Alberta Branch