Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson dodged a call Monday from the 91原创 Bar Association demanding a review of federal legalaid funding to ensure money for defence is keeping up with the pace of federal justice reforms.
Members of the association's national council maintain federal tough-on-crime legislation will mean more trials and more jail time for more accused in an already strained justice system. The council passed a resolution over the weekend urging Ottawa for the review.
But Nicholson said his government has increased funding for legal aid.
"I know that over the years that I've been justice minister we've boosted the annual amount from $81 [million] to $111 million per year. There's a total commitment of $560 million to the legal-aid system," Nicholson told hundreds of lawyers attending the association's annual conference in 91原创.
Dan MacRury, chairman of the national council's criminal justice section, said the Conservative reforms are increasing demand on a system that was already taxed.
"It's clear that the new laws are going to put an increased demand on all the players in the criminal justice system," MacRury said in an interview.
"There really does need to be a national review of the federal commitment to funding to ensure that it's adequate to maintain fair trial rights for the accused."
