Legal System Change: Are We Still Just Tinkering?

Jumping Off the Ivory Tower with Prof JulieMac

Trevor Farrow is a well-known Access to Justice advocate and researcher who has been pushing forward system change in the justice system via the Canadian Civil Justice Forum, which he heads. Randi Druzin is an author and freelance journalist, who has had her own self-represented litigant journey, and is a passionate advocate for system change. Their conversation opens with Randi asking Trevor, “but isn’t the pace of change glacial?” and they go on to discuss what research can contribute to new ideas and innovations that focus on the users, the role of research, how to get “buy-in” to change from insiders, and continuing prejudices against SRLs. In other news: Guest Other News Correspondent Katie Pfaff focuses on Bill C-3, which requires sexual assault training for new judges, and has now become law; the bill requires the Canadian Judicial Council to report on continuing education seminars offered on matters related to sexual assault law and social context. It also amends the Criminal Code to require judges to state their reasoning for their decision in sexual assault proceedings on the record. Katie also brings us the related story of the federal government’s new multi-million-dollar budgetary commitments to investments promoting women’s socioeconomic equality (including early learning and the childcare system), and a national initiative promoting independent legal advice and representation for sexual assault survivors, and pilot programs for intimate partner violence survivors. For related links and more on this episode visit our website: https://representingyourselfcanada.com/legal-system-change-are-we-still-just-tinkering/ Jumping Off the Ivory Tower is produced and hosted by Julie Macfarlane and Dayna Cornwall; production and editing by Brauntë Petric; Other News produced and hosted by Katie Pfaff; promotion by Moya McAlister and the NSRLP team.