Highlights 2010-2011

Key decisions made by the Commissioners

The Commissioners reviewed the Commission des services juridiques’ Declaration of Services to the Public. The new declaration reflects the amendments to the Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services and sets out the undertakings of the Commission and the regional legal aid centres towards the general public and persons who qualify for the services offered under the Act.

The Commissioners adopted the first Politique de sécurité de l’information (information security policy) which contains all the security measures implemented by the Commission des services juridiques with respect to its information resources. It is a comprehensive policy that sets out the general principles regarding the security of information and the roles and responsibilities of those involved with information security within the Commission des services juridiques.

In accordance with the Sustainable Development Action Plan 2009-2013, the Commissioners adopted a Cadre de gestion environnementale and a Plan de gestion environnementale (environmental management framework and plan) that set out the Commission’s environmental management measures and its ecoresponsible procurement practices. The three significant environmental elements selected are business and personal travel, paper usage, and document management and storage. The environmental management plan proposes to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce paper usage and encourage its ecoresponsible acquisition, and to reduce occupancy of premises and the consumption of energy.

In order to satisfy the requirements of An Act to implement certain provisions of the Budget Speech of 30 March 2010, reduce the debt and return to a balanced budget in 2013-2014 (S.Q. 2010, c. 20) (the “Balanced Budget Act”), during the current financial year the Commissioners adopted a memorandum containing the Politique de réduction des dépenses de la Commission des services juridiques (policy to reduce the expenses of the Commission des services juridiques). They submitted an application seeking a partial exemption for the Commission from the application of Chapter I of the Balanced Budget Act. The application takes into account the particular characteristics of the legal aid network and includes a more limited target group of reducible expenses which was accepted by the Cabinet.

Thereafter, the Commissioners adopted a Plan de gestion du cadre financier 2010-2014 (financial framework management plan for 2010-2014) in order to outline the financial responsibilities of all entities within the legal aid network and ensure that legal aid recipients continue to receive all the services to which they are entitled while also ensuring that the parameters of the Balanced Budget Act are respected.

Enactment of Chapter III of An Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services and creation of the Direction de la gestion de certains services autres que l’aide juridique (department for the management of certain services other than legal aid)

In September 2010, the Legal Aid Act became An Act respecting legal aid and the provision of certain other legal services. The change in the Act’s title is indicative of the new responsibilities conferred by the legislature upon the legal aid network.

During the summer of 2010, the Commission des services juridiques established the Direction de la gestion de certains services autres que l’aide juridique (department for the management of certain services other than legal aid) which was given the mission of providing legal services to those persons who, pursuant to a court order, are entitled to the services of a State-remunerated lawyer and ensuring that the services of a lawyer are provided to accused persons who are not permitted, by the court, to personally cross-examine a witness during their trial and to other persons pursuant to any other court order concerning the appointment of a lawyer under the Criminal Code.

Pay equity

The pay equity program was completed in the fall of 2010, salary adjustments were made and the sums owed to employees were paid in March 2011.

This will be followed by an assessment of the measures for maintaining pay equity and a salary relativity review whose purpose is to ensure that all employees are treated fairly.

Information campaign

The Communications Department, in cooperation with the Communications Committee and the Research Department, prepared a checklist and information campaign on the theme of “It’s Time to Settle My Debts”. During the campaign, the Commission and the regional centres provided the public with a practical checklist for debtors experiencing difficulties in dealing with their indebtedness. The checklist contains recommendations on how debtors can manage their indebtedness, as well as information on the rights of debtors and their recourses when dealing with creditors’ claims.

The campaign began within the scope of the Rendez-vous avec la justice week and was followed by a series of press conferences held by network lawyers throughout the province. The checklist is available at legal aid offices and on the Commission’s website.

Robert-Sauvé Award

The 2010 Robert Sauvé Award, General Public category, was conferred upon M^e Charles Clément, a lawyer in private practice, for his exceptional involvement and continuous dedication to a clientele with few avenues for asserting its rights. The Legal Aid Network category of the award was conferred upon M^e Raymond A. Gagnon for his commitment to underprivileged members of society who require legal assistance and for his work leading to the creation and establishment of the Community Legal Centre of Québec, of which he was the Director General for over 35 years.