The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Helen Conway Ottenheimer, Minister of Justice and Public Safety:

Speaker, on January 16, 1976, the Legal Aid Act came into force in Newfoundland and Labrador, creating what is now Legal Aid NL. Fifty years later, Legal Aid NL stands as an essential pillar of a fair, accessible and inclusive justice system in this province.

Legal Aid NL employs approximately 145 solicitors and staff working across a network of 18 offices. It provides high-quality, equitable legal services to residents of the province to ensure all people, regardless of means, capacity or social situation, have access to the knowledge and services they require to protect their basic legal rights.

Legal Aid provides representation in criminal, family, and civil matters, in appeals before the courts, before administrative tribunals for immigration and refugee claims and in specialized courts.

Speaker, Legal Aid NL embodies five main values: accountability, collaboration, compassion, respect and openness. As someone with experience as a Legal Aid lawyer, I can say that our Legal Aid team fully embraces these values. As the slogan states, these are real lawyers, for real people, who manage thousands of files every year with unwavering commitment.

I ask all members of this Honourable House to join me in recognizing 50 years of the Legal Aid Act in this province and sincerely thanking everyone at Legal Aid NL for their hard work and continued dedication. Thank you, Speaker.