This website has multimedia presentations (videos) that provide information on presenting a family matters case in Chambers. The website was created by the Law Courts Education Society of British Columbia but a lot of the information is relevant to other jurisdictions.
The research for this White Paper, prepared for the Association of Canadian Court Administrators, has revealed an important service gap that exists in the Canadian justice system in terms of what self-represented litigants (SRLs) need and what is currently being provided. While the entire justice system has a role to play in understanding and addressing this question, the primary focus of this White Paper is on courts and court administrators (and related services) and their specific approach to SRLs and their legal needs. The report makes eight recommendations.
An increasing number of persons appearing in the court system are self-represented. In 2006, the Canadian Judicial Council created a statement of principles concluding that “self-represented persons are generally uninformed about their rights and about the consequences of the options they choose.” The Council also underlined the need for better information and tools for those who wish to represent themselves. (PDF – 12 pages.)
This booklet created by the Department of Justice Canada will help readers understand what the law is, where it comes from, what it is for, and how it operates. It does not give complete answers to these questions, but offers a brief outline of Canada’s laws and the whole justice system.
The Tax Court of Canada is the youngest superior court in Canada. The Court’s jurisdiction includes the hearing of appeals from assessments under the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act (Goods and Services Tax “GST”), the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Pension Plan, among others. The website gives access to the court judgments as well as providing information for people who plan to represent themselves at the court.
The mission of the Metis Settlements Appeal Tribunal (MSAT) is to promote self-governance, certainty, and respect within the Metis Settlements through adjudication, mediation and education. MSAT deals with land and membership disputes. MSAT also amends right of entry orders and settles compensation disputes for oil and gas activities on Settlement lands. MSAT may resolve other matters as called for in Metis Settlements General Council Policies and local Settlement by-laws.
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is Canada’s largest independent administrative tribunal. It is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law. The IRBdecides, among other responsibilities, who needs refugee protection among the thousands of claimants who come to Canada annually.
Site developed by Canada Justice explaining the levels and types of courts in Canada: provincial/territorial courts (which handle the great majority of cases that come into the system), provincial/territorial superior courts (which deal with more serious crimes and also take appeals from provincial/territorial court judgments, the Federal Court, the provincial/territorial courts of appeal and the Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada (at the highest level).
The Federal Court is Canada’s national trial court which hears and decides legal disputes arising in the federal domain, including claims against the Government of Canada, civil suits in federally-regulated areas and challenges to the decisions of federal tribunals. Its authority derives primarily from the Federal Courts Act.
The Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice is a voluntary, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of justice for all Canadians. Since its inception in 1974, the CIAJ has kept a critical eye on our justice system and explored cutting-edge issues likely to improve the administration of justice and preserve a strong and independent judiciary.
From the website of the Canadian Judicial Council, this section talks about how litigation (starting a legal action and having your case heard in court) is only one way to resolve a dispute. You can resolve your dispute with or without the involvement of lawyers and without using the court system. These methods are called “alternate dispute resolution” (ADR).
The Vanier Institute of the Family seeks to create awareness of, and to provide leadership on, the importance and strengths of families in Canada and the challenges they face in all of their structural, demographic, economic, cultural and social diversity. To this end, the Institute develops and implements on an annual basis, a program of activities that establishes and maintains a foundation of accurate and current knowledge on family trends and issues as well as public policy and program analysis. The Research Program is a core component of these activities.
