Members of the Steering Committee of the National Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters (left to right): Natasha Brown (Director of Access to Justice & Community Engagement, UM Faculty of Law), Mark Benton, KC (CEO, Legal Aid BC), Peter Kingsley, KC (Executive Director, Legal Aid Manitoba). Photo by Stefan Lewis, 3L.
Second Annual Access to Justice Forum Hosted at UM Faculty of Law
For a few days in the typically quiet summer months, Robson Hall was filled with friendly chatter and insightful conversations. On May 23rd and 26th, 2025, the University of Manitoba and Manitoba Law Foundation co-hosted the second annual Access to Justice (A2J) Forum. The theme this year, “National Vision, Manitoba Momentum,” was centred around the strides Manitoba is making to walk in step with A2J initiatives across Canada.
The Forum included presentations by Meredith Brown and Sarah McCoubrey (A2J Strategists, CALIBRATE); Mandela Kuet (Mark 1T Consulting, Steering Committee Member of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy); Mark Benton, KC and Peter Kingsley, KC (Steering Committee Members of the National Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters); and Dr. Gerard Kennedy (University of Alberta, Faculty of Law).
Brown and McCoubrey outlined the A2J challenges shared across Canada, and the value of supporting each other along the A2J journey. Kuet discussed Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, an initiative by the Department of Justice to address anti-Black racism in Canada’s criminal justice system. Benton and Kingsley introduced the work of the National Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters, which includes the promotion of legal needs research and people-centred justice. Kennedy presented a recent study conducted on the views of Manitoba legal practitioners of A2J needs in the province.
A2J Stakeholders in attendance also presented organizational updates, which will be included in an upcoming A2J newsletter.
A2J organizations represented at the 2025 Forum included the following:
- Manitoba Court of Appeal
- Manitoba Court of King’s Bench
- Manitoba Provincial Court
- Law Society of Manitoba
- Manitoba Bar Association
- Manitoba Métis Federation
- First Nations Family Advocate Office – Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
- Legal Aid Manitoba
- Public Interest Law Centre
- Manitoba Justice (Crown Law, Family Law, Prosecutions Service)
- Manitoba Justice (Family Resolution Service)
- Manitoba Law Reform Commission
- Manitoba Law Foundation
- University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law
- L’Association des juristes d’expression française du Manitoba (AJEFM)/Infojustice
- Perrie Law
- Legal Help Centre of Winnipeg
- Community Legal Education Association
- Manitoba Library Association – Prison Libraries Committee and the Legal Information for Incarcerated Manitobans Initiative
- Community Unemployed Help Centre
- Mediation Services
- Manitoba Council of Administrative Tribunals
- Manitoba Human Rights Commission
- Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba
- At the Root Consulting (Gladue Writers)
- Ending Homelessness Winnipeg
- HoodFams
- Healthy Muslim Families
- Fisher River Cree Nation – Restorative Justice Project
- Pro Bono Students Canada
- A Welcome Place
- Centre Juridique Franco-Justice
- Kíwétinohk Consulting