News Release

For Immediate Release
November 30, 2006

Commission To Enhance Access To Justice

TORONTO — Working with its justice partners, the McGuinty government has created a new Law Commission of Ontario to help enhance access to justice, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

"For more than 10 years, Ontario has been without its own Law Commission," said Bryant. "That's why we have worked with our partners to establish a modern, relevant and responsive Commission to bring forward recommendations to improve the administration of our justice system."

Bryant made today's announcement at an educational session for individuals who are participating in Ontario's new Commission.

The Law Commission will work with academic institutions, the legal community, the judiciary and the public to generate practical and creative solutions to existing challenges. It will also explore ways to make Ontario's justice system more accessible, for example, by using technology like the Internet to collect and disseminate legal knowledge and research.

The Commission is a partnership between Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, the Deans of Ontario's seven law schools, the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Law Foundation of Ontario. It will be headed by a Board of Governors, which includes:

• The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, Torys' Counsel and retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
• The Honourable Justice James C. MacPherson, Court of Appeal for Ontario
• Murray Segal, Deputy Attorney General
• Neil Finkelstein, Partner, Blake, Cassels and Graydon, LLP
• Patrick Monahan, Dean, Osgoode Hall Law School

"The Commission's work will strengthen relationships between law schools, academics, the legal profession, the government and the broader legal community," said Bryant. "At the end of the day, it will make our justice system more responsive to the public's needs."

- 30 -

Disponible en français