People-Centred Justice, Participation, and Lived Experience

September 10, 2026September 10, 2026ajrn1 Leave a comment

What does it mean to put people at the centre of justice?

At the Advancing People-Centred Justice in Canada conference, several sessions explored the importance of listening to people who navigate justice systems and creating meaningful opportunities for them to participate in justice reform.

The following resources examine lived experience, participation, power, and the barriers that can prevent people from being heard.

Experience as Knowledge

Having a Say: Democracy, Access to Justice and Self-Represented Litigants

Jennifer Leitch’s 2016 doctoral dissertation draws on the experiences of self-represented litigants to examine access to justice as a question of meaningful participation. It considers how people can have a greater voice in the legal processes and institutions that affect their lives.

Participation and Power

HELP-M Toolkit (également disponible en français)

The HELP-M Toolkit helps family mediators identify and respond to family violence, coercive control, power imbalances, and safety concerns. It offers guidance for conducting safer and more appropriate family mediation.

How to Make Legal Proceedings in Canada More Child Friendly?

In this 2025 Canadian Bar Review article, Anne Levesque, Daniella Bendo, Jean-Frédéric Hübsch, and Mona Paré examine barriers children and youth face when defending their rights in Canada. Drawing on research into human rights commissions and tribunals, child and youth advocates, ombudsman offices, and international human rights mechanisms, the authors identify practices that could make legal proceedings more accessible, participatory, and responsive to children.

Access to Justice for Trans People (également disponible en français)

Published by the Canadian Bar Association, the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario, and the TRANSforming JUSTICE Research Team, this report draws on the experiences of trans people to identify legal problems, systemic barriers, and opportunities for reform. It emphasizes trans leadership, intersectional analysis, preventative approaches, and changes extending beyond courts and tribunals.

A Public-Centred Understanding of Access to Justice

“What is Access to Justice?”

Trevor Farrow’s article develops a public-centred understanding of access to justice, informed in part by research into how members of the public understand justice. It argues for placing the people who use justice systems at the centre of access-to-justice research and reform.

Watch the Conference Sessions

The related conference sessions are also available online:

This is the first in AJRN’s September series sharing resources connected to the 2026 Advancing People-Centred Justice in Canada conference.

See you next week for more!

Saskatchewan’s Access to Justice Week Includes In-Person Events to Connect People with Legal Information, Assistance

October 8, 2025October 8, 2025ajrn1 Leave a comment

Saskatchewan’s Access to Justice Week will take place from October 27–November 2, 2025. The theme of this year’s event aligns with the theme of other Access to Justice Weeks taking place during the same period: Ten Years Forward: Expanding Justice, Embracing Inclusion.

In-person events taking place in Saskatchewan for Access to Justice Week include:

Saskatoon Public Library Law Fair – October 23, 2025 (prior to the official start of A2J Week), 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm CT
The Saskatoon Public Library is hosting a free, drop-in Law Fair to connect people with legal information, assistance, and services from government and non-profit organizations. Attendees can join free presentations on common legal topics, get help during family law and wills/estates sessions, and explore a tradeshow featuring local and provincial organizations, all at no cost.
Community Social Justice Fair – October 27, 2025, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm CT
This event is designed for community members who are unhoused or who experience poverty, injustice, or systemic barriers. The Fair will bring together a wide range of supports and services, with a focus on reciprocity and community care. Attendees can connect with:
- Information and resources about legal services
- Employment and education information
- Food, giveaways, and a photobooth
- Health information and on-site services
- Naloxone kits and information about the drug toxicity crisis
Regina Public Library Law Fair – November 1, 2025, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm CT
The Regina Public Library is hosting a free, drop-in Law Fair to connect people with legal information, assistance, and services from government and non-profit organizations. The event aims to raise awareness of legal rights and responsibilities and to provide guidance on accessing legal information and support. Attendees can join free presentations on common legal topics, get help during family law and wills/estates sessions, and explore a tradeshow featuring local and provincial organizations, all at no cost.

Virtual events are available to stakeholders in Saskatchewan through Ontario’s Access to Justice Week: https://lso.ca/theactiongroup/access-to-justice-week.

For more information about Saskatchewan’s Access to Justice Week, including the location of in-person events or information about online engagement, please visit: https://www.lawsociety.sk.ca/initiatives/access-to-justice-week/.

Access to Justice Week BC Takes Place February 3-7, 2025

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025ajrn1 Leave a comment

This year, Access to Justice Week BC will take place from February 3-7, 2025. Law students, legal professionals, law professors and others have organized and are participating in sessions under the Week’s theme “What does the future of access to justice look like?”

Sessions will take place in-person, online, or in a hybrid format. Sessions taking place as part of Access to Justice Week BC 2025 include:

Monday, February 3, 2025:
Reimagining Justice through User-Centred Principles
Speakers:
Zach Zarnow, Deputy Managing Director, National Center for State Courts
Dr. Andrew Pilliar, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University
Angie Still, Virtual Client Navigator, BC First Nations Justice Council
Moderator: Sarah McCoubrey, Director of IJC Transformation, BC First Nations Justice Council

Tuesday, February 4, 2025:
Access to Justice for Victims of Economic Abuse
Speakers:
Dr. McKay White, Associate Professor, Department of International Business, Marketing, Strategy & Law, MacEwan University

Wednesday, February 5, 2025:
Access to Justice in the AI Era: Risk vs. Innovation
Speakers:
Professor Amy Salyzyn, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section, University of Ottawa
Michael Litchfield, Director, Faculty of Law, Artificial Intelligence Risk and Regulation Lab & the Business Law Clinic, University of Victoria | Associate Director, BC Access to Justice Centre for Excellence
Moderator: Tina Parbhakar, Strategic Coordinator, Access to Justice BC

Thursday, February 6, 2025:
A2J Data Working Lunch

Bridging the Justice Gap: Hackathons as Catalysts for Change
Speakers:
Brandon Hastings, Lawyer & Mediator
Dr. Megan Ma, Associate Director, CodeX and Law, Science, Technology Program, Stanford Law School
Amy A. Emerson, Assistant Dean for Library and Information Services & Professor of Law, Villanova University
Insiya Jamal, Project Manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Responsible Computer Challenge and Senior Associate at the King’s College of the University of Cambridge
Zarja Hude, Senior Associate, King’s College, University of Cambridg
Moderator: Hayley Woodin Hastings, Editor-in-Chief, Business in Vancouver (BIV)

Friday, February 7, 2025:
Access to Justice and Fair Proceedings: The Fundamental Conflict Between an Inherently Complex Justice System and Self-Representation
Speakers:
Professor Nikos Harris KC, Faculty of Law, UBC Allard Law School
Other speakers will be announced shortly.

Additional details about sessions taking place during Access to Justice Week BC and information on how to register for sessions are available here: https://accesstojusticebc.ca/a2jweekbc/.