Laverne Jacobs, Photo by Chris Kendig Photography
Professor Laverne Jacobs is making a difference through her impactful work for people with disabilities that led to this week's victory decision for human rights in the Northwest Territories' case Portman v Govt of NWT.
Prof. Jacobs represented Ms. Portman pro bono in her case before the NWT Human Rights Adjudication Panel. The case was argued on human rights and administrative law principles. The adjudicator's decision is a significant win for persons with disabilities as it overturns the government of the Northwest Territories’ discretionary blanket policy refusing legal aid for anyone bringing a human rights complaint. The decision goes further and requires the legal services board to take into consideration and accommodate to the point of undue hardship, people with disabilities who indicate that they cannot bring their own claim due to their disability.
Julie Macfarlane's NSRLP has been supporting and encouraging Elizabeth (as a self-represented litigant) for several years, and connected her with Prof Jacobs in 2013.
This win could have tremendous potential impact for the rest of the country.
CBC published a report on the decision. Read it here.
Prof. Jacobs discusses the difficulty of obtaining legal aid for human rights cases across Canada and the impact of this access to justice challenge on people with disabilities in radio interviews with CBC Windsor Morning and AMI (Accessible Media Inc). These interviews are further to the decision in Portman v Govt of NWT. Here are links to the interviews:
AMI.