In this episode Trevor speaks with Mark Benton, Q.C., CEO of Legal Aid BC. Topics discussed include, defining legal aid, the services generally provided by legal aid, the general importance or legal aid and access to justice, legal aid eligibility and the rationale behind these eligibility requirements, the percentage of people receiving legal aid in BC, the underfunding of legal aid, the importance of early intervention in the criminal justice process, the role legal aid can play in addressing systemic issues of colonialism in our justice system, and the future of access to justice and legal aid in BC.

Although the legal aid situation in BC informed this conversation, the principles and information discussed are applicable to provincial legal aid models throughout Canada.