"Our legal aid budget this year is about $7.2 million of which 40 per cent ($2,880,000) is for family legal aid and the other 60 per cent ($4,320,000) is for criminal legal aid. Of this family legal aid, only 6 per cent ($172,800) is for property disputes. The other 94 per cent ($2,707,200) goes to divorce, access, custody and support cases. Virtually 100 per cent of the persons who receive this property dispute assistance are women who have been forced to leave the matrimonial home, often with children. Before this assistance is even given the person must agree to re-pay the money once the matrimonial home is disposed of.

"The legal aid system in our province is meant to provide advice in both criminal and civil matters to those who need legal help but cannot afford to hire lawyers on their own. Women’s groups have made representation to government that the system needs to be improved to help women in need, especially those experiencing marital breakdown. Now we have a Justice Minister who believes that this aspect of our legal aid system, which is already meager, should be eliminated despite the contrary information and lobbying put forward by women.

"This administration seems to be in attack mode against the public of the province. Earlier this week we heard the Premier’s attack on the public service and now we have these draconian and uninformed comments from Minster Marshall. Comments comparing wedding costs to divorce are irrelevant and particularly demeaning to women. I suggest Minister Marshall discuss this matter further with Ms. Joyce Hancock and the Council of the Status of Women in an effort to become educated about the plight of women in our province and their needs in the justice system."