Theory & Practice of PLE in Canada: WHAT IS PLE?

The Theory & Practice
of Public Legal Education in Canada

WHAT IS PLE?

Public Legal Education began to take shape in Canada in the late 1960s and early 70s as various agencies responded to the legal information needs of activists, protesters, drop-outs, and the otherwise disenchanted who saw that the law was affecting their lives in a direct way. While many of the first efforts in meeting these needs were short term and ad hoc, by the mid-70s several provinces sported organizations that existed for the sole purpose of providing PLE.

Definitions | History | Key Agencies | Future

Today, PLE has become an integral part of the Canadian legal landscape. It is a nation-wide enterprise that enables Canadians to learn more about virtually any aspect of the law through a variety of formats and at varying levels of sophistication. PLE makes access to legal knowledge a realistic expectation for thousands of Canadians. That knowledge is often the key to accessing and engaging effectively with the justice system; whether as citizens, litigants, witnesses, or jurors.

Documents

Public Legal Education - What is it and why should we care about it? by Walter Pavlic. Law Matters, April 2005. Canadian Bar Association Alberta.
About Public Legal Education - Articles, Links, Presentations, Reports

Links

What is the Legal Studies Program? Mandate, Objectives, Values

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