The funding for legal aid in the public security area is the result of a public security fund established in 2001 as part of the government's response to the events of September 11. There was an anticipation that, with the new legislation enacted by Parliament in December 2001, there would be increased litigation related to terrorism offences, together with more requests for extradition from other countries, and that this increased prosecution would have litigation costs associated with it. Instead of making it necessary for the provinces to absorb these costs, the federal government, as part of its program to address terrorism, also set aside a fund to address legal aid costs.
As to your second question of why the cost has gone up, last year I believe there were six individuals receiving legal aid funding under the PSAT funds. I believe this year there are 19. Within the last year to 18 months, a number of prosecutions have been launched and charges laid.