I can't comment, obviously, on the decision-making process behind the cuts. I can certainly say that the Canadian Bar Association was not consulted and that in fact at our annual meeting, just prior to the cutting of the Court Challenges Program, we had reaffirmed our commitment to the Court Challenges Program, to the vitality of that institution in an access to justice framework, and in fact to expanding the program. The Canadian Bar Association has been on record since 1989 as saying that particularly in the area of equality rights there should be funding to challenge provincial laws and policies as well as federal ones.
So in whatever way the decision was made, it certainly didn't involve consultation with us.
As Professor Norman has already mentioned, the Court Challenges Program was just recently reviewed. As part of its contribution agreement before it's renewed every five years, there's a very thorough review process that goes on by an independent agency. I believe it took about six months to undertake that. Many people were contacted—critics of the program, independent advisers, and so on—and both times that the Court Challenges Program was reviewed it came out with glowing recommendations.
So it's difficult to see on what basis that decision was made. I'm also not aware of any actual review of the Law Commission's work that was done. And certainly the Canadian Bar Association would have been more than happy to participate in such a process.