Madam Speaker, obviously, having access to law students or people in the legal system who can provide representation can help. However, that does not work for every type of offence.
Access to law students often depends on having law schools nearby. There are no universities offering law programs in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
The people in my riding will not have access to law students, even if the law changes. That is a fundamental problem.
If a 21-year-old has to take out a loan to pay $30,000 or $40,000 in legal fees, the rest of their life is ruined. This debt will have an impact on their life and career for 10, 15 or 20 years.
Even if the person earns too much to qualify for legal aid, legal fees are so high now that some people plead guilty simply because they cannot afford a lawyer.