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.

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.

Lois Gander
Director, Legal Studies Program

For more information about the Theory & Practice of Public Legal Education in Canada, visit http://www.plecanada.org/