Montreal lawyers offering free legal advice for Nunavik this weekend

A group of lawyers from Montreal are encouraging people in Nunavik who have any legal questions to take advantage of a free phone helpline happening this weekend.

Lawyers from the Young Bar of Montreal will be on the phones April 22 and 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., answering legal questions from people across Quebec. The number is 1-844-779-6232.

Alexandra Paquette, a lawyer and president of the Young Bar, said anyone from Quebec can call if they are seeking legal advice in any area of law, which can include criminal, civil, property and family.

“If someone is calling for a question in regards of his rights during a separation, well, the receptionist will transfer the call to a family lawyer and that person, that lawyer, will be able to answer and give legal advice,” Paquette said in an interview.

“We’re not just giving information, we’re giving legal advice.”

The Young Bar provides this service twice a year as a community service, Paquette said.

The purpose of this weekend phone line is to give people access to legal advice that might often be inaccessible.

Access to legal assistance and justice service has long been a challenge in Nunavik. Last year, a report outlined 60 recommendations to improve access to justice in Nunavik.

“It is a concrete way of giving back to society, you know, and again, it helps with access to that justice,” Paquette said.

“It’s only two weekends per year, but it does [make] a difference.”

Paquette said she’s looking forward to getting calls from people in Nunavik this weekend to help them with their legal needs.

People who take the calls will be able to answer questions in English and French.

Paquette recommended callers write down the questions they have so they don’t forget any while they are on the phone.

Depending on the nature of the advice, callers may be contacted for follow-up; however, Paquette said, people who access the service this weekend are free to do so anonymously, depending on their legal needs.

“It’s free and, you know, the fact that it’s a legal helpline, we’re able to access them even though it’s far from Montreal, so I would encourage them to just call,” she said.

“If for some reason they don’t, they’re shy or it’s too stressful or even painful to discuss about their problems, you don’t have to, and the fact that it’s confidential and anonymous, I’m guessing that it would be beneficial for them to just speak up.”