Battlefords Area Office Hosts Film Screening to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Legal Aid Saskatchewan

Battlefords Legal Director Jonathan Bodvarson

Earlier this week the Battlefords Area Office hosted a screening of Gideon’s Army, a documentary by Dawn Porter, at the Capitol Theatre in North Battleford. This film examines the careers of public defenders in the United States as they embark on helping underprivileged and marginalized people. Jonathan Bodvarson, Legal Director of the Battlefords Area Office, hosted this event in recognition of Legal Aid Saskatchewan’s 50th anniversary of providing professional legal services to the people of Saskatchewan. “This movie highlights the importance of having a staff model where a culture of competency and caring can be fostered,” he explains.

Attendees of the event (employees, community members and justice partners) described the film as thought-provoking. Bodvarson noted that the audience gained a greater understanding of the “difficult work of a public defender, specifically the emotional turmoil.”

Following the screening, guests attended a reception where they were able to chat with each other in an environment outside of Court and celebrate the work done by access to justice supporters. A thank you is extended to everyone who helped organize this event, to Cameron Schmunk (LAS Director of Private Bar Services) for delivering congratulatory remarks on the 50th anniversary, and to the Capital Theatre for the use of their venue.

“Legal Aid Saskatchewan is a very important organization and has endured through the years. We hope we will continue to thrive into the future,” Bodvarson says.