Keeping you connected to

legal information since 2001.

The Portage College Public Legal Education Program is a service that provides information and resources on a

variety of legal topics.

We are committed to partnering with community organizations and representatives to offer legal education

presentations and seminars throughout North Eastern Alberta in communities, agencies, and schools.

Our service area extends from Athabasca in the west to the Saskatchewan border in the East.

All requests for information are confidential.

Partners in providing information through Public Legal Education:

Q: DoesPLEgivelegaladvice?A: No. We are not lawyers. What we CAN do is get you connected to

finding answers to your legal questions.

Q: IsPublicLegalEducationthesameasLegalAid?A: No. PLE is grant funded by the Alberta Law Foundation to provide legal

information, resources, and seminars to the NE Region of Alberta.

Q: SowhatexactlycanPLEdoformycommunityandme?A: PLE can help you find the answers to your legal questions by giving you

information and resources or by getting you connected with agencies/professionals that can help you. We can also assist in bringing legal presenters to communities, schools, and agencies for minimal or no cost.

Q: HowcanIgetinvolvedinplanningaPLEseminar/eventinmycommunity?

A: It’s easy! Just call or email us. We have a toll free number, direct line as well as email on the bottom of this pamphlet.

Portage College Public Legal EducationBox 417, 9531-94 Ave. , Lac La Biche, Alberta T0A 2C0

Phone Toll free: 1-866-623-5551 (ext 5680)Direct 780-623-5680

Email: public.legal@portagecollege.ca

www.PLEonline.ca

Frequently asked questionsFAQS

If you would like a FREEcopy of our PublicLegalEducationResourceDirectory for NE Alberta including lawyer listings, shelters, Victim Services, courthouses, and much more or if you would like to inquireabouthostingorattendingaPLEseminar, please contact Shelley Jackson, PLE Coordinator at780-623-5680 or by email at public.legal@portagecollege.ca

Public Legal Education (PLE) is the name used to sum up a range of activities and initiatives that aim to increase public awareness and skills related to law and the justice system. The intent is to improve people’s lives and empower communities. Better legal know-how helps prevent problems, gets people to act early to stop problems escalating and assists people to manage the issues that do come up, including knowing when to get advice.

A healthy democracy needs citizens with an understanding of the law and who have a practical knowledge about how to defend and uphold rights. Greater legal confidence helps to build a more stable society leading to improved social and economic well-being. Public legal education has a pivotal role to play in making this happen.

What makes us unique?

The Portage College PLE Program is in a unique position being the only rural based PLE program in Alberta. In order to deliver effective and valuable programming PLE must collaborate and form partnerships with many communities and organizations across our service region to carry out our program goals and objectives.

Did you know?

During 2010, the Portage College PLE program has collaborated and partnered with over thirty agencies and communities to coordinate seminars and community based initiatives, learning opportunities and to disseminate public legal education information materials in our identified service region.

What is Public Legal Education?

Seminars we have previously offered…

• A-B-C’s of the Child, Youth & Family Enhancement Act

• A Safe & Happy Community: Bylaws as a Tool and Not a Weapon

• Community Policing in the Metis Settlements

• Family Group Conferencing

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Myths & Facts (FASD and the Criminal Justice System)

• Gang Awareness

• Legal Research 101

• Mental Health & Criminal Justice System

• Metis Settlements Tribunals, Ombudsman’s Office and Governance

• Pardons, FAQs & Processes

• Personal Directives

• Probation: How it Works

• Processes of the Criminal Justice System

Contact us to book

a seminar in your

community!

Portage College Public Legal Education has a website located at www.PLEonline.ca where you can learn about upcoming seminars and events as well as access an extensive listing of legal resources and information.

Visit our website to find links to our Facebook and Twitter pages to stay up-to-date via social media updates. Sign up for SMS texts via these sites and you can get updates on your mobile device!

Throughout the year we will be giving away prizes to our Facebook and Twitter friends, all the more reason to join and be connected!

• Protection Against Family Violence Act (PAFVA)

• Restorative Justice Alternative Measures, Peacemaking Circles, Youth Circles

• St. Paul’s Graffiti & Community Policing

• Seniors Law

• Traffic Safety & the Law

• Victims Services Protocols

• What Works in Community (Community Policing & Criminal Justice System)

• What is Public Legal Education: How Can it Help Me?

• Wills and Estate Planning

• Youth Criminal Justice Act: What Youth Should Know

• Youth Justice Committees and Extrajudicial Sanctions