The Justice Gap Is Not an Accident
Over 80% of Canadians facing civil and family legal problems cannot afford a lawyer. Legal aid has been systematically defunded. Courts are overwhelmed with self-represented litigants who don't understand the process, the language, or their rights.
This is not a new problem. It is a structural feature of a system designed for professionals, not people.
What "Better Than Nothing" Actually Means
When someone faces eviction and has no access to legal help, their options are: figure it out alone, or lose their home. When a parent faces a custody dispute without counsel, their options are: navigate a system designed by lawyers for lawyers, or accept whatever outcome is imposed on them.
Better than nothing is not a low bar. For the people the system forgot, it is the difference between having a chance and having none.
Why Technology Matters Now
Large language models have made it possible — for the first time — to build legal information tools that can understand a person's situation in plain language and provide relevant, useful guidance. Not legal advice. Legal information — the kind that helps someone understand their rights, their options, and their next steps.
This is what justack.ai is building. Open source tools that start with the people the system forgot.
What Comes Next
We are launching with a blog, a manifesto, and a vision. The tools follow. The first will be a housing law assistant — because eviction is the sharpest edge of the justice gap, and because no one should lose their home simply because they couldn't afford someone to explain their rights.
They deserve better than nothing. We are building it.