Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 6, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A6 Manitoba Winnipeg free press monday november 6, 2006 seniors offer merchandise includes advertised offers Candy & stationery. Seniors discount not applicable on furniture mattresses electronics cosmetics fragrances and major appliances. Excludes Gucci watches Godiva official Canadian olympic merchandise & licensed departments. Other exclusions apply. See in store for details. Selection will vary by store. Savings Are off our regular prices unless otherwise specified. Everyday Bay value just reduced Power buys managers specials licensed departments Salviati Vera Wang and hic foundation Charity merchandise Are excluded. Excludes All official Canadian olympic merchandise. When you see Power buy or managers special you will know we have found an exceptional Deal to pass on to you. We May Tell you the comparable value on the Price ticket and or a sign so you will see the Price another retailer in Canada charges or would Likely charge for the same or a comparable value item. Quantities of our Power buys and managers specials and items located in any style outlet in store departments Are limited and May vary from store to store ? no rain checks or substitutions. When we say Price Cut we mean the existing everyday Price is being lowered temporarily. See in store for details. Requested representation adding the Winnipeg based Agency can to seem to Deal with the women in custody Only a 45-minute drive beyond the perimeter. The women Here Are in a desperate situation Romano said last week in a Telephone interview from Portage. We re routinely taken to the Law courts in Winnipeg but because we Don to have a Call 697-7063 for Complete details or email . free press photo reprints make unique and personalized gifts every Day the free press publishes dozens of photos most available for available in sizes 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 8x12 and up including full pages. prices starting at & up $8.00 for a 4x6 print inmates wait for Legal Aid to respond Portage prisoners ignored advocate George Douklias / Winnipeg free press Margaret Romano is one of 40 women in Portage wait ing in custody for Legal Aid representation. By Aldo Santin a grandmother from Prince Edward Island has been languishing in the Portage correctional Centre for three months unable to see a lawyer or get a court Date. Margaret Romano 54, is one of up to 40 women at the Portage la Prairie facility who have been unable to get Legal representation through Legal Aid Manitoba. These women Are calling Legal Aid and they re told someone is working on their file and they end up just wait ing and waiting said Marcia Tavares a worker with the Elizabeth Fry society. Many of these women have been in custody for two months and longer without a lawyer with out bail. Nobody seems to care about these women who Are waiting Tavares said it appears that Legal Aid has been Over whelmed by the number of arrested people who have lawyer we sit All Day in a holding cell in the basement and then we come Back Romano was working As a grocery clerk in . When she was arrested on a Canada wide warrant and brought to Manitoba aug. 11. She says its her first Brush with the Law. She a been charged with theft Over $5,000 and fraud Over $5,000 following the col lapse of a Manitoba based business. Romano said she a repeat edly called Legal Aid but has had no one from there meet with her. She said Many of the women at the facility have experienced the same situation. Gerald Mcneilly executive director of Legal Aid Manitoba said he does to believe the women at the Portage facility have been ignored by his staff. Its impossible that this can be happening Mcneilly said. The system would have to be totally broken. This is the first i be heard of Mcneilly said he a received letters from 42 women in Cus Tody in Portage adding he will look into each Case. Mcneilly said his Agency has orders for a 10-Day turn around from when it receives an application to when a per son is contacted. He said there can be delays if application forms Arent filled out properly or if Legal Aid has to determine if individuals meet financial eligibility requirements. Mcneilly said he expects to have the women a cases reviewed by mid week. Romano said that not Only Are the women not receiving Legal help every time they phone Legal Aid in Winnipeg its a Long distance Call and they have to cover the expense. Tavares said she knows that because these women have been charged with crimes involving theft and robbery Many people do not have sympathy for them. They re not getting a Chance at a fair trial Tavares said. These women Haven to been convicted of any crime but they re living in harsh prison like conditions doing what i Call hard Romano said 39 women at the Portage facility have put their names to letters sent recently to provincial Justice minister Dave Chomiak and Mcneilly. The women have asked Mcneilly to explain Why the Agency wont pro vide them with Legal help. He has not responded. The women have asked Chomiak to intervene. A spokesman for Chomiak said the letters arrived oct. 24, adding Chomiak has asked Manitoba Justice staff to review the Issue before he responds. 75$9 ,727 5&$1$ ,$16? 3$570$5& 7kh%hvw hhn,vodqgdzdlldq9dfdwlrq $ydlodeoh$w7khxdudqwhhg/rzhvw3ulfh ;