The Manitoba Library Association is proud to share that Kirsten Wurmann, MLA’s Program Coordinator and a dedicated member of our Prison Libraries Committee, presented at the National Action Committee for Access to Justice Conference held May 26–28, 2026, in Ottawa.
In addition to her work with MLA, Kirsten works with the Manitoba Law Library, where she advocates for accessible legal information.
This year’s conference, Advancing People‑Centred Justice in Canada: Data Sharing and Knowledge Building, brought together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, community organizations, and justice system leaders from across Canada and beyond to explore what it means to build a people-centred justice system that learns, adapts, and earns public trust. Panels explored participation and power, language and understanding, court data and evaluation, professional roles and regulation, design and innovation (including AI), justice in rural and remote contexts, and the funding structures that sustain system change.
Kirsten participated in the panel “Making Knowledge Usable: Language, Literacy, and Legitimacy in Justice”, which examined how law, language, and institutional culture can either empower people or keep them excluded. Together, they show how knowledge—when translated, shared, and co-created—becomes a means of participation.
Watch the full presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96wVaKwjtKM&t=2764s
