Legal Aid Ontario Cuts 2019
“From an immigration perspective, these are people facing extradition, torture and persecution, and it is real lives that will suffer from these cuts,” she said. Some lawyers believe the Toronto clinics were targeted because of Ford`s “insatiable antipathy to the city of Toronto,” Lenny Abramowicz, executive director of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario, said today. Previously, the government provided an annual “funding framework” for legal aid, coinciding with an automatic escalator that allowed for a 6% annual increase in financial eligibility for legal aid services. The cost of the Refugee and Immigrant Legal Aid Program in 2019 was estimated at $45 million. In April, the province cut LAO`s funding by 30 per cent. The effects were implemented immediately, even though the 2019 legal budget was finalised. The Ontario government has also directed that no provincial funds be used to cover immigration and refugee laws. The province sets the income limit for when a person is eligible for legal aid. It increased that number this month to make people with slightly higher incomes qualify. Now, a single person earning less than $17,731 per year is eligible, compared to $16,728. See also the coverage of the day of action 30 July – 2 August 2019) READ MORE: Ontario Chief Justice Criticizes Ford Government`s Cuts to Legal Aid On April 11, 2019, the Ontario government reduced funding for Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) by 30 per cent for the current fiscal year (2019-2020), with further reductions over the next few years. In addition, the government has clarified that LAO cannot use provincial funds for refugee services and immigration rights.
A $133 million cut to legal aid, which was expected to increase by $31 million by 2021-22, was one of the first in a series of cuts disclosed after the Progressive Conservative government`s spring budget. This update is also available as a printable PDF file (includes the ACLCO fact sheet): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LAO-cuts-2019July.pdf Currently, new legal aid certificates are only issued to help complete the basic application forms, which are the document used to make a refugee claim. In other words, there will be no legal aid certificates for interviews with refugees or other refugee or immigration matters (previously issued legal aid certificates will be recognized). In addition, LAO`s refugee law offices (Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa) will provide some services. For more information, visit the News section of LAO`s website under www.legalaid.on.ca/en/news/newsarchives.asp. Attorney General Caroline Mulroney assured Ontarians that these cuts would have no impact on customer service. But ACLCO co-chair Gary Newhouse says those claims turned out to be false. TORONTO – Ontario`s attorney general is reversing planned cuts to legal aid funding, but this year`s 30 per cent budget cut will become permanent.
I just received an email from Legal Aid Ontario outlining massive cuts to client service funding. Unfortunately, I will no longer be able to afford to accept legal aid, except for CAS cases. It will hurt a lot of people, @fordnation Prime Minister. After a delay due to COVID-19, the Standing Committee on Justice Policy passed a resolution on December 10. until June 12, 2020, hearings on Bill 161, Smarter and Stronger Justice Act, 2020. The Committee heard concerns in oral submissions and written comments regarding sections 15 and 16 and the impact of the proposed new legal aid legislation on low-income and vulnerable populations. Many of these concerns have already been strongly expressed to the Premier and MPPs by legal clinics, the broader legal profession and the communities served. Bill 161 passed third reading and received Royal Assent on July 8, 2020. It is also important to note that cuts have also been made to other legal aid services (see the News section of LAO`s website, see link above). The HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) strongly condemns these cuts. The cuts to legal aid, combined with other provincial cuts, will have a devastating impact on the people of Ontario.
2019 Ontario Budget: Vic Fedeli Unveils Ford Conservatives` First Financial Plan – Email Premier Doug Ford and Attorney General Doug Downey in stoplegalaidcuts.nationbuilder.com/contact While we have escaped the brunt of the initial cuts, other clinics have been targeted by significant budget cuts (www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/legal-aid-ontario-slashes-toronto-budgets_ca_5d00f6b7e4b07551039acbb3). We support these clinics. In addition, many central clinic supports have been eliminated or eliminated, and all clinics have been instructed to stop “prioritizing” systemic advocacy. The government will also “streamline” the service by changing the way legal aid applications are processed to reduce the administrative burden on lawyers. The bill would also require people to file applications for judicial review within 30 days, significantly increase the maximum fine for lawyers guilty of professional misconduct from $10,000 to $100,000, and prevent judges and justices of the peace who are removed for misconduct, and charge taxpayers legal fees. In addition, the provincial government is currently reviewing the entire legal aid system, including the community legal clinic model. The key principles of independent, local and community-controlled clinics, as well as the mandate of clinics to provide a wide range of services, including systemic advocacy, are threatened. December 9, 2019 Attorney General Doug Downey followed the introduction of a revised Legal Aid Services Act (in omnibus Justice Bill 161) announcing that the government would cancel plans to further reduce legal aid by an additional $31 million for 2021-22. However, the current 30 per cent ($133 million) cut to Legal Aid Ontario`s 2019-2020 budget remains, despite persistent and widespread calls to restore funding to the legal aid system.