Reverse Cuts to Legal Aid

Campaigns (2)

• Toronto
  

  Reverse Cuts to Legal Aid Ontario Funding: MPP Christine Hogarth

  The Government of Ontario has cut funding for Legal Aid Ontario by almost 1/3, including a complete cut of ALL funding for the immigration and refugee law program at Legal Aid Ontario. Access to Legal Aid is essential for low-income Ontarians who are facing legal proceedings, not just immigration but also criminal, family, mental health, poverty law and child protection cases. Without legal aid, vulnerable people will be left to represent themselves in a complex and already overburdened legal system, facing jail or deportation if they lose their case. It's unjust and unfair to expect people to navigate the complex legal system without support, and these cuts will only add further to delays and chaos throughout the justice system.

  7 of 100 Signatures
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  Reverse Cuts to Legal Aid Ontario Funding

  On April 11, with the release of the Budget, the Government of Ontario made a significant cut of approximately one third of all legal aid funding, which will jeopardize the rights of those who need legal representation the most. Many refugee claimants arrive in Canada with almost nothing. Many are dealing with the aftermath of extreme personal trauma and struggle with PTSD, depression or other mental health issues as a result of the events that caused them to leave their homes and countries of origin. Often with little to no English, and even less legal knowledge, they are required to file legal forms, collect evidence, and appear in a hearing to test their claim. They are not equipped to represent themselves in Canada’s refugee determination system, a highly specialized legal field. This is why Legal Aid funding is so essential to protect the rights of such a vulnerable population and to ensure that their full story is heard by a refugee decision-maker through providing access to legal representation. Access to Legal Aid is also essential to low-income Ontarians who are facing legal proceedings such as in criminal, family, mental health, poverty law and child protection cases. These Ontarians will struggle to navigate these legally complex, high-stakes proceedings without legal assistance or resources. The impact of these cuts is huge. Vulnerable populations like refugees are left to represent themselves in a complex and already overburdened legal system, where a negative decision leads to deportation to countries where lives may be at risk. The cuts will lead to backlogs and delays throughout the justice system, causing chaos in the courts and costing taxpayers more, not less. URGENT! Sign your name to the petition now – let the Government of Ontario know that you care about funding to Legal Aid and are concerned about how it will impact the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our society, including refugees and immigrants in Ontario.

  15,395 of 20,000 Signatures

  Created by Erin Simpson