The axe has fallen on legal aid for immigration and refugees in Ontario.
Just after 4 pm today, Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) announced by email to staff and stakeholders that, with limited exceptions, the program will be discontinued effective Tuesday morning.
The Province’s unilateral and abrupt end to this critical legal services funding will put people’s lives at risk. It will also throw the justice system into chaos.
This is a crisis. The effects of this decision will be immediate, catastrophic and irreversible.
Premier Doug Ford and Attorney General Caroline Mulroney should immediately reinstate funding for these critical services. We also call on Prime Minister Trudeau to speak with the Premier immediately and remind him of the Province’s responsibilities and that lives are at stake.
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