Liberals commit almost $26M to offset Ford's legal aid cuts for refugees, immigrants
Trudeau made the announcement Monday at the Parkdale Intercultural Association in Toronto, ratcheting up the rhetoric in a bitter dispute above the policies and costs about asylum seekers by saying the funding was necessary as the Ford government made a decision to "step away" from the province's long traditions of sharing responsibility for legal supports for newcomers.
"There's conservative politicians [who] preserve trying to move us back and maximize vulnerable hurt for the decisions that they get. Conservative politicians like to state they're for the persons but they end up slicing services for the virtually all vulnerable. It's what they carry out," he said.
With a federal election just 10 weeks away, Trudeau has been working to tie his primary opponent, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, with Ford, who is unpopular in the polls over various plans and budget cuts.
The move employs Ford faced criticism for slashing funding for legal aid by 30 %. His spring budget trim Legal Aid Ontario financing by $133 million, and stated the organization could no more use provincial cash for refugee and immigration situations.
Ontario has argued the refugee system may be the federal government's responsibility, thus should shoulder the associated legal costs. The government maintained legal aid is a provincial duty.
The majority of today's announced funding will head to Ontario ($25.7 million), with more funds for British Columbia ($1.16 million) and Manitoba ($20,000). It comes along with $49.6 million over three years for immigration and refugee legal aid announced in this year's federal budget.
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey tweeted that it was good the government had "partially" answered his phone to invest in immigration and refugee legal aid.
"Funding in non-election years is also needed," he said.
The move employs Ford faced criticism for slashing funding for legal aid by 30 %. His spring budget trim Legal Aid Ontario financing by $133 million, and stated the organization could no more use provincial cash for refugee and immigration situations.
Ontario has argued the refugee system may be the federal government's responsibility, thus should shoulder the associated legal costs. The government maintained legal aid is a provincial duty.
The majority of today's announced funding will head to Ontario ($25.7 million), with more funds for British Columbia ($1.16 million) and Manitoba ($20,000). It comes along with $49.6 million over three years for immigration and refugee legal aid announced in this year's federal budget.
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey tweeted that it was good the government had "partially" answered his phone to invest in immigration and refugee legal aid.
"Funding in non-election years is also needed," he said.
Downey had written a letter to Trudeau last month asking the prime minister to teach his ministers to answer Ontario's requests for more financing, filling what he said was a gap of $25 million.
Arif Virani, the parliamentary secretary to the justice minister, said he was "appalled" by Ford's cuts to legal aid.
"I found them to get indefensible - indefensible from an economic point of view, indefensible from an evidence-based point of view, indefensible from an ethical perspective," he stated at the Toronto event.
CBA welcomes news
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) welcomed today's announcement.
"This money, along with financing earmarked in the federal cover legal help for immigrants and refugees, is a necessary commitment if Canada is to continue calling itself a humanitarian region, founded on the rule of law," said CBA president Ray Adlington found in a statement.
In July, the Immigration and Refugee Panel, the tribunal that adjudicates asylum claims in Canada, warned the Legal Aid Ontario cuts would result in longer hearings, even more delays and adjournments, and even more missed deadlines because of applicants who don't have a lawyer.
The Canadian Refugee Lawyers Association had urged the Liberal government to part of and fill the gap created by the Ontario legal aid cuts.
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Arif Virani, the parliamentary secretary to the justice minister, said he was "appalled" by Ford's cuts to legal aid.
"I found them to get indefensible - indefensible from an economic point of view, indefensible from an evidence-based point of view, indefensible from an ethical perspective," he stated at the Toronto event.
CBA welcomes news
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) welcomed today's announcement.
"This money, along with financing earmarked in the federal cover legal help for immigrants and refugees, is a necessary commitment if Canada is to continue calling itself a humanitarian region, founded on the rule of law," said CBA president Ray Adlington found in a statement.
In July, the Immigration and Refugee Panel, the tribunal that adjudicates asylum claims in Canada, warned the Legal Aid Ontario cuts would result in longer hearings, even more delays and adjournments, and even more missed deadlines because of applicants who don't have a lawyer.
The Canadian Refugee Lawyers Association had urged the Liberal government to part of and fill the gap created by the Ontario legal aid cuts.
Read source
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