Earlier this year, Attorney-General of Ontario, Michael Bryant, made significant changes to Legal Aid Ontario.

Recent Changes

The announcement on June 19, 2007, proclaimed an increase $51 million for low-income Ontarians.

Some of the specific areas of funding include:

• Tariff Increase
• Articling Students
• Exemption of Universal Child Care Benefit
• New Financial Eligibility Test
• Services for Families
• Big Case Management
• Aboriginal Services
• Community Legal Clinics
• South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO)
• Increasing Clinic Salaries
• French Language Services
• Clinic Operating Expenditure Budgets
• Information Management System
• Interpretation and Translation Services

Bryant commented on the increased funding for the South Asian Legal Clinic (SALCO) to address specific communities in Toronto,

We are making sure that more people who need legal aid services receive them, increasing access to justice for low-income Ontarians. We are proud of the close working relationship we have developed with Legal Aid Ontario.

Bryant also appointed John McCamus, of Osgoode Hall, as the new chairperson for Legal Aid Ontario.

Legal Aid as a Whole of Government Spending

Critics often claim that legal aid is severely underfunded.

The breakdown of governmental expenses typically is,
60% of spending on police
25% on corrections
9% on courts
6% on legal aid

The recent changes should increase the relative allocation to Legal Aid funding.

Importance of Legal Aid

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) states that Legal Aid,

• is a Fundamental Feature of our Justice System and our Democracy
• is a Question of Fairness
• is Required by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• is Promised in Canada’s International Commitments
• is Intrinsic to the Rule of Law

In 2002, the CBA threatened to sue provinces over underfunding of Legal Aid.

Is Legal Aid a Human Right?

Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) video on Legal Aid as a human right in Britain