Media Release: Legal Aid to refugees and immigrants to end Tuesday morning

April 15, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 15, 2019


Media Release: Legal Aid to refugees and immigrants to end Tuesday morning


The axe has fallen on legal aid for immigrants 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 Provinces’s responsibilities and that lives are at
stake.


Media Inquiries:

Erin Simpson
erin@erinsimpsonlaw.com
416-363-1696 ext. 103
647-406-1341