And when the stakes are high, the only way to safeguard this right is to ensure the right to legal representation. Without a legal aid system in place, deportation becomes dangerous. The federal budget included increased legal aid funding for the provinces — but didn’t capitulate to Ontario’s demand for full funding: legal aid for refugees is, and ought to be, a responsibility shared between the two levels of government. On April 11, the government of Ontario instructed Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) to stop all provincial funding for refugee and immigration services, as a part of a 30 per cent cut to the province’s legal aid budget. Ottawa should instruct the CBSA to pause removals of individuals affected by the legal aid crisis, until the crisis is resolved, and representation is restored.

Source: thestar June 12, 2019 20:14 UTC