A May Environics poll showed 75% of Ontarians oppose the government’s catastrophic 30% cut this year to Legal Aid Ontario’s budget. Since then, the consequences of the cuts to all legal aid services and clinics have become only too real as low-income and vulnerable Ontarians start being turned away and staff laid off. Clients, advocates and supporters came out in communities across the province on Tuesday’s Day of Action to call for the reversal of these cuts. In more than 40 events in all regions of the province they reminded their MPPs and the public that legal aid (in the words of former Supreme Court of Canada chief justice, “a political volleyball that can be swatted out of bounds in the name of fiscal expediency”) provides essential legal assistance for an efficiently functioning justice system and, for the taxpayer, a cost-effective system of delivery to ensure access to justice for all.
The media also came out. Below are links to coverage by region of many of the Day’s events. Check out also hashtag #justice4all , #savelegalaid, and #dayofaction on social media and event photos (soon to be posted on the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario website.
Cuts to Legal Aid Ontario (CBC Radio, Ontario Today) – podcast of noon radio show (includes listeners calling in with their stories of when legal aid made a difference)
Rallies and events held around Ontario to protest legal aid cuts (CBC News, July 30, 2019) – Toronto, Scarborough, Guelph, Owen Sound
Legal aid cuts prompt Ontario-wide day of action (Global News, July 30, 2019) video – Etobicoke, Peterborough
40 communities protest legal aid cuts (City News Toronto, July 30, 2019) video – Toronto, Scarborough
Parkdale legal clinic protests funding cuts (OPSEU, August 1, 2019) video – Toronto
Clínicas legales realizan jornada de protestas por recortes hechos por la provincia de Ontario (El Centro, July 31, 2019) – Toronto
Windsor joins provincewide protest to legal aid cuts (Windsor Star, July 31, 2019)
Legal aid observes Day of Action in Windsor (Blackburn News, July 30, 2019)
Day of Action opposes legal-aid cuts (London Free Press, July 29, 2019) – London-Middlesex, Perth-Huron, Elgin-Oxford, Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent
Legal aid cuts bring protests to Bailey’s office doorstep (Sarnia & Lambton County This Week, July 31, 2019) –
Provincial funding cut to Legal Aid being felt locally (Chatham Daily News, July 31, 2019)
Local legal clinic fearing effect of cuts (Blackburn News, Aug. 1, 2019) – Chatham-Kent
Impact of cuts already being felt by Chatham-Kent Legal Clinic (Chatham This Week, July 31, 2019)
Protest set for Kitchener City Hall over provincial cuts to legal aid (Kitchener Today, July 30, 2019)
Legal Aid cuts haven’t created a backlog in Hamilton yet, but lawyers fear next year (CBC News, August 1, 2019)
Protesters urge new Ontario AG to reverse cuts to legal aid (Lawyers Daily, August 1, 2019) – Etobicoke
‘They can’t cut this program’: Mississauga residents share stories at legal aid town hall (Mississauga.com, July 31, 2019)
Mississauga MPPs find little support for Ford government plan at legal aid town hall (Mississauga.com, July 31, 2019)
Bramptonians gather to protest province’s cuts to legal aid (The Pointer, July 30, 2019)
Legal clinic hosts ‘Justice Fest’ in Bracebridge in protest of legal aid cuts (My Muskoka Now, July 31, 2019)
Justice Fest to highlight fight to stop cuts to Legal Aid Ontario (ParrySound.com, July 26, 2019) – Parry Sound
Legal Aid Day of Action rally in Owen Sound Tuesday (Blackburn News, July 30, 2019)
Day of Action protest urges province to stop legal aid cuts (Bradford Today, July 31, 2019) – Newmarket
Peterborough legal aid clinic struggles to keep up after cuts: rally held in downtown Peterborough (Peterborough Examiner, July 30, 2019)
Rally held to protest cuts to legal aid (PBO Today, July 31, 2019) – Peterborough
Legal clinic hosts Day of Action to protest funding cuts (Kenora Miner & News, August 1, 2019)
Local residents support Manitoulin Legal Aid in action day protest (Manitoulin Expositor, August 2, 2019)
‘There’s No Empathy’: Protests Flash Across Ontario Against Legal Aid Cuts (Huffington Post, July 30, 2019) – Sudbury
Local group lobbying against legal aid clinic funding cuts: Friends of the Porcupine River Watershed (Timmins Today, July 30, 2019)
Protesting legal aid cuts in North Bay (CTV News, July 30, 2019) – video
Nipissing Community Legal Aid Clinic wants Nipissing MPP to convince his government to reverse cuts (Bay Today, July 30, 2019)
Mock funeral for Legal Aid Ontario (Acadia News, July 30, 2019) Youtube video – Thunder Bay
Cornwall participates in provincial Day of Awareness for legal aid (Seaway News, July 31, 2019)
(for more media coverage of cuts see Legal Aid Cuts Fightback page ).