2007 Ontario Budget will Increase
Access to Justice for Families in Crisis
March 26, 2007: TORONTO - The Family Lawyers Association applauds the increased funding for Legal Aid Ontario by Fifty One Million Dollars ($51,000,000.00) in the most recent Ontario budget. The Family Lawyers Association is pleased that a focus of this increase will be to improve access to justice for families in crisis in our Family Courts. This will serve to assist individuals in domestic and child protection cases. The Family Lawyers Association is extremely pleased with the announced increase to the Legal Aid Tariff rate of 5% which should encourage lawyers to continue to accept certificates and encourage more lawyers to accept clients funded by Legal Aid. It is hoped that this increased funding will result in easing the pressures felt by the Plan and the Courts over the last decade and thus increase access to justice for the Province’s most vulnerable citizens.
Finally, the Family Lawyers Association is in favour of an increase in funding for Children’s Treatment Centres, Children’s Mental Health, Children with Autism and At-Risk Youth.
The Family Lawyers Association was formed in 1994 as a result of the Legal Aid and the L.P.I.C. crises.
For more information:
Sara R. Wunch, Chair of the Family Lawyers Association
416-595-7001
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