Disparity in the delivery of legal aid among provinces

Resolution number
26
Whereas
  1. 1.The CCR is still concerned with the quality and accessibility of legal counsel for refugee claimants;
  2. The CCR passed Resolution 21 at the May 1993 consultation concerning the disparity between provincial legal aid plans and Resolution 14 at the May 1992 consultation concerning Quebec legal aid plan, yet those concerns remain unaddressed;
  3. There is a Quebec Parliamentary Committee studying the delivery of the legal aid plan;
Therefore be it resolved

That:

  1. The CCR write the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and request that he consider direct funding to provincial legal aid plans to ensure adequate delivery of legal services to refugee claimants;
  2. The CCR write the appropriate boards or officials administering the various provincial legal aid plans and raise our concerns about the inadequate compensation for lawyers and/or the lack of necessary preparation time for hearings and judicial review;
  3. The CCR express its concerns to the Quebec Parliamentary Committee prior to November 27, 1993 about the extremely low compensation, lack of sufficient preparation time for hearings and judicial review paid to Quebec lawyers when compared with Ontario or British Columbia.
Working Group
Inland Protection