On April 30, 2015, Keep Neighbourhood Legal Clinics (a.k.a The Keepers) wrote an open letter to the Steering Committee of the GTA “Transformation Project” regarding their concerns about how money was spent by Project organizers.
Please see below for the text of the letter.
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April 30, 2015
Open Letter – To the Steering Committee of the GTA “Transformation Project”:
The Keep Neighbourhood Legal Clinics Coalition, (Keepers), have learned that the amount of money Legal Aid Ontario allocated to the Flemingdon Legal clinic to spend on the “Transformation Project”, $1 million, was considerably more than previously understood ($400,000). We already had concerns about the lack of appropriate stakeholder involvement with the project, but we were shocked to learn that so much money has already been spent ($750,000) – yet so little ‘community consultation’ was actually done.
It is now very clear that the objectives of the Transformation Project and “Vision Report” were, as suspected, based on LAO’s own cost saving proposals (May 2010 & May 2012), made long before the Vision Report (August 2014). From conversations with various people involved, we found that many of the concerns and ideas presented during Steering Committee meetings were not reflected in minutes, agendas or reports issued by the Working Group and the Consultant.
So it appears that the “Vision Report” was tailored to fit LAO’s agenda, and was never intended to address the realities and concerns of local clinics, their boards and clients. It looks like the project leads were in fact working closely with LAO, to downsize and streamline community legal clinics to align with LAO’s Clinic Law Services Strategic Directions Paper.
We have also learned that the Steering Committee (and even some of the members of the Working Group) had not seen key contract and budget documents, until recently. These are serious issues indicating a lack of inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in a process that has lost credibility. The resulting “Vision Report” was rejected and we recommend that the Steering Committee address these issues by disbanding the Working Group that created it, and finding a new way forward. We hope members of the Steering Committee do not allow calls for “collegiality” to lead to inaction. After all, clinics are mandated to serve their clients and local communities, and should not sublimate this duty for the sake of avoiding conflict and appeasing the narrow interests of LAO.
The Keepers also request that any remaining (public) funds LAO has set aside for the project, not be disbursed to members of the Working Group who have failed to conduct a credible and democratic process to date. Rather, any further spending on activities related to reviewing clinics should be directed and overseen by a more inclusive, transparent and accountable entity, that includes clients and community partners, and is bound by a solid framework of guiding principles.
The Keepers agree that many Community Legal Clinics need support to meet new challenges and realities, but also note that compared to many publicly funded services, CLC’s are relatively inexpensive. We cannot support any process that primarily aims to find “efficiencies” and treats our justice system like a business, seeking to reduce costs and streamline operations, at the risk of harming clients in need. The aim of any process to review legal aid should be to improve access to justice for low-income people and promote effective law reform to ensure that public services are properly delivered, not to process more clients more quickly.
Therefore, before any major changes are proposed, there must be a truly inclusive and informative community consultation process; reflective of Toronto’s changing demographics and needs, and the resulting input must be fully taken into account.
We request an honest and thoughtful response to our recommendations and concerns, and remain willing to assist those who wish to uphold the original mandate and purpose of community legal clinics, in moving forward in a manner that will truly enhance much needed community legal services and effective advocacy for law reform.
Sincerely,
The Keepers
EMAIL: keepneighbourhoodlegalclinics@gmail.com
WEB: http://keepneighbourhoodlegalclinics.wordpress.com
Cc: AG Office
Cc: AG Office
Concerned Parkdale 