Law Times

Law Times • February 4, 2013 Page 5 NEWS NDP MPP supporting Toronto legal clinic's cause Continued from page 1 improved significantly. At the same time, the clinic is reviewing record-keeping practices. "We are seeking funding to look at the future of the clinic," says Warner. "We have been successful under a new board of directors in achieving improved staff stability, improved service statistics, and various cost savings. These changes were achieved in just six months. The new board has a plan for the future which focuses on the efficient use of resources, transparent and accountable decision-making, and the delivery of the highest-quality services to the community." LAO funds clinics to provide services to low-income people or disadvantaged groups. Typical services include providing poverty law support on matters such as housing and shelter, income maintenance, social assistance and other government programs, human rights, health, employment, and education. LAO spokesman Kristian Justesen says the organization is participating in a formal funding decision process with the clinic following a request for reconsideration. LAO had announced it wouldn't approve the clinic's funding request on Nov. 27. Citing personnel issues, neither LAO nor West Toronto Community Legal Services would release a copy of the reasons. "The board considered information related to LAO's persistent and unresolved concerns regarding [the clinic's] board governance, reporting, and financial Union worried about outsourcing Continued from page 1 within the federal Justice Department. It provides specialized legal services to government departments and agencies including Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). With a budget of about $72.4 million a year, its 680 staff work in a variety of areas, including human rights and constitutional law as well as civil litigation and legislative services. In an evaluation plan drafted in August 2012, the department said the aboriginal affairs portfolio's workload has been on the rise. "Over the past two decades, AAP has experienced an increasing demand for its services, attributable to factors such as a major growth in litigation claims by Aboriginal Peoples and the changing scope, complexity, and nature of aboriginal legal, aboriginal justice, and northern development issues related to the AANDC mandate." Most recently, the biggest increases have been in the areas of historic treaties and Canadian Human Rights Commission complaints. The department predicts claims before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Specific Claims Tribunal will rise in the future. The evaluation plan also makes it clear the Justice Department is looking for ways to reduce the cost of the aboriginal affairs portfolio. It recently reorganized the section as part of a modernization strategy. "Implementation of the strategy has resulted in a major reorganization of headquarters functions with planned significant reductions in the cost structure of these functions," the department wrote. "Changes to business processes designed to support the modernization strategy will continue to be refined to ensure essential core capacity is maintained but at a significantly lower cost than under previous approaches. Once the evaluation is initiated in [fiscal year] 2013/14, it will be important to revisit the AAP program profile and revise it as appropriate to reflect those changes." The evaluation is to examine a number of questions ranging from the degree to which the portfolio is contributing to effectively addressing aboriginal law questions to whether there are alternative ways of delivering the same services. That last question is the one that has Blais concerned. "That sounds like outsourcing to me," she says. "So the AJC will be very, very interested in ultimately reading the report and what it has to say about that." Blais says the department hasn't consulted her union at any stage of the process. While she says the concern may be premature, Blais suggests the timing of the evaluation is worrying and will add to the stress levels of lawyers in that section. It follows federal government cuts that targeted the aboriginal affairs portfolio more than other sections of the Justice Department. Boivin also worries the evaluation could set the stage for more outsourcing of aboriginal affairs matters. "If they are cutting in-house lawyers, are they benefiting more private sector lawyers? Is it more costeffective?" she asks. Boivin says she's not surprised the section is facing the evaluation since it hasn't gone through one in the past but notes she'll be watching to ensure there isn't an ulterior motive. "My worry is that they already know where they want to go with all that and that would be sad." LT and human resources management practices," says Justesen. "There has been no final decision on the reconsideration. Funding continues in the normal course and there is no disruption to services for clients." The current process to review that decision follows procedures set out in the Legal Aid Services Act and the funding agreement contained in the Legal Aid Ontario clinic memorandum of understanding. In the meantime, the clinic has an ally in Jonah Schein, who worked in the community prior to becoming the NDP MPP for the Davenport riding in 2011. "If there are issues that still need to be addressed, I think they should be addressed, [but] not by removing the service from our neighbourhood," he says. "My main concern is that the community is going to lose these services." Schein likes the clinic's onestop shopping approach to services covering legal issues, housing, and mental-health support. Having worked in the community prior to becoming a politician, Schein says there's a need to have the services available nearby. "From an economic perspective . . . it seems a very smart way to deliver services." Toronto housing officials are also keeping a close eye on the issue as the funding decision could affect services in that area. "Right now, our understanding is that West Toronto Community Legal Services has filed an appeal and it is up to the agency to provide the city with a contingency plan should the appeal be unsuccessful," says Patricia Anderson, partnership development and support manager for Toronto's shelter, support, and housing administration division. "Housing help services include working with clients to avoid eviction and find housing. Services include assisting with applications for subsidized housing, working through any issues there might be with a landlord, referring people to rent bank loans if they are eligible, and accessing any utility programs that might apply. "We would work with others in the housing help sector to minimize any service disruption that might arise because of the situation with the West Toronto Community Legal Services." LT COMING TO www.canadianlawyermag.com/ Canadian-Lawyer-TV/InHouse-videos.html Canada's leading CLOs explore their challenges for the year ahead Alaine Grand, AstraZeneca January 28 Mirko Bibic, BCE February 18 Daniel Marion, Anna Fung, Thales Canada Inc. February 4 TimberWest Forest Corp. February 25 Geoff Creighton, Jane Fedoretz, IGM Financial Inc. February 11 VIEW 2013 www.lawtimesnews.com BlakesView_LT_Jan21_13.indd 1 CEDA International March 4 BROUGHT TO YOU BY 13-01-18 10:49 AM

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