Thousands of refugees come to Canada to find a safe place for themselves and their families. Thousands are also stuck in court fighting for their safety and sanctuary. These refugees rely on Legal Aid, a subsidized program for legal fees, to fight their cases and ensure they can stay in Canada.
However, while the number of refugees has increased dramatically in the past 15 years, the federal funding for Legal Aid has remained the same forcing the provincial governing bodies for Legal Aid to threaten cutting services for refugees.
These services are essential to the outcomes for these most vulnerable families and individuals who are trying to escape danger while navigating a complicated and confusing immigration system. Without legal aid many refugees would be sent back into danger and possibly death.
The federal government says that they welcome refugees, yet without adequate legal support, many seeking refuge will be forced away from our country. It's time the government took action to ensure that refugees are protected from deportation when they come to the country.
Sign today to stand for refugees!
Photo Credit: DFID CC 2.0
