The Trudeau government is also asking Parliament to approve $28.1 million in additional spending on immigration and refugee legal aid for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to the supplementary estimates (C) tabled in the Commons Feb. 15, 2024 by Treasury Board president Anita Anand.
The DOJ’s Feb. 20 announcement of $475,788 for Pro Bono Ontario’s “Ukrainian Refugee Legal Relief Initiative” will support access to free legal information and advice from volunteer lawyers, including a toll-free hotline accessible both domestically and abroad.
The service enables Ukrainian nationals to speak with Canadian lawyers about immigration-related issues such as sponsorship, refugee claims and work permits and to be referred to provincial pro bono organizations or community groups across Canada.
The service also provides assistance and referrals for other legal issues related to resettlement, such as housing or employment matters.
Callers can speak directly to a lawyer and receive: help identifying the nature of their legal issues; advice and assistance on steps they can take; help drafting basic legal documents for use in the Canadian justice system; referrals to support services; and where appropriate, referrals to pro bono and other lawyers for ongoing services.
The federal government said the funds will also support “the development of culturally sensitive resources and training for staff and lawyers. Collectively, these efforts will provide timely access to trauma-informed and culturally appropriate legal services to further support the well-being of Ukrainians and the Ukrainian community.”
“Our government is grateful to be able to count on organizations, such as Pro Bono Ontario, that improve access to justice – a fundamental Canadian value and an integral part of a fair and effective justice system,” federal Justice Minister Arif Virani said in a statement. “This investment shows how our government continues to stand with Ukraine, and that we will continue to support Ukrainians forced to flee their homes because of Russia’s illegal invasion” on Feb. 24, 2022.
Kirsti Mathers McHenry, Pro Bono Ontario’s executive director, said that the DOJ’s support has enabled the organization “to leverage its innovative hotline model and partnerships with legal groups and community service agencies to ensure that Ukrainians’ legal needs – whether they relate to immigration, housing, or employment – are being met quickly. Although our national hotline only launched in June 2022, we have already helped more than 1,300 people whose lives were suddenly upended.”
Canada opened its doors to 221,231 Ukrainians under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) special visa program between March 17, 2022, and Jan. 27, 2024, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The CUAET program also received 1,189,320 applications during this period, of which 958,190 were approved.
CUAET offers Ukrainians and their family members free, extended temporary status and allows them to work, study and stay in Canada until it is safe for them to return home.
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