Feature Article August 22, 2001
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Top legal aid official visits Rural Legal Clinic in Sharbot LakeAngela Longo, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Legal Aid Ontario, visited the legal clinic in Sharbot Lake on August 15 to consult with members of the clinic staff and board members from the community. Legal Aid Ontario administers the legal aid certificate program and supervises the operation of the legal clinics, such as our Rural Legal clinic, which are scattered throughout the province. Legal Aid Ontario was formerly administered by the Law Society of Ontario, but is now administered by the provincial government.
Angela Longo has held a number of senior positions with the Ontario civil service. Before being appointed as the President of Legal Aid Ontario on December 4, 2000, she was a senior executive with the Management Board Secretariat. She has also been an Assistant Deputy Attorney General and in that role has experience in a number of fields related to the operations of clinics, such as domestic violence, legal aid reform, family responsibility office (office that collects and makes support payments), and budgeting and planning processes.
Ms. Longo is visiting clinics throughout the province. She is concerned that she gets feedback not only from the larger clinics which are located in the cities but also from smaller clinics in rural areas.
Board Chair Joyce Bigelow outlined some of the Boards concerns. One problem for the clinic is that Legal Aid Ontario has to approve each budget line item and the board has limited flexibility when unexpected expenditures arise. Ms. Longo recognized that this was a problem and said that her staff were considering budget guidelines that would give boards more flexibility.
Joyce and Clinic Executive Officer Susan Irwin discussed staffing possibilities if the proposed expansion of the clinic to Addington Highlands in Lennox and Addington County is approved. If approved, the Belleville Legal Clinic will provide services to the Lennox and Addington area south of highway # 7 and our Rural Legal Clinic to the northern portions
Ms. Longo knew the operations of the clinic in advance of the meeting and was receptive to suggestions from the clinic lawyers and board members. She was willing to discuss operational problems such as budgeting, and other matters such as the type of services offered by the clinic. One concern raised was the difficulty people in this area have in obtaining help with family law problems. The clinic cant at present offer services in the family law area. Individuals can get a legal aid certificate, but then often have trouble finding a member of the private bar to represent them. Ms. Longo said that she had heard the same problem from other rural areas, and said that she would look into expanding the services clinics could offer in some circumstances.
David Brison, Vice Chair of the Board, discussed the operation of the criminal court in Sharbot Lake. Ms. Longo administers the duty counsel program (duty counsels give advice to defendants who dont have lawyers). She suggested that duty counsels might be present to talk with clients an hour before court opens, as they are paid for a whole day and often dont work that long. Brison said that their presence before court started would, from his observations, improve the operation of the local court.
Others present at the meeting were board member Karen Hermer; clinic lawyers Peter Graham and Tony Cuthbert, and clinic secretary Ellamae Richardson.
