The ministry of justice in Saskatchewan has ended its contract with Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City Inc. (CLASSIC), a move that the organization says will greatly impact residents seeking accessible legal help.
Chantelle Johnson, who is the executive director for CLASSIC stated that they have collaborated with the ministry for the last ten years, with their service contract involving receiving $100,000 for client-side services and student training.
She mentioned that CLASSIC is the only community legal clinic in the province, which already puts a strain on their resources, and the complete withdrawal of funding now puts them in a difficult position.She expressed that the withdrawal of funding will have a negative impact, especially considering the existing need for more assistance, not less.
“We’re also facing an unprecedented access-to-justice crisis in this province. That won’t be news to people, you see it everywhere,” Johnson said.
She pointed out that other provinces have multiple community legal clinics available to people.
“It’s going to be harmful. We already need more assistance, not less.”
She said they are the only free legal provider in the province for areas like housing law, income assistance law, human rights, immigration and refugee law.
Johnson mentioned that the dual mandate for CLASSIC is now at risk, which will impact their services for clients as well as student access. She noted that they are the only clinical legal education site in Saskatchewan.
She mentioned their exploration of possible grants that CLASSIC could access, as well as examining potential partnerships, private donors, or appealing to the provincial government to reconsider.
She acknowledged that there hasn't been clear reasoning for why the money is being taken from CLASSIC, but suggested that the defunding might be connected to the organization's work in holding the province's systems accountable.
“There’s been some talk that it’s possibly because there’s unease about the fact that CLASSIC holds government systems accountable because it’s our job to advocate for people who experience poverty and injustice. I hope that’s not the case because healthy democracies have checks and balances.”
Global News has reached out to the Ministry of Justice for comment and received a statement.
The province mentioned that $100,000 is now going towards expanding the experiential education program at the College of Law, with the aim of increasing practical work placements in the public sector.
“We understand that CLASSIC’s current budget is over $1 million, and that funding continues to be provided through donors, including the Law Foundation and the United Way,” the province said.
It claimed that CLASSIC’s services were limited to clients in Saskatoon and that the province wanted to expand opportunities across Saskatchewan.
