Statement on Various Social Media Postings

There has been a lot of discussion during the last few days about immigration law, potential lawsuits, and Tony Caruso.

The Ontario Paralegal Association appointed Tony Caruso to the Board, to fill a vacant elected position. This was done because Tony Caruso has the passion and drive to help our beloved profession grow.

It was believed that having such a dedicated person pushing back on the proposed immigration changes, while representing the Ontario Paralegal Association, would be a win for everyone.

Unfortunately, it came to the attention of the Ontario Paralegal Association that Tony Caruso was submitting an application to the Courts about the proposed changes to immigration law and the jurisdiction issues.

This application was not disclosed to the Board until a few days after the appointment was made. After the Board learned of the application, we had discussions how best to approach the issue. The Ontario Paralegal Association strongly believes in communication before litigation, and feels that it is not productive to take extreme measures when all parties are willing to talk.

Although the relationship between the Ontario Paralegal Association and Tony Caruso broke down during these discussions, we continue to  have best wishes for Tony Caruso in his pursuit of bettering our profession.

With regard to changes to immigration law, the Ontario Paralegal Association is in the process of scheduling talks with the key stakeholders on the issues including: the National Colleges Association, the Attorney General of Ontario, and Law Society of Ontario.

We will keep you updated on what is happening with these immigration discussions.