Mission, Vision & Principles

HALCO Mission

The mission of the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario is to provide legal services to persons living with HIV/AIDS in Ontario that are relevant to their well-being and that enable them to participate fully in the communities in which they live.

HALCO Vision

HALCO’s vision is a society where laws and the legal system help reduce discrimination, stigma, poverty and injustice faced by people living with HIV/AIDS.

Statement of Principles of the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario

(Adopted January 30, 2006, by the Board of Directors of the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario.)

It is agreed that:

  1. People living with HIV/AIDS are confronted with unique legal problems of enormous proportions and complexity;
  2. Those best equipped to make choices regarding HIV/AIDS issues and problems are those individuals who are HIV positive themselves;
  3. People living with HIV/AIDS must have control over their own lives;
  4. The HIV/AIDS affected communities are very diverse and are confronted by overwhelming challenges derived from both their diversity and from their common experience as people living with HIV/AIDS;
  5. It is necessary to create and foster a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of people living with HIV/AIDS; and
  6. The confidentiality, bodily security, autonomy and privacy of people living with HIV/AIDS must be respected, which include but are not limited to:
    a) the right of individuals to exercise control over their own medical treatment;
    b) the right of individuals to exercise control over decisions concerning their own socio-economic position;
    c) the right of all persons living with HIV/AIDS to be fully informed of all processes and procedures in which their interests are in any way involved; and
    d) the right of all persons living with HIV/AIDS to consent, or withhold their consent, in all matters affecting them.

HALCO Law Society of Ontario – Statement of Principles

  • As a community legal clinic that includes staff who are licensees of the Law Society of Ontario, we confirm our belief in, support of and commitment to the following:
  • The Law Society of Ontario’s commitment to inclusive legal workplaces in Ontario, a reduction of barriers created by racism, unconscious bias and discrimination, and better representation of Indigenous, racialized and equity-seeking licensees in the legal professions in all legal workplaces and at all levels of seniority;
  • Our special responsibility as members of the legal profession to protect the dignity of all individuals, and to respect human rights laws in force in Ontario;
  • Our commitment to advance reconciliation, acknowledging that we are collectively responsible to support improved relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Ontario and Canada; and,
  • Our obligation to promote equality, diversity and inclusion generally and in our behaviour towards colleagues, employees, clients and the public.

HALCO Annual Reports and Stategic Plans

Our Annual Reports include information about our people, our legal work, our law reform, our financial reports, our funding and more. Our Strategic Plans help guide our services.  You can find our Annual Reports and Strategic Plans on the About Us page of our website.

First Nations Acknowledgment

HALCO acknowledges that since time immemorial the land on which we work has been the home and traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. We are here as guests and we are grateful to our hosts today and every day. Please see our Commitment to Reconciliation.

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