Membership

HALCO’s work is supported by our members.  Our primary goal is to provide free legal services for people with HIV in Ontario.  To help us to fulfill our goal and to ensure that our services are relevant, we need the participation of people living with HIV in Ontario, as well as those not living with HIV. Please offer your support by becoming a member of HALCO.

HALCO membership is free and is renewed every 3 years. You can apply to become a member of HALCO if: (i) you live in Ontario, (ii) you are 18 years of age or older, and (iii) you agree with our Statement of Principles (see below).  For more information about HALCO, please visit Our Mission, Vision and Statement of Principles page.

You do not have to be a member to obtain legal services from HALCO. However, we encourage people to become members.

Benefits of membership include voting privileges at our membership meetings (after minimum 30 days membership), and the right to stand for election to our volunteer Board of Directors.  HALCO reserves the right to deny Membership Applications/Renewals. You can choose to receive other HALCO information, including our newsletter and updates, by checking the box below.

Your membership information will be used to inform you of our member meetings, including our Annual General Meeting, and to give you the opportunity to renew your membership. We will only share your membership information as required by law. Membership takes effect when it is approved by our Board of Directors.

You can apply for HALCO membership or renew your HALCO membership by:

If you have difficulty accessing anything on our website, please contact us.

Statement of Principles of the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)

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.

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