No. Some provinces actually rely a lot more heavily on the private bar than on legal aid clinics. Ontario, for example, relies very heavily on issuing certificates to members of the private bar, as well as having legal aid lawyers, so it's not just when there is a conflict that it goes to the private bar. There is very much a certificate process where you go to the private lawyer first and ask, “Can you represent me?” The lawyer can say, “I will make an application to legal aid for you.”
On December 8th, 2016. See this statement in context.