That's a great question.
I certainly won't say that the federal government can't provide more support, but I don't want to alienate my colleagues in Quebec who are responsible for legal aid, either. Being mindful of both jurisdictions, I will say that transparency isn't all that matters; the federal government's involvement in legal aid matters as well.
The term “by design” comes to mind straightaway. Immigration and criminal legislation is created, and that legislation creates needs.
I sit before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, so I don't think it will come as a shock to anyone when I say that the Criminal Code needs to be overhauled. Introducing complicated legislation creates the need for more legal aid. What you are doing at one end you are paying for at the other.
Fundamentally, right from the start, the legislation needs to be simpler and more accessible to the public.