Supreme Court of Canada Grants Federation of Law Societies Leave to Intervene

Today the Supreme Court of Canada granted the Federation of Law Societies leave to intervene in Joseph Peter Paul Groia v. Law Society of Upper Canada. The appeal concerns the scope of the jurisdiction of the Law Society of Upper Canada with respect to in-court conduct of its members. It raises significant questions of national importance about the extent to which any law society in Canada may regulate uncivil in-court conduct in light of the duties of zealous advocacy and loyalty to the client’s cause, the independence of the judiciary, and the free expression of members of the law society.

Alison Latimer and Greg Delbigio Q.C. act for the Federation of Law Societies.

Alison Latimer Featured in Lawyers Weekly

This week's issue of the Lawyers Weekly features Alison Latimer on its cover. The article concerns the Supreme Court of Canada's recent significant narrowing of the scope of BC's Election Act. To read the full story, click here.

Supreme Court of Canada Decision is a Victory for Free Speech

Alison Latimer along with Sean Hern acted for the appellant, the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, in a constitutional challenge to BC laws that require election advertising sponsors to register before they engage in election advertising. The Chief Electoral Officer, charged with enforcing the Act, interpreted this law as capturing individuals and organisations transmitting their own views by posting a handmade sign in a window, putting a bumper sticker on a car, or wearing a T-shirt with a message on it. The lower courts agreed. The Supreme Court of Canada today ruled that the law does not capture those activities. Individuals and organisations who neither pay others for advertising services nor receive advertising services from others without charge are not "sponsors" and can express their own views without registering. The Court also held that such expression is not captured by other parts of the Act, including the Act's expenditure limits.

To read the full judgment, click here.

To learn more about the essential work of the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, click here.