Advocates in Action

Advocates in Action
As part of our mission to be a voice for advocates, The Advocates' Society ("TAS") undertakes initiatives that seek to improve access to justice, promote diversity and inclusion, protect judicial independence, and make submissions on matters of significance to the legal profession.  Advocates in Action is here to keep our members informed about and engaged with the Society's important advocacy work.

Past Issues
February 2023 Advocates in ActionFebruary 2023

  • TAS's call for members of the Law Society of Alberta to vote on a proposed resolution to repeal CPD requirements
  • TAS's letter urging the provincial and federal governments to improve the accessibility of the Halifax Law Courts
  • TAS's request for more investments in the justice system in Ontario’s 2023 budget
  • TAS's recommendation that the federal government consult with stakeholders about new lawyer reporting requirements in the Income Tax Act
January 2023 Advocates in ActionJanuary 2023: A Year in Review. Catch up on the highlights of TAS's advocacy work from 2022 in this special edition of Advocates in Action. Thank you to all of the volunteers from coast to coast to coast who support our important work on access to justice, judicial independence, diversity and inclusion and more.

November 2022 Advocates in ActionIn this issue, read about:

  • TAS's support for institutional bilingualism at the Supreme Court, with cautions to the government regarding active management of the impacts; and
  • Canadian courts' encouragement of increased advocacy opportunities for junior counsel
September 2022 Advocates in ActionIn this special issue of Advocates in Action for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, read about:

  • The release of the First Supplement to the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples;
  • A free online program, Taking Action, Making a Difference: Recent Developments in Access to Justice for Indigenous Peoples, on October 26, 2022; and
  • A two-part series from the Friends Who Argue podcast, An Introduction to Indigenous Law and Legal Orders.
August 2022 Advocates in ActionAugust 2022

  • TAS's motion for leave to intervene on privilege issue in Auditor General of Ontario v. Laurentian University of Sudbury at the Court of Appeal for Ontario
  • TAS's submission on proposals to amend the federal judicial discipline process
  • TAS's call for protection of court functions during Ontario Line construction on grounds of Osgoode Hall in Toronto
June 2022 Advocates in ActionJune 2022

  • TAS's concern regarding the impact of government-mandated education on judicial independence in Alberta
  • TAS's advocacy for passage of legislation broadening the range of legal services offered at low or no cost in Quebec legal clinics
  • TAS's support for the expansion of consent virtual appearances in criminal matters
April 2022 Advocates in ActionApril 2022

  • The SCC decision in Anderson v. Alberta, in which TAS intervened
  • TAS's advocacy to the Ontario government to increase funding for the justice system
  • TAS's position on proposed amendments to the Criminal Code
March 2022 Advocates in ActionMarch 2022

  • Recommendations for LAO's Standards for Legal Aid Lawyers
  • Input on Draft Capital Markets Act for Ontario
  • Representative on the Ontario Courts Accessibility Committee
  • Involvement in the Celebration of The Hon. Rosalie Silberman Abella