Alberta lawyers extend job action, threaten more after 'disrespectful' meeting with Shandro

Then-Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro announces new COVID-19 measures for Alberta in Calgary, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Four Alberta legal associations teamed up Thursday to accuse Justice Minister Tyler Shandro of being "dismissive" and playing politics in a recent meeting over compensation for legal aid services.

Shandro met Monday with members of the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association (Calgary, CDLA), the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association (Edmonton, CTLA), the Southern Alberta Defence Lawyers’ Association (SADL) and the Red Deer Criminal Defence Lawyers Association (RDCDLA) who jointly claim they are being treated as if they are "selling widgets for pennies."

"To say the meeting was disappointing would be a gross understatement," stated a letter signed by all four presidents.

"We quickly realized we were the only ones prepared to speak frankly about access to justice in Alberta."

A spokesperson for Shandro had a different take on the meeting.

"Alberta’s government found the meeting to be respectful and appreciated the arguments advanced by all four associations," press secretary Joseph Dow told CTV News Edmonton.

The lawyers are asking for "an immediate increase to the legal aid budget and a concrete commitment to fair compensation."

Dow suggested no changes will be made until the "budget 2023 process," something he acknowledged the two sides disagree on.

"Alberta’s government has committed to meeting with all four associations again in the near future," he said.

After the meeting, the lawyers voted to extend until Sept. 2 its job action of refusing to accept any new files that require "bail only services" and "courtroom duty counsel services."

"Certainly, there are members that have indicated a willingness to go nuclear, to fully withdraw services if that's what it took to get the message across," said Danielle Boisvert, president of the CTLA.

The lawyers said they have agreed to differ renegotiations until after budgets and elections before but, "again and again, those promises have been broken."

The lawyers associations first voted to start job action on Aug. 3 in response to what they consider "perpetual underfunding" by the province.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski