Alberta lawyers extend job action, threaten more after 'disrespectful' meeting with Shandro
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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.