An anti-vax Quebec lawyer opposed to COVID-19 health measures was disbarred by the Barreau du Québec after the legal society invoked a little-used section of the Professions Code.
Sexual harassment prevalent in Quebec legal profession, reports study
Sexual harassment and violence is rife in Quebec legal workplaces, the overwhelming majority of which goes unreported for fear of repercussions, claims a report that calls on the province’s legal actors to work together to take concrete steps to raise awareness and address the pervasive culture of silence and impunity that permits harassment.
Sexual harassment, unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion takes place in all workplace contexts, formal or informal, is often perpetrated by a colleague or a partner with a higher hierarchical status, and has far-reaching personal and professional consequences, with up to nearly 20 per cent of women changing career paths following the sexual misconduct, according to the study conducted by researchers at the Université Laval who were given the mandate by the Quebec Bar.
“The study denounces the culture of silence and impunity that endures in the legal profession,” remarked Julie Lassonde, a member of the Law Society of Ontario and the Barreau du Québec who has developed a consultancy business focused on the areas of gender, sexuality and social justice. “That is what will shock the most.”
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Quebec Bar unveils report on sexual harassment in the legal profession
Half of Quebec female lawyers have been subjected to sexual harassment, a third of Quebec lawyers were the subject of unwanted sexual conduct, and 4.2 per cent of women suffered “negative consequences” for refusing to engage in sexual activities. Approximately one per cent of lawyers who were the subject of sexual misconduct reached out to police.
So reveals a report unveiled by the Quebec Bar, three years after it was launched. Only 14 per cent of Quebec Bar members, or 3785 members out of 28,000 lawyers in the roll, responded to the survey.
Following the 76-page report, the Barreau du Québec intends to launch free training on harassment and sexual violence, and is considering making it compulsory. A committee will examine other options.
Here is the report (en français).
Bill paves the way for Quebec law students to provide legal advice and consultations
The heads of Quebec’s law schools welcomed a new bill that would allow law students working at university legal clinics to give legal advice and consultations under the supervision of lawyers and notaries, a development that would finally put them within reach of what law students in the rest of the country can provide.
Legal aid agreement reached with Quebec government
After three years of negotiations, the Quebec government and the provincial bar association reached an agreement to raise legal fees and to establish an independent working group that will conduct an exhaustive review of the tariff structure.
The agreement, widely perceived to be a “step in the right direction” by the Quebec legal community, calls for a five per cent retroactive increase in legal aid fees for the period of October 2017 to May 2019, and a 14.7 per cent increase in fees from June 2019 to September 2022.
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Time for the Quebec disciplinary council to Zoom out
The Quebec justice system, like elsewhere, is scrambling to put in place measures to make things move along during the Covid-19 outbreak. Sometimes, though, well-intentioned efforts risk doing more harm than good, especially if the recourses are rushed and not necessarily well researched, examined and analyzed.
This appears to be the case with efforts by the Quebec disciplinary council of presidents.
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Quebec bar launches free telephone call-in legal clinic
The Barreau du Québec has launched a free telephone call-in legal clinic to help citizens with questions they may have regarding their rights and responsibilities in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some 200 Quebec lawyers from across the province are expected to voluntarily man the phones to reply to legal questions. Lawyers will answer legal questions ranging from employment to insurance to mortgage payments as well as admissibility to federal and provincial aid packages launched over the past week.
The bilingual service, a collaborative effort with the Quebec Ministry of Justice, the legal information broker Centre d’accès à l’information juridique (CAIJ) and the provincial legal aid agency Commission des services juridiques, is expected to be in operation for at least several weeks.
Calls by citizens will be screened so that they can be forwarded to lawyers who can reply to their questions.
Here’s how you can reach them.
- 1-866 699-9729 (toll-free)
- 1-514-789-2755 (Montreal)
- 1-418-838-6415 (Quebec City area)
- 1-819-303-4080 (Gatineau)
Committee recommends raising Quebec Crown prosecutors’ salary by 14% over four years
The Quebec government’s resolve to establish harmonious labour relations with its Crown prosecutors will be put to the test after the National Assembly received a report by a special committee that made a slew of recommendations to improve their labour conditions.
Quebec inquiry that examined treatment of Indigenous people calls for changes to justice system
It will take a healthy dose of political will, huge investments and nearly a generation for the Quebec government to implement the wide-ranging recommendations an inquiry that examined treatment of Indigenous people made to the province’s justice and correctional systems, according to legal experts.
In the latest of a growing body of reports examining the plight of Indigenous people in Quebec, retired Quebec Superior Court Justice Jacques Viens concluded after an 18-month examination that “it seems impossible to deny” that members of the First Nations and Inuit are victims of systemic discrimination in accessing public services in Quebec.
Young lawyers struggling with psychological distress, reveals study
More than 40 per cent of Quebec lawyers suffer from psychological distress, with young lawyers with less than 10 years of experience more prone to experiencing mental health issues, according to a study by researchers at the Université de Sherbrooke.
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Quebec government and Quebec law societies reach out-of-court settlement over English text versions of laws
A lawsuit by the Quebec and Montreal Bars to compel the Quebec government to implement measures to ensure the legal equivalence of the French and English-language versions of Quebec statutes was quietly settled out of court.