Advocates in Action Archive

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.

2022 Issues
2021 Issues
2020 Issues

2022 Issues

November 2022 Advocates in ActionNovember 2022:

  • 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

February 22 Advocates in ActionFebruary 2022

  • TAS's support for Bill C-5
  • TAS's concerns regarding changes to the Nova Scotia judicial appointment process
  • TAS's call to reject the LSO Family Legal Services Provider Licence Proposal
  • Celebrating Sandra Barton's contributions to TAS advocacy skills training

January 2022 Advocates in ActionJanuary 2022: A Year in Review. Catch up on the highlights of TAS's advocacy work from 2021 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.

2021 Issues

December 2021 Advocates in ActionDecember 2021

  • TAS Meets with Government Leaders to Discuss Priority Issues for Canada's Justice System
  • TAS Responds to Call for Comments on LSO's Continuing Competence Framework
  • La publication de la version française des Pratiques exemplaires pour les audiences tenues à distance, 2ème édition
  • La publication de la version française du rapport final du Groupe de travail sur le litige moderne

November 2021 Advocates in ActionNovember 2021

  • The decision rendered in Blake v. Blake by the Ontario Divisional Court
  • Anderson v. Alberta (Attorney General) heard by the Supreme Court of Canada
  • TAS's successful advocacy for increased funding for Ontario law libraries

October 2021 Advocates in ActionOctober 2021

  • TAS's Intervention in Anderson v. Alberta (Attorney General) at the SCC
  • Notre soumission sur le projet de loi 96/Our submission on Bill 96
  • Free panel discussion on The Right to be Heard: The Future of Advocacy in Canada

September 2021 Advocates in ActionSeptember 2021

  • TAS's Statement Voicing Support for Canada's Role in the Evacuation of Judges and Lawyers in Afghanistan
  • TAS's Presentation of the Right to be Heard Report to the Action Committee on Court Operations
  • TAS's Submission on Proposed Amendments to Ontario's Rules of Civil Procedure

Summer 2021 Advocates in ActionSummer 2021

  • TAS's Submission to the Canadian Criminal Cases Review Consultations
  • TAS's Perspective on Proposed Amendments to the Federal Courts Rules
  • TAS's Submission on Draft Rules for the Provision of Legal Aid Services in Ontario

May 2021 Advocates in ActionMay 2021

  • TAS' Proposed Intervention in Anderson v. Alberta (Attorney General)
  • TAS' Request of the SCC regarding COVID-19 Hearing Policies
  • TAS Member Engagement on the Federal Court Aboriginal Law Bar Liaison Committee

April 2021 Advocates in ActionApril 2021

  • TAS' Intervention in Blake v. Blake
  • The Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples
  • Interview with Joshua Sealy-Harrington
  • TAS Members Volunteer as Faculty for Supreme Court Advocacy Institute

March 2021 Advocates in ActionMarch 2021

  • Our work promoting advocacy opportunities for less experienced counsel
  • Our efforts to defend judicial independence
  • Our involvement with the Federal Court IP Users committee, and
  • Our advocacy on behalf of law library funding.

February 2021 Advocates in ActionFebruary 2021

  • Modern Advocacy Task Force: National Virtual Town Halls - January 2021
  • TAS Leadership Principles
  • Submission to MAG on Children's Law Reform Act – January 2021
  • Duty Counsel for LSO Disciplinary Hearings

January 2021 Advocates in ActionJanuary 2021

  • TAS Statement on Judicial Independence
  • Crowder and TLABC v. British Columbia (Attorney General) – 2019 BCSC 1824
  • Updated Principles of Civility and Professionalism for Advocates
  • Best Practices for Remote Hearings
  • Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench Rules of Court Committee Consultation on Summary Trials
  • PRO BONO CORNER - PBO Consumer Protection Initiative

2020 Issues

December 2020 Advocates in ActionDecember 2020

  • R. v. Chouhan – Supreme Court of Canada File No. 39062
  • Modern Advocacy Task Force Update
  • LSO Family Legal Services Provider License
  • Bill 207 - Moving Ontario Family Law Forward Act, 2020