Hundreds of Canadians from coast to coast to coast tuned into a virtual event marking the inaugural Duty Counsel Day Oct. 27.
Hundreds of Canadians from coast to coast to coast tuned into a virtual event marking the inaugural Duty Counsel Day Oct. 27 — if you missed it, you can still watch and learn about our universal access to legal services
Watch: Duty Counsel Day virtual event
Organized by Legal Aid Alberta and its 12 partners in the Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada, the day featured a virtual online event hosted by the Hon. Adrienne Clarkson. Landmarks across the country, including Halifax City Hall, the CN Tower and Niagara Falls, were lit in red to celebrate the special day.
In her opening remarks, Clarkson told a virtual audience of nearly 400 viewers that duty counsel are a strong, colourful thread woven into the fabric of our nation.
“Anybody you know can fall on hard times and end up in the justice system: a co-worker, a neighbour, a friend, your kid. Even you,” she said.
“It is a marvelous thing . . . that people at the most vulnerable point in their lives have access to this kind of service.”
“Duty counsel lawyers reflect the values we hold dear in Alberta and across the country – helping those who would otherwise get lost in life’s storms.”
In a powerful video presentation, Sean Gallop, a recent law school graduate, recounted times as a youth and as a young adult struggling with addiction and homelessness when he broke the law, was arrested, and held in custody.
Without the support of duty counsel lawyers who came to his assistance, Gallop’s life may have turned out differently.
“I felt like had no control when I was in custody and you go into that courtroom and . . . just to have that somebody who I knew was helping me – who was on my side – that was something that was really important,” he said.
Now an articling student with Legal Aid Manitoba, he draws on his own education and experiences to help others who are disadvantaged.
“I know what that vulnerability is like,” he said. “And I try to use that experience to help them not just legally but as a person.”
Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Richard Wagner, in his comments, observed that duty counsel lawyers “every day of the week and around the clock” duty counsel lawyers uphold equality and provide access to justice.
“You build confidence in the justice system,” he said.
Duty Counsel Day was created so that Canadians could better understand their rights, how to access legal services when they need it, and to recognize the impact duty counsel lawyers have, every day.
In a guest column published in the Calgary Herald, Legal Aid Alberta President and CEO John Panusa described duty counsel, their services, and the values they represent.
“Duty counsel lawyers are the people who swoop in to help you avoid legal mistakes,” he wrote. “They explain in plain English where you stand and what your options are, allowing you to make a solid plan to move forward.
“Duty counsel lawyers reflect the values we hold dear in Alberta and across the country – helping those who would otherwise get lost in life’s storms.”
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