Elected benchers (lawyers)
Outside Toronto
Kathryn Whitehead (CE) *
Andrew Spurgeon (CS) *
Jennifer Gold (CW-CO) *
Mitchell Kitagawa (E) *
Joelle Malette (NE) *
Cheryl Siran (NW-NO) *
Greg Monforton (SW-SO) *
Neha Chugh (E)
Jacqueline Horvat (SW-SO)
Laura Emmett (CS)
Natalia Rodriguez (E)
Jasminka Kalajdzic (SW-SO)
Sonia Ouellet (E)
Karen Hulan (SW-SO)
Quinn Ross (SW-SO)
Kevin Ross (SW-SO)
Matthew Wilson (SW-SO)
Cathi Mietkiewicz (CW-CO)
Stephanie Sutherland (CS)
Michael Winward (CS)
Toronto
Gerald Chan*
Sidney Troister
Atrisha Lewis
Annamaria Enenajor
Jonathan Rosenthal
John Callaghan
Tanya Walker
Heather Hansen
Rebecca Durcan
Julia Shin Doi
Margaret Waddell
Isfhan Merali
Peter Wardle
Pam Hrick
Catherine Rhinelander
William McDowell
Megan Shortreed
Shalini Konanur
Stephen Rotstein
Mark Surchin
Elected benchers (paralegals)
Michelle Lomazzo
Paula Callaghan
Demetra Dimokopoulos
Deborah June Moriah
Mike Radan
FOLA’s board is pleased to endorse its past chairs and directors who are running in the 2023 bencher election. Through FOLA and their law associations, Cheryl Siran, Michael Winward, & Margaret Waddell have all been strong advocates for sustainable courthouse law library funding.
There are other law association leaders running in this election who are also supportive of libraries. You can find candidates’ answers to our questions about library funding and other priority issues here.
and
In advance of the bencher election, FOLA surveyed all Candidates asking them to provide responses to specific questions that should help Law Association members a quick way to identify “FOLA Friendly” candidates.
Our survey focused on the following priority topics:
For transparency, all candidate responses received by our deadline have been published in a PDF document that you can find in their corresponding regional section. Responses were not edited in any way unless they exceeded our word limit. CANDIDATES' SURVEY RESPONSES(ALPHABETICALLY BY REGION) TORONTO CANDIDATES HEREPDF WITH ALL CANDIDATES' RESPONSES HERE
Composed of the District Municipality of Muskoka, the counties of Haliburton, Northumberland, Peterborough and Simcoe, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the regional municipalities of Durham and York
Current Member, Victoria Haliburton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, York Region Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
NO
Not a member of any Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
NO
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should remain as it was prior to December 1, 2022
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Not a Current Member of his Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Simcoe Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Did not respond by deadline
Did not respond by deadline
Composed of the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, the regional municipalities of Niagara and Waterloo, and the City of Hamilton
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
YES
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should remain as it was prior to December 1, 2022
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Waterloo Law Association & Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Lincoln County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Lincoln County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Waterloo Region Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
NO
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
NO
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Waterloo Region Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Past Chair, FOLA
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Composed of the counties of Bruce, Duferin, Grey and Wellington, and the regional municipalities of Halton and Peel
Not a member of any Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member peel Law Association & the TLA
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Refused to complete survey
Current Member, Peel Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Not a member of any Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Did not complete survey by deadline
Did not complete survey by deadline
Composed of the counties of Frontenac, Hastings, Lanark, Lennox and Addington, Prince Edward and Renfrew, the united counties of Leeds and Grenville, Prescott and Russell and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and the City of Ottawa.
Not a member of any Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Prescott & Russell Law Association and Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Did not complete survey by deadline
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hastings & Prince Edward County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
NO
Did not complete survey by deadline
Current Bencher
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Did not complete survey by deadline
Would not complete survey
Former Bencher
Current Member, Carleton County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Composed of the territorial districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, and Timiskaming
President, Cochrane Law Association & member, Sudbury Law Asociation
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Cochrane Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Sudbury Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should remain as it was prior to December 1, 2022
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Composed of the territorial districts of Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay
Current Bencher
Current Member, Thunder Bay Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No - it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Thunder Bay Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member & Past President, Kenora District Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Composed of the counties of Elgin, Essex, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford and Perth, and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Current Member, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Lambton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher, Treasurer
Current Member, Essex Law Association and the Toronto Lawyers' Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Past President, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Past Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Bruce, Grey, Huron, & Perth Law Associations
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should remain as it was prior to December 1, 2022
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
NO
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Article written by Cheryl Siran, Bencher from Kenora, ON on what being a Bencher is really all about. Jan 2023
WELLNESS: SOMETIMES LOSING IS WINNING
An article written by Darryl Singer, who ran - and lost - for Bencher in 2019
THE LAW SOCIETY SHOULD NOT ADOPT A PARTY SYSTEM
An article by Bencher Joseph Groia in Canadian Lawyer
Note: they encourage candidates to visit FOLA's website
By closing this banner, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance site navigation and analyze site usage.