FULL CANDIDATE SURVEY RESPONSES AVAILABLE! (BY REGION)
BENCHER ELECTIONS 2023
RESULTS!
FOLA ENDORSEMENTS
FOLA ENDORSEMENTS
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 ENDORSEMENTS
FOLA ENDORSEMENTS
FOLA ENDORSEMENTS
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
Statement clarifying FullStop Campaign Statements on Courthouse Libraries
CANDIDATE PROFILES
ABOUT THE SURVEY
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:
- Whether the candidate is a contributing member of their county or district law association;
- Whether the candidate will support a properly funded courthouse library system;
- If the candidate will work to support a sustainably-funded Legal Aid system;
- Whether the candidate will support the expansion of paralegals’ scope of practice; and
- Whether the candidate will support an annual competency levy for paralegals.
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
CENTRAL EAST LAWYER CANDIDATES
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
Russell Alexander
Unaffiliated
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
Edward Choi
FullStop
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
Arwa DeSantis
Unaffiliated
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
Horatiu Druma-Strugariu
Unaffiliated
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
Kathryn Whitehead
Good Governance
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
Alexander David Wilkes
FullStop
Current Bencher
Did not respond by deadline
Arslan Ali Zaidi
Unaffiliated
Did not respond by deadline
CENTRAL SOUTH LAWYER CANDIDATES
Composed of the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, the regional municipalities of Niagara and Waterloo, and the City of Hamilton
Winfield Corcoran
Unaffiliated
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
Laura L. Emmett
Good Governance
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
Michael LeSage
FullStop
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
Grace Pang
FullStop
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
Trevor Parry
FullStop
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
Andrew Spurgeon
Good Governance
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
David Steele
Unaffiliated
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
Stephanie L. Sutherland
Good Governance
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
Michael Winward
Good Governance
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
CENTRAL WEST LAWYER CANDIDATES
Composed of the counties of Bruce, Duferin, Grey and Wellington, and the regional municipalities of Halton and Peel
Hogarth Clauzel
FullStop
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
Jennifer Gold
Good Governance
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
Gary D. Graham
FullStop
Current Bencher
Refused to complete survey
Mian Hakeem
Unaffiliated
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
Cathi Mietkiewicz
Good Governance
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
Brian L. Prill
FullStop
Current Bencher
Did not complete survey by deadline
Sunish Rai Uppal
FullStop
Did not complete survey by deadline
EAST LAWYER CANDIDATES
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.
Jacqueline Y. Beckles
Unaffiliated
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
Neha Chugh
Good Governance
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
Jean-Jacques Desgranges
FullStop
Current Bencher
Did not complete survey by deadline
Mitchell Kitagawa
Good Governance
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
Cheryl Lean
FullStop
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
Andrej Litvinjenko
FullStop
Did not complete survey by deadline
Cecil Lyon
FullStop
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
Sonia Ouellet
Good Governance
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
Natalia U. Rodriguez
Good Governance
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
Stéphane Sérafin
FullStop
Did not complete survey by deadline
Douglas Treilhard
FullStop
Would not complete survey
M. Anne Vespry
Unaffiliated
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
NORTHEAST LAWYER CANDIDATES
Composed of the territorial districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, and Timiskaming
Daly Canie
FullStop
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
Joelle Malette
Good Gevernance
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
Serge F. Treherne
Unaffiliated
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
NORTHWEST LAWYER CANDIDATES
Composed of the territorial districts of Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay
Ryan Alford
FullStop
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
Etienne Esquega
Unaffiliated
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
Cheryl C. M. Siran
Good Governance
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
SOUTHWEST LAWYER CANDIDATES
Composed of the counties of Elgin, Essex, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford and Perth, and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Lisa D. S. Bildy
FullStop
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
Rod Catford
Unaffiliated
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
Gerard Charette
FullStop
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
Jacqueline Horvat
Good Governance
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
Karen Hulan
Good Governance
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
Jasminka Kalajdzic
Good Governance
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
Greg Monforton
Good Governance
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
Kevin L. Ross
Good Governance
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
Quinn Ross
Good Governance
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
Michael Wills
FullStop
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
Matthew Wilson
Good Governance
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
ARTICLES BY BENCHERS AND BENCHER CANDIDATES
ARTICLES BY BENCHERS & FORMER BENCHER CANDIDATES
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
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