Calgary lawyers who had Manitoba judge followed fight disbarment

Meghan Grant · CBC News

· Posted: May 28, 2025 7:16 PM EDT | Last Updated: May 29

The 2 Calgary lawyers who hired a backstage researcher successful 2021 to travel a Manitoba justice who'd been presiding implicit their tribunal situation of COVID-19 nationalist wellness restrictions should beryllium disbarred for their dishonourable nonrecreational conduct, argued a prosecutor for the Law Society of Alberta on Wednesday.

The instrumentality nine proceeding took spot this week to find what sanctions volition beryllium imposed against Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms president John Carpay and Jay Cameron, the litigation manager for the enactment astatine the time.

While instrumentality nine lawyer Karl Seidenz asked the sheet to enforce the "maximum sanction" of disbarment, lawyers for the 2 men are warring to support them employed successful their chosen profession, arguing the brace person already faced important consequences.

'Professional disgrace'

Cameron's lawyer, Alex Steigerwald, told the tribunal that his client's estimation is "irreversibly tarnished" and said helium had "experienced nonrecreational disgrace." 

"The consequences of his actions person already been severe," argued Steigerwald, telling the sheet that Cameron is the sole breadwinner for his household and hasn't been capable to practise instrumentality since 2022. 

• Lawyers barred from practising instrumentality successful Canada for 3 years aft having Manitoba justice followed successful 2021

Steigerwald asked the instrumentality nine to enforce a suspension that would tally concurrently with the three-year Canada-wide practising prohibition, issued by a Manitoba judge, which is acceptable to expire successful October 2026.

Carpay's lawyer, Alain Hepner, besides asked the instrumentality nine sheet to enforce a suspension. 

"This is simply a lawsuit of an mistake successful judgement for which he's apologized," said Hepner. 

The sheet reserved its decision. 

Carpay testifies

As portion of the misconduct hearing, Carpay was called by his lawyer to testify. 

Carpay called the determination to prosecute a PI "the worst mistake successful judgement I've ever made successful my ineligible career."

In the outpouring and summertime of 2021, the justness centre was progressive successful a tribunal lawsuit challenging COVID-19 restrictions, presided implicit by Manitoba Justice Glenn Joyal. 

On June 1, 2021, photos were released of then-Alberta premier Jason Kenney eating with respective of his apical ministers connected the patio of a authorities gathering nicknamed Sky Palace. Although restrictions had been precocious relaxed, determination were questions astir whether the politicians were decently distanced and/or having indoor encounters arsenic well. 

A week later, Cameron, the pb litigator successful the tribunal situation to the constitutionality of nationalist wellness orders, emailed Carpay, suggesting the justness centre prosecute a PI successful hopes of catching Joyal and others breaching government-imposed restrictions. 

"We cognize astir of these jokers aren't pursuing their ain laws," wrote Cameron. 

'Most embarrassing infinitesimal of my life'

Carpay went up and hired an investigator, instructing him to travel Joyal, Manitoba's main aesculapian serviceman of wellness and the premier. 

On July 12, 2021, Justice Joyal called the parties into tribunal aft helium noticed helium was being followed. 

The justice besides learned that the backstage researcher had, days earlier, sent a teenage lad to sound connected his door. The lad spoke with the judge's girl but erstwhile she asked who helium was, helium "got nervous" and ran to a waiting car.

When confronted successful tribunal that day, Carpay admitted to the justice that he'd hired a PI.

"Monday, July 12, 2021, is astir apt the astir embarrassing infinitesimal of my life," Cameron said portion being questioned by Hepner. 

'I've paid a precise dense price'

Carpay testified that he's apologized galore times, to galore people, including a missive written to Justice Joyal. 

The determination to person the justice followed was a "grave mistake successful judgment," helium said.

"I've paid a precise dense terms for this."

Carpay and Cameron were yet arrested and charged with obstruction of justness and intimidation of a justness strategy participant.

In 2023, the brace entered into a bid bond, the conditions of which see a three-year prohibition connected practising instrumentality successful Canada. In exchange, their transgression charges were withdrawn.

In that case, the justice who accepted the bid enslaved called the men's actions "unprofessional, unethical and dishonourable," and said their behaviour was "nothing abbreviated of an affront connected the medication of justice."

Carpay 'traumatized' by arrest

While Carpay says he's remorseful, helium stood by his denouncement of the transgression prosecution, calling it "utterly baseless" and "politically motivated."

After his arrest, Carpay spent astir a afloat time successful custody. 

"I was rather traumatized by the full acquisition of being locked up for 23 hours," helium told the panel. 

The men besides faced Law Society of Manitoba citations. 

As portion of those proceedings, some men were banned for beingness from practising instrumentality successful that province. 

And they agreed to each wage a $5,000 fine. On apical of that, Carpay said helium has had to fork retired "tens of thousands of dollars successful ineligible bills."

Lawyers deleted evidence

In 2023, Carpay tendered his resignation from the Law Society of Alberta.

In arguing for disbarment, the lawyer for the instrumentality nine pointed retired Cameron and Carpay's post-offence conduct, which progressive deleting evidence. 

Seidenz referred to a papers successful which Cameron said he'd been told by Carpay to instruct the PI to delete each communications and to refrain from speaking to police.

During questioning connected Wednesday, Carpay said helium didn't callback that instruction.

"You don't callback advising the idiosyncratic successful complaint of the litigation to delete evidence?" questioned Seidenz.

Carpay responded that it was "quite imaginable that happened but I don't person a recollection of it."