Calgary’s two lawyers who hired a private investigator in 2021 to follow a Manitoba judge who had presented his judicial challenge of Covid-19 public health restrictions must be inhibited by his disgrace professional behavior, argued a prosecutor for Alberta Law Society on Wednesday.
The audience of the law of the law is ongoing this week to determine what sanctions will be imposed against John Carpay and Jay Cameron, lawyers who work for the Justice Center for Constitutional Liberties.
Carpay is the president of the organization. Cameron was working on private practice and was held by the Justice Center.
While the lawyer of the company of the Karl Seidenz law asked the panel to impose the “maximum sanction” of the disqualification, the lawyers of the two men are fighting to keep them employed in their chosen profession, arguing that the couple has already faced significant consequences.
‘Professional misfortune’
Cameron’s lawyer, Alex Steigerwald, told the Court that his client’s reputation is “irreversibly fogged” and said he had “experienced a professional misfortune.”
“The consequences of his actions have already been serious,” Steigerwald argued, telling the panel that Cameron is the only support of his family and has not been able to practice the law since 2022.
Steigerwald asked the Law Society to impose a suspension that will be executed simultaneously with the three -year practical prohibition throughout the Canada, issued by a Manitoba judge, which will expire in October 2026.
Carpay’s lawyer Alain Hepner also asked the Law Society Panel to impose a suspension.
“This is a case of an error in the trial for which he apologized,” Hepner said.
The panel reserved its decision.
Letterin testifies
As part of the audience of misconduct, Carpay was called to testify.
Carapay called the decision to hire a Pi “the worst mistake in the trial I have committed in my legal career.”
In the spring and summer of 2021, the Justice Center was involved in a judicial case that challenges COVID-19 restrictions, chaired by the Judge of Manitoba, Glenn Joyal.
On June 1, 2021, photos of the then Prime Minister of Alberta Jason Kenney were launched with several of its main ministers in the courtyard of a building of the Appeared Government Sky Palace. Although the restrictions had recently relaxed, there were questions about whether politicians were properly distanced and/or having interior meetings as well.
A week later, Cameron, the main litigator in the challenge of the Court to the constitutionality of public health orders, sent an email to Carpay, suggesting that the Justice Center hired a PI in the hope of catching Joyal and others violating restrictions imposed by the Government.
“We know that most of these jokes are not following their own laws,” Cameron wrote.
‘Most shameful moment of my life’
Carpay went ahead and hired an investigator, told him to follow Joyal, Health’s medical director and Manitoba’s prime minister.
On July 12, 2021, Judge Joyal called the parties to the courts after noticing that they followed him.
The judge also learned that the private investigator, days before, had sent a teenager to knock on his door. The boy spoke with the judge’s daughter, but when she asked who she was, he “became nervous” and ran to a car he expected.
When he faced the court that day, Carpay admitted the judge that he had hired a Pi.
“On Monday, July 12, 2021, it is probably the most shameful moment of my life,” Cameron said while Hepner interrogated him.
‘I have paid a very heavy price’
Carapay testified that it apologized numerous occasions, to numerous people, including a letter written to Justice Joyal.
The decision to follow the judge was a “serious mistake in the trial,” he said.
“I have paid a very heavy price for this.”
Carapay and Cameron were arrested and accused of obstruction of justice and intimidation of a participant of the justice system.
In 2023, the couple entered a peace bonus, whose conditions include a three -year prohibition of practicing the law in Canada. In return, their criminal charges were removed.
In that case, the judge who accepted the peace link called to the actions of “non -professional, unusual and dishonorable men, and said that his behavior was” nothing less than An affront about the administration of justice“
Letterin ‘traumatized’ by arrest
While Carapay says he is repentant, he remained in his complaint of the criminal prosecution, qualifying him as “completely without foundation” and “politically motivated.”
After his arrest, Carpay spent almost a full day in custody.
“I was quite traumatized for all the experience of being locked up for 23 hours,” he told the panel.
The men also faced the Manitoba dating law society.
As part of those procedures, both men were prohibited for the life of practicing law in that province.
And agreed to pay a fine of $ 5,000. In addition to that, Carpay said he has had to pay “tens of thousands of dollars in legal invoices.”
The lawyers eliminated the evidence
In 2023, Carpay presented his resignation from Alberta Law Society.
By arguing for the disqualification, the lawyer of the Law Society pointed out the behavior of Cameron and Carpay postcard, which involved eliminating the evidence.
After he appeared before Joyal in July 2021, Carapay instructed Cameron and the PI to eliminate all communications and refrain from speaking with the police.
During Wednesday’s interrogation, Tent said he did not remember that instruction.
“Don’t you remember having advised the person in charge of litigation to eliminate evidence?” Questioned seidenz.
Carapay replied that it was “very possible that happened, but I don’t have a memory of it.”
