Making Equal Rights Truly Equal in Canada

“It’s the right thing to do.”

So said Raymond F. Larkin, co-founder and managing partner of Canadian law firm Pink Larkin, in announcing the establishment of a pro bono practice at the firm dedicated to providing justice for those in need. Prominent Canadian authority on social justice laws, Vincent Calderhead, has been hired to helm the new practice.

“For us there is no monetary return,” continued Larkin. “This is a contribution to social justice by offering strategic access to justice for the poorest. It is also our obligation to the legal profession.”

The pro bono practice will be supported by lawyers and staff at Pink Larkin in what the firm believes to be a first-in-Canada approach to actively providing access to justice. It is expected that many of the cases will have a human rights or Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom dimension.

Calderhead described how he views his role in the firm’s new practice: “My focus is on human rights in its purest form: advocacy for people experiencing hardship…”

The Charter of Rights is a very comprehensive bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada that identifies the fundamental freedoms for all Canadian citizens and the democratic, equality, and legal rights that are protected.

Often, however, having equal access to those bill of rights is prohibited by the legal cost, thereby erecting an economic barrier to justice for a segment of the citizens. To put a fine point on it, equal rights isn’t really equal…right?

Pink Larkin is removing that de facto barrier in order to make equal rights truly equally accessible. Well done, Canada.