Law Times

Lawyer rejects allegations of extremist links By yamri Taddese Law Times Hamilton, Ont., lawyer says he's considering su- ing for defamation after allegations that he has links to extremist groups led to his suspension from a national security roundtable. Hussein Hamdani was an ad- viser on the Cross-Cultural Round- table on Security on Muslim issues. He also provides pro bono services to families worried their children may join terrorist groups. But Hamdani says no one on the roundtable is talking to him these days after Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney suspended him over allegations the lawyer himself may have links to radicalization. "These allegations are very con- cerning. This individual's member- ship on the Cross Cultural Round- table on National Security has been suspended immediately pending a review of the facts," said Jeremy Lau- rin, a spokesman for Blaney. "While questions surrounding this individual's links to radical ideology have circulated for some time, it was hoped that he could be a positive inf luence to promote Canadian values. It is now becom- ing clear this may not have been the case," Laurin added. Quebec blogger Marc Lebuis has been writing about one of the al- legations for years that recently got attention from other media. Lebuis alleges that Hamdani, who prac- tises corporate and real estate law at Simpson Wigle LAW LLP, is part of the "the Muslim Brotherhood del- egation in Canada." "The reason they say I'm a member of the Muslim Brother- hood is that . . . I went to school with someone who at some point or another has been involved with an organization that may or may not have been linked with the Mus- lim Brotherhood," says Hamdani. Lebuis' web site, Point de Bas- cule, also contains an article from a 1996 booklet in which Ham- dani, then a student at McMaster University, wrote about the "Is- lamicization of campus politics." In it, Hamdani spoke about bringing "morality" back to cam- pus and said a student union shouldn't endorse same-sex REACH ONE OF THE LARGEST LEGAL AND BUSINESS MARKETS IN CANADA! AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN PRINT 8JUINPSFUIBOQBHFWJFXTBOEVOJRVF WJTJUPSTNPOUIMZDBOBEJBOMBXMJTUDPNDBQUVSFTZPVSNBSLFU FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Colleen Austin T: 416.649.9327 | E: colleen.austin@thomsonreuters.com www.canadianlawlist.com Get noticed by the lawyers, judges, corporate counsel, finance professionals and other blue chip cilents and prospects who find the contacts they need for Canadian legal expertise at canadianlawlist. com with an annual Gold or Silver Enhanced listing package. ENCHANCE YOUR LISTING TODAY! CLLonline_LT_Apr13_15.indd 1 2015-04-09 1:18 PM Benchers ponder implications of LSUC vote Recent campaign sparks call for spending limits as diversity boost celebrated By yamri Taddese Law Times s lawyers in Ontario get familiar with their newly elected benchers, some of the winners are ref lecting on the race for a seat at Convoca- tion and whether there should be spending limits on campaigns. "There is a huge disparity in the amount of money that is spent on this," says Jeffrey Lem, an incumbent bencher who's return- ing to Convocation. "Some people spend a ton of money. I wouldn't be surprised if, all in, there were some people [who spent], out of pocket, close to $75,000," says Lem. In the last week of Law Society of Upper Canada's bencher election campaign, some candidates revealed having spent anywhere from $800 to a few thousand dollars as part of their efforts to win a seat. But Lem notes some candidates sent out messages via mailing lists that came with a price tag of $50,000. "I find that astounding," says Lem. "It takes my breath away every time this election comes along and I notice the kind of money that's spent on these campaigns." Lem also says he noticed some "aggressive" and at times "distasteful" cam- paigning in the election. To him, the election resembled municipal politics. The concern is apparently more of an issue in Quebec where lawyers are elect- ing a new president of the Barreau du Québec. A f lurry of "partisan" e-mails forced current president Bernard Synnott to make a recent video plea for a more respectful discourse during the campaign. Montreal lawyer Simon Laplante says he was happy to see the call for modera- tion. He says that at one point during the campaign, he was receiving at least a couple of e-mails from candidates every day. "At a certain time, it was pretty annoying," he says, noting the e-mails have cooled off now that voting has started. But when it comes to candidates' campaign spending, Lem is reluctant to say setting a limit is the correct remedy. With some candidates having the benefit of name recognition from the outset, it's harder for lawyers in small CROWN LIABILITY New standard falls short, says Falconer P3 LSUC REFORM A lawyer's wish list for newly elected benchers P7 FOCUS ON Personal Injury Law P8 Newly elected Bencher Sandra Nishikawa says she's happy to see more diverse faces at Convocation. Photo: Robin Kuniski See Charitable, page 4 See Key, page 4 Hussein Hamdani believes his support for the Liberals may be a factor in his removal from a national security roundtable. PM #40762529 CROWN LIABILITY New standard falls short, says Falconer & $#&!&jmmm$cYa[bbWh$Yec ntitled-4 1 12-03-20 10:44 AM $5.00 • Vol. 26, No. 16 May 11, 2015 Follow LAW TIMES on www.twitter.com/lawtimes L aw TIMes A A

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