Joe Arvay died. As my good friend Sarah Rankin knows, I loved the man quite deeply.

I admired him so much. He taught me a lot.

There are few lawyers I considered as important a mentor as I felt Joe was for me.

We worked together on quite a few cases in the SCC.

Some highlights:

Mazzei v. British Columbia (Director of Adult Forensic Psychiatric Services) in 2006

https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14/index.do?site_preference=normal

R v. Conway – such a landmark case – he had a real hand in shaping those arguments

In 2010

https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/7863/index.do?q=32662

Just a few months ago, in August of 2020, I asked for a advice on a file.

He told me to call him and then off the top of his head, gave us a winning tip on strategy.

He was probably the very best appellate litigator I have known.

Candid, plain-spoken, genuine, showed flashes of humour and anger, always appropriate. Sometimes he was sad. It was moving and powerful to see.

He was impossible not to listen to.

I always felt I’d be happy to sit through Joe reading the phonebook.

He had a creative genius I rarely saw glimpses of in other lawyers.

He stood up for vulnerable people with compassion and strength.

He had been through a lot himself too.

I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear he’s gone.

He leaves a huge gaping hole in the profession.

In October of 2015, The Advocates’ Society awarded Joe an Advocate Award.

While I am not much for such events normally, Jill Presser persuaded me to go.

And in truth, this was one function I was thrilled to attend, for Joe.

I am now so glad he received this richly deserved recognition.

The world is a duller place, the law is poorer, vulnerable people are less protected, less supported and I am bereft, for his loss today.

We have lost one of the best lawyers this country has ever had the good fortune to know.

Rest In Power, my hero.