The Hon. Thomas Callon

Mr. Justice Thomas Callon provides a detailed account of his involvement in the early development and implementation of Ontario’s Legal Aid Plan. Born in North Bay in 1918, Callon graduated from Osgoode Hall in 1948 and established a successful litigation practice in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay). He was elected as a Law Society Bencher in 1966, representing northwestern Ontario as the region’s first Bencher.

Callon played a pivotal role in Ontario’s Legal Aid Plan, serving as Chairman of the Legal Aid Committee from 1967 to 1971, succeeding Arthur Martin in the position. He describes his involvement in drafting the original regulations in 1966 under Martin’s leadership, working with a small committee that included Ted Beament, Bill Common, and Elmer Houser. The interview reveals the challenges of implementing a groundbreaking legal aid system without precedents, including resistance from some bar associations who viewed it as government interference with legal practice.

The interview provides valuable insights into the practical challenges of establishing the plan, including budget negotiations with Attorney General Arthur Wishart, managing 46 area directors, and addressing concerns about lawyer misconduct within the system. Callon emphasizes the voluntary nature of much of the early work and discusses the plan’s evolution from its modest beginnings to a major component of Ontario’s justice system. He was appointed to the Ontario Supreme Court in 1971, ending his direct involvement with legal aid administration.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.