Practice
John Brewin joined the firm as Counsel
in 2001 after a distinguished legal and political career in British
Columbia.
Since then, John has acted for union
clients in Ontario in hundreds of arbitration cases and mediation proceedings,
as well as matters before the Labour Relations Board. He also has provided
advice to unions on internal constitutional issues and on public policy.
He co-authored with Derek Fudge of the
National Union of Public and General Employees an insightful analysis
of the erosion of public sector bargaining rights in Canada, Free
Collective Bargaining: Human Right or Canadian Illusion.
John began his legal career with Alick
Ryder in the 1960s. In 1973 he moved to B.C. to work in the provincial
government. John built a highly regarded labour law practice in B.C.
and in 1988 was elected to the federal House of Commons as the NDP M.P.
for the riding of Victoria, B.C. He was the spokesperson for the
NDP on solicitor-general and defence issues in Parliament.
In 1993, John resumed his labour law
practice and, in 1999, was co-counsel for the B.C. Government Employees’
Union in the ground-breaking Meieron
accommodation/human rights case before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Education
- Admitted to the Ontario Bar
– 1966 - 1979, readmitted - 2000
- Member, Law Society of B.C.,
1976 -1999
- University of Toronto (LLB)
– 1964
- University of Toronto (BA)
– 1958
- Vancouver School of Theology
(MTS) – 1999
Activities
- Board of Directors, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, 2001-2008
- Deputy Chair, St. Simon’s
Shelter
- Member of General Synod, Anglican
Church of Canada, and Partners in Mission-Ecojustice Committee of the
national church
- Sessional lecturer, Trinity
College, University of Toronto
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