# Canada has lost a Legal Giant: Joe Arvay, OC, QC - RIP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 11, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812 "2020-12-11T04:12:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812/1 "2020-12-11T04:12:49Z")

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[Joe Arvay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Arvay), Order of Canada, Order of British Columbia, Queen’s Counsel, died of a heart attack suddenly on the weekend, age 71.

As this article in the Tyee indicates, if you’re a Canadian, your society has been touched by court decisions won by Joe Arvay:

- sexual orientation as a protected ground;
- rights of the disabled;
- right for medically aided death;
- free speech challenges to pornography restrictions;
- equality challenge to exclusion of gay friendly books from school libraries;
- challenges to solitary confinement;
- challenges to civil forfeiture laws;
- treating drug addictions as health issues, not criminal issues.

And he did it all from his wheelchair, being rendered paraplegic age 21 in a serious car crash.

> **[Joe Arvay Changed Your Life | The Tyee](https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/12/10/Joe-Arvay-Changed-Your-Life/)**
>
> The Victoria lawyer is remembered as a brilliant champion who used the charter to erase injustices.

Rest in peace, learned friend.

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**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812/2 "2020-12-11T04:24:19Z")

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Sad news. I’ve read decisions that he argued. An excellent legal mind. Rest well, Mr. Arvay.

Did you ever meet him, **Northern Piper**?

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812/3 "2020-12-11T04:33:40Z")

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Thanks, **NoPi**. Sounds like quite an impressive advocate. Rest in peace.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-has-lost-a-legal-giant-joe-arvay-oc-qc-rip/927812/4 "2020-12-11T05:47:41Z")

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“Learned friend” in the counsel sense for another member of the Bar.