I don't know whether I'm speaking on behalf of the Barreau du Québec in making the comment I'm about to make, but it seems to me, on a personal level, that we don't have different categories of lawyers in Canada and that, insofar as the right to freely choose one's advocate or representative is a deeply-rooted value in the collective imagination and daily lives of citizens and persons living in Canada, even though they may not be citizens, I am not particularly enthusiastic about the idea of having a sort of council of elders among whom the person would have to choose.
Once again, if the idea of everyone being able to be represented by the advocate of his or her choice were to be rejected, clearly, the greater the need would be to ensure that the people among whom the litigant, whatever his origins or status in Canada, is to choose are of the highest quality, since the stakes are considerable. This is probably the worst mark of disgrace that any human being living in Canada could ever have against him.