Renowned lawyer and former Saskatchewan MLA, Anthony (Tony) Merchant, has passed away at the age of 81 in his home in Regina on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13, as confirmed by his son, Evatt Merchant. A funeral is set to take place in Regina next week. Merchant commenced his esteemed legal career after being accepted to the Saskatchewan bar in 1968, later joining the Alberta bar in 1976, followed by the British Columbia bar in the subsequent year. He went on to establish his own law firm, Merchant Law Group, which currently operates in various provinces including British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
In 1975, Merchant was elected as an MLA for Regina Wascana, serving under the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan until 1978. Recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit, friend and lawyer Gord Kuski mentioned that Merchant’s venture into class-action lawsuits was driven by this spirit, leading to lucrative litigations and establishing him as Canada’s class-action king due to the substantial settlements he secured for his clients.
One of Merchant’s significant legal victories was representing former residential school students in a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government. This resulted in the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in 2006, where the government agreed to a nearly $2 billion settlement, one of the largest in Canadian history. Recently, his firm successfully represented plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Ticketmaster, culminating in a $6 million settlement earlier this year.
Throughout his extensive career, Merchant faced controversy, notably representing MLA Colin Thatcher in a custody battle and being involved in legal issues surrounding the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. Despite facing multiple accusations of misconduct by the Law Society of Saskatchewan, Merchant’s suspension was overturned after an appeal. His involvement in offshore tax matters and battles with the Canada Revenue Agency were also publicized in the Offshore Leaks in 2013.
Known for his resilience and unwavering dedication to his clients, Merchant’s passing marks a significant change in Saskatchewan’s legal landscape. He received several accolades during his lifetime, including the Queen’s Decoration, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Decoration, the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Survived by his wife, Pana, and three sons who followed in his legal footsteps, Merchant leaves behind a lasting legacy in the legal community.
