Anthony (Tony) Merchant, a prominent attorney and former Saskatchewan Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), has passed away. His son, Evatt Merchant, confirmed that the 81-year-old passed away at his residence in Regina on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. A funeral is set to take place in Regina next week.
Merchant commenced his esteemed legal career after being admitted to the Saskatchewan bar in 1968. Subsequently, he gained entry to the Alberta bar in 1976 and the British Columbia bar the following year. Establishing his own law firm, Merchant Law Group, he expanded its presence to British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
In 1975, he was elected as an MLA in the Regina Wascana constituency and served until 1978 under the banner of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan. Gord Kuski, a friend and legal associate of Merchant, reflected on his entrepreneurial flair, attributing it to his success in launching class-action lawsuits that proved to be financially rewarding.
Known as Canada’s class-action king, Merchant’s specialization in securing substantial settlements for his clientele solidified his reputation. Kuski praised Merchant’s tenacious work ethic, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to his clients as a formidable legal advocate.
Merchant’s most notable achievement stemmed from representing former residential school students in a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government. The resulting Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in 2006 led to a nearly $2 billion settlement, one of Canada’s largest class-action resolutions. Recently, his firm secured a $6 million settlement for plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Ticketmaster, finalized earlier this year.
Despite his legal triumphs, Merchant’s career was not devoid of controversy. Notably, he was involved in contentious cases, including representing MLA Colin Thatcher in a custody battle and facing disciplinary action from the Law Society of Saskatchewan for improper conduct towards a residential school survivor.
Throughout his illustrious career, Merchant garnered numerous accolades, including the Queen’s Decoration, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Decoration, the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Honored with the title of Queen’s Counsel in 1995, he leaves behind his wife, Pana, and three sons, all of whom pursued legal careers following in his footsteps.
