Complaint Against Gypsies’ Lawyer Filed With Law Society
Today, Paul Fromm, Research Director of Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform, filed a complaint with the Law Society of Upper Canada against lawyer George Kubes. The complaint is made under a rule forbidding lawyers to make public statements for the purpose of “self-promotion or self-aggrandizement.”
Fromm’s complaint refers to statements made by Kubes in the Czech TV Nova documentary Na Vlastni Oci (In Your Own Eyes) which aired on August 6. Kubes represents at least 50 Gypsy families. Fromm’s states: “This documentary portrayed in glowing terms the benefits and freedoms that awaited would-be Gypsy illegals who might come to Canada and claim ‘refugee’ status.
Subsequent to this documentary, there has been a flood of Gypsies who have come to Canada to claim refugee status.”
In published reports Kubes has conceded that his appearance on the program has in effect encouraged a great many people to come to Canada.
“Persons who make a refugee claim on arriving in this country automatically qualify for legal aid. As an immigration lawyer who already represents a number of Gypsy refugee claimants, Mr. Kubes’ statements to Czech television have the appearance of publicizing himself and aggrandizing himself by promoting his services,” Fromm charges.
Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1979. It is dedicated to immigration and foreign aid reform. It has called for a five-year moratorium on immigration to Canada, consistent with public polls on the issue. It has further called for a national debate on immigration followed by a binding referendum to set immigration policy.
The full text of Fromm’s letter is attached.
For more information, contact Paul Fromm, Research Director of C-FAR at 905-897-7221; FAX 905-277-3914
Law Society of Upper Canada, 130 Queen Street, West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N6Attention: Complaints Department
Dear Sirs:
I wish to file a formal complaint against Ontario lawyer George Kubes.
I call your attention to the section entitled “Lawyers: Their Public Appearances and Public Statements” in the Professional Conduct Handbook of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Specifically, I refer to Rule 21(5):
“Public communication should not be used for the purpose of publicizing the lawyer and should be free from any suggrestion that the lawyer’s purpose is self-promotion or self-aggrandizement.”
According to the Globe and Mail (August 15, 1997), George Kubes was the only person interviewed about the Canadian immigration process for the controversial Czech TV Nova documentary Na Vlastni Oci (In Your Own Eyes), which aired on August 6. This documentary portrayed in glowing terms the benefits and freedoms that awaited would-be Gypsy illegals who might come to Canada and claim “refugee” status. Subsequent to this documentary, there has been a flood of Gypsies who have come to Canada to claim refugee status.
The Toronto Sun (August 23, 1997) identifies “George Kubes, who represents 50 Gypsy families — part of a recent flood of refugees from the Czech republic.”
The Globe and Mail (August 13, 1997) reported an interview with Kubes: “‘I don’t really get into recruiting people to come to Canada,’ he said. ‘I represent them once they get here.’ But he conceded that his appearance on the program has in effect encouraged a great many people to come to Canada. ‘I would say the program definitely encouraged people to come as a whole.'”
Persons who make a refugee claim on arriving in this country automatically qualify for legal aid. As an immigration lawyer who already represents a number of Gypsy refugee claimants, Mr. Kubes’ statements to Czech television have the appearance of publicizing himself and aggrandizing himself by promoting his services.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Fromm
Research Director