Tony Merchant, a prominent lawyer and former Saskatchewan MLA, has passed away at the age of 81 in his residence in Regina on Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 13, as confirmed by his son, Evatt Merchant. A funeral is slated to take place in Regina next week. Merchant commenced his esteemed legal career after being accepted into the Saskatchewan bar in 1968, later gaining admission to the Alberta bar in 1976 and the British Columbia bar in the subsequent year. He subsequently established his own law firm, Merchant Law Group, which now maintains offices in British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
In 1975, he was elected as an MLA in the Regina Wascana riding, serving under the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan until 1978. His friend and lawyer, Gord Kuski, highlighted Merchant’s entrepreneurial drive, attributing it to his success in initiating class-action lawsuits. Kuski portrayed Merchant as a dedicated professional who fearlessly engaged in legal battles, earning him the moniker of “Canada’s class-action king” due to the substantial settlements he secured for his clients.
One of Merchant’s most notable achievements was representing former residential school students in a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government, culminating in the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in 2006, where the government agreed to a nearly $2 billion settlement, one of Canada’s largest class-action settlements. Recently, Merchant’s firm also handled a case against Ticketmaster, resulting in a $6 million settlement earlier this year.
Throughout his lengthy legal career, Merchant was embroiled in various controversies. He notably represented MLA Colin Thatcher in a custody battle that led to criminal charges for Merchant. Despite facing challenges, Merchant’s prowess in class-action lawsuits and his relentless work ethic solidified his reputation in the legal realm. His passing marks a significant change in Saskatchewan’s legal landscape, as he was widely regarded as one of the province’s most prominent legal figures.
Merchant’s legacy includes numerous accolades such as the Queen’s Decoration, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Decoration, Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 1995, he was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel. Survived by his wife Pana and three sons, who also pursued careers in law following their father’s footsteps, Tony Merchant leaves behind a lasting impact on the legal community.