Caryma Sa'd Explained

Caryma Sa'd
Birth Place:Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Education:University of Ottawa
Occupation:Lawyer
Known For:Landlord and tenant legal work, cannabis law, documenting protests

Caryma Fayez Sa'd[1] (born) is a Canadian lawyer specializing in landlord-tenant law and cannabis law. She is also known for documenting events at anti-COVID-19-lockdown protests in Canada and other protests.[2]

Early life and education

Sa'd was born to an Indian mother and a Palestinian father, and grew up in Mississauga, Ontario. She studied law at the University of Ottawa.[3]

Legal career

After articling in a Bay Street law firm, and working for Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP, Sa'd launched her own practice that specializes in criminal, housing, and cannabis law in 2017.[4] [5] [6] She serves on the board of directors of Legal Line, and in 2019 ran unsuccessfully to be a bencher at the Law Society of Ontario, finishing in 28th place with 15.8% of the vote.[7] [8] [9] [10] She ran again in 2023 and came in 38th place with 8.6% of the vote.[11]

In 2019, Sa'd represented tenants displaced by a fatal fire from 235 Gosford Boulevard apartment block in Toronto. She organized an open letter to Toronto Mayor John Tory, requesting him to block reoccupation of the building until air quality issues were addressed.[12] [13]

Also in 2019, Sa'd described Ontario's lottery system of providing retail cannabis licences as "unfair" because it excluded potential licensees based on luck, not experience or relevant skills.[14] In 2021, she campaigned for the rights of small cannabis businesses, and criticized Facebook and Instagram for blocking their posts despite the legality of selling cannabis in Canada.[15]

In 2021, Sa'd represented tenants who rented illegal apartments from Toronto landlord Brad J. Lamb, pushing for financial compensation for those evicted,[16] [17] and persuaded a judge to give more time to two tenants whose rent was delayed due to hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[18]

In 2023 Sa'd was herself the subject of an eviction order for her office premises in Toronto after she failed to show for her own hearing before the Landlord and Tenant Board.[19]

Art and activism

Sa'd has commissioned cartoons that are critical of corporations, public figures, and politicians. Sa'd co-founded 420 Cannabis Court, a pop-up outdoor cannabis-friendly lounge that existed during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns and hosted live comedy acts.[20] From March 2020 to October 2021 she was the executive director of the Canadian branch of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).[21] [22] [23]

Throughout 2021, Sa'd documented and published footage of anti-vaccination and COVID-19 anti-lockdown protests in Toronto.[24] In July 2021, she invited anti-lockdown activist Chris Sky to appear in front of an audience at her venue in Toronto's Chinatown for a live interview.[25] A community group, Friends of Chinatown, and other tenants in the mall that the interview was to be held in urged her to cancel the event due to concerns for community safety.[26] Sa'd refused the request but the event was cancelled nevertheless after proper precautions were not taken and community groups, residents and concerned parties showed up to protest Sky and police had to be called to break up a number of scuffles.[27] [28] In 2023, Sa'd sued the Canadian Anti-Hate Network due to circumstances surrounding the protests against the event and its cancellation. The action was dismissed on September 25, 2023 as having "no reasonable cause of action and therefore has no reasonable prospect of success" with Sa'd ordered to pay CAHN's legal costs.[29]

In 2022, she spent weeks in Ottawa documenting the Canada convoy protest before live tweeting the bail hearings of Pat King and Tamara Lich.[30]

Sa'd was arrested for trespassing by Ontario Provincial Police on May 26, 2022, as she tried to enter political rally for Doug Ford at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.[31] [32] Charges were dropped on November 8, 2022.[33]

In December 2023, Sa'd filmed some Moxies workers in downtown Toronto who had stepped outside their restaurant to cheer on an anti-war, pro-Palestinian march during the Israel–Hamas war. The workers were later terminated by the company.[34] [35]

Family life

Sa'd's father died of COVID-19 in March 2021.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 ONSC 170 (CanLii) Hall Q v. Biason CanLii . CanLii . 15 February 2024 . January 10, 2020.
  2. Web site: Leck. Sebastian. 2021-03-30. How this young lawyer works to tackle Toronto's eviction crisis. live. 2021-11-04. Canada's National Observer. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210330174804/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/03/29/news/how-young-lawyer-works-tackle-torontos-eviction-crisis . 2021-03-30 .
  3. News: Gibson. Victoria. 2017-07-25. Lawyer seeks out accused in hostage-taking. en-CA. The Toronto Star. 2021-11-04. 0319-0781.
  4. News: Macnab. Aiden. 19 Nov 2020. Legal clinics across Ontario decry access-to-justice barriers at Landlord and Tenant Board Hearings. live. 2021-11-04. Law Times News. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20201119115622/https://www.lawtimesnews.com/practice-areas/real-estate/legal-clinics-across-ontario-decry-access-to-justice-barriers-at-landlord-and-tenant-board-hearings/335412 . 2020-11-19 .
  5. Web site: Cain. Patrick. 2021-03-10. Fewer than 400 people pardoned under new system for erasing old weed convictions. live. 2021-11-04. CTV News. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210310191625/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/fewer-than-400-people-pardoned-under-new-system-for-erasing-old-weed-convictions-1.5341579 . 2021-03-10 .
  6. Web site: Laidlaw. Katherine. 2019-09-04. These lawyers fight for the disenfranchised and still manage to pay the rent. live. 2022-01-08. Precedent. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027174742/https://lawandstyle.ca/career/cover-story-these-lawyers-fight-for-the-disenfranchised-and-still-manage-to-pay-the-rent/ . 2020-10-27 .
  7. Web site: Law society bencher candidates include cannabis specialist. 16 April 2019. 2021-11-04. London Free Press. Carruthers. Dale. en-CA.
  8. Web site: Amanda. Joerome. February 25, 2019. Diversity needed some bencher candidates say, as debate over statement of principles continues. live. 2021-11-04. The Lawyers Daily. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20201020113248/https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/10426/diversity-needed-some-bencher-candidates-say-as-debate-over-statement-of-principles-continues . 2020-10-20 .
  9. Web site: Canadian Hispanic Bar Association The CHBA endorses Caryma Sa'd for Bencher!. live. 2022-01-02. Canadian Hispanic Bar Association. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20200925224206/https://chbalegal.com/news/the-chba-endorses-caryma-sad-for-bencher/ . 2020-09-25 .
  10. https://lawsocietyontario.azureedge.net/media/lso/media/about/governance/2019-lawyer-tabulation.pdf
  11. https://lawsocietyontario.azureedge.net/media/lso/media/about/2023%20bencher%20election/2023-elected-benchers-lawyers.pdf
  12. News: Sasitharan. Kirthana. Dec 28, 2019. These Gosford fire residents aren't satisfied with air quality, safety measures of building. CBC.
  13. News: Dec 7, 2019. Tenants demand answers from landlord in wake of fatal North York fire. CBC.
  14. Web site: Somos. Christy. 2019-07-29. Illegal dispensaries stay open because Ontario's lottery system 'unfair': cannabis lawyer. live. 2021-11-04. CTVNews. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190729163525/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/illegal-dispensaries-stay-open-because-ontario-s-lottery-system-unfair-cannabis-lawyer-1.4527801 . 2019-07-29 .
  15. News: Evans. Pete. Feb 3, 2021. Canadian cannabis stocks pop on U.S. legalization push and GameStop-style short squeeze. CBC.
  16. News: McKeen. Alex. 2021-03-15. 'I never want to displace anyone.' Landlord offers reimbursement for tenants evacuated from illegal apartments. en-CA. The Toronto Star. 2021-11-04. 0319-0781.
  17. News: Salem. Zena. 2021-03-29. Landlord, former tenants reach agreement to cover costs after sudden evacuation of illegal Bloor West. en-CA. The Toronto Star. 2022-01-02. 0319-0781.
  18. News: Gibson. Victoria. 2021-04-07. Landlord should have negotiated with tenants' union in rent repayment deal, says Ontario Landlord and Tenant. en-CA. The Toronto Star. 2021-11-04. 0319-0781.
  19. https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onltb/doc/2023/2023onltb71873/2023onltb71873.html
  20. News: Toronto is getting a socially distant weed-friendly lounge: 420 Cannabis Court . December 23, 2023 . Calgary Herald . June 20, 2020.
  21. Web site: Gamage . Michelle . 2020-03-31 . NORML Canada's new executive director Caryma Sa'd explains how legalization went wrong: Q&A . 2022-01-02 . Mugglehead Magazine . en-US.
  22. News: Siebert . Amanda . NORML Canada finds a new director in Caryma Sa'd . December 28, 2023 . Inside the Jar . March 25, 2020.
  23. News: Kingston woman named head of cannabis advocacy group NORML . December 28, 2023 . Global News . October 26, 2021.
  24. News: Jane Gerster and Greg Ross . Aug 31, 2021 . Ontario NDP pushes for safety zones as anti-vaccine protests continue to plague restaurants . CBC .
  25. News: Toronto lawyer Caryma Sa'd to take on anti-lockdown celeb Chris Sky in online interview . December 23, 2022 . NOW Magazine . July 7, 2021.
  26. News: Neighbours urge lawyer Caryma Sa'd to cancel anti-masker debate . December 23, 2022 . NOW Magazine . July 9, 2022.
  27. Web site: DiMatteo. Enzo. 2021-07-21. Caryma Sa'd makes no apologies. 2022-01-02. NOW Magazine. en-US. January 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220102140550/https://nowtoronto.com/news/activist-lawyer-at-the-centre-of-recent-anti-mask-melee-has-found-a-new-venue-for. dead.
  28. Web site: Miller . Mira . 25 Feb 2021 . Toronto lawyer creates humorous comics to highlight issues of the day . live . 2022-01-02 . www.blogto.com . en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225184713/https://www.blogto.com/arts/2021/02/toronto-lawyer-comics-highlight-issues/ . 2021-02-25 .
  29. News: STATEMENT REGARDING A LAWSUIT FILED BY CARYMA SA'D . December 24, 2023 . Canadian Anti-Hate Network . September 25, 2023.
  30. Web site: Olinjyk . Zena . 22 Feb 2022 . How Caryma Sa'd has been a 'fly on the wall' at the Ottawa blockade . 2022-03-03 . www.canadianlawyermag.com . en.
  31. News: Hristova . Bobby . 8 Nov 2022 . Trespassing charge against Toronto lawyer arrested at Ford rally withdrawn in Hamilton . CBC .
  32. Web site: Oromoni . Annabel . 29 May 2022 . Lawyer Caryma Sa'd arrested and charged for allegedly trespassing at Premier Doug Ford's rally . 2022-11-12 . www.lawtimesnews.com . en.
  33. News: O'Reilly . Nicole . 2022-11-10 . Trespass charge dropped against lawyer arrested at Ford campaign stop in Hamilton . en . The Hamilton Spectator . 2022-11-12 . 1189-9417.
  34. News: Basu . Brishti . December 22, 2023 . 'Chilling effect': People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school . April 29, 2024 . CBC News.
  35. News: Scott . Katie . November 4, 2023 . 'I will never return to Moxies': Restaurant chain criticized for firing employees after pro-Palestine march . April 29, 2024 . Yahoo! News.

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