Johnston also chastised lawyers — not specifically in Canada but across the democratic world — for contributing to the collapse of trust between citizens and public institutions, and the resulting social instability in many western nations today.
He cited the 2008 financial collapse on Wall Street as one example.
“How many lawyers ‘papered’ the deals that involved fraudulent statements of assets, liabilities, income and valuations?” he said.
“How many lawyers ‘sounded the alarm’ about conflict of interest in the web of financial transactions and creative financial instruments? How many lawyers were silent in the face of a pattern of deregulation which has left the economy naked to excessive leverage, and which any thoughtful observer knew was bound to have its inevitable pendulum swing?”
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http://www.canada.com/news/Governor+General+urges+lawyers+rebuild+public+trust/5254079/story.html#ixzz1VA3pEtqP