Law students in Alberta don't think they should have to swear allegiance to the Queen if they don't want to do so..A letter was made public on Wednesday that law professors from the Universities of Alberta and Calgary sent a letter to the Minister of Justice Tyler Shandro at the Alberta government urging him to amend Alberta's Legal Profession Act. If the act is amended, students who wish to be lawyers will not be required to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen if they choose..According to a Tweet by Associate Professor Anna Lund from the University of Alberta, "31 law professors from the Universities of Alberta and Calgary have sent a letter."."We the undersigned law professors at the University of Alberta and Calgary write to you to urge the Government of Alberta to update the existing oaths that articling students take when they become lawyers. We are concerned that the existing oaths, and specifically the mandatory Oath of Allegiance, creates an unnecessary barrier for some law students who wish to become lawyers and is undermining important initiatives that the Law Society of Alberta and our respective universities have undertaken to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession," the letter said.."In many other Canadian provinces and territories, the oath is either not required or is optional," Lund said..The letter outlined how the the Legal Professions Act S 44 mandates articling students who wish to become lawyers must take a series of vows, including an oath of allegiance..The oath of allegiance is set out in the Oath of Office Act and read as follows.."I ______, swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her hairs and successors according to the law, so help me God.".According to the letter, the oath of allegiance is being challenged by an articling student Prabjot Singh. The letter continues that "taking the oath of allegiance will be incompatible with his beliefs as amritdhari Sikh."."We've decided to make this letter public because we're concerned the mandatory oath of allegiance creates an unnecessary barrier for some prospective lawyers and undermines initiatives that our respective law schools have undertaken to promote diversity in the legal profession," Lund said..More to come...
