Do CSIC members pay lower fees than lawyers?

The Board of Directors would like us to believe so. In one of the latest E-bulletins, they told us:
CSIC members pay less, get more
We have a different opinion... read on:

Our fees are much higher and we are not getting anything in return. Law societies have developed extensive support system for its members - CSIC spreads misinformation and confusion among its members. A clear example is the interpretation of the accounting rules - by-laws say one thing, policy another. Lawyers can rely on their regulator to provide guidance and detailed explanation of any issue arising in their practice - we don't have that. Lawyers know that if someone pretends to be a lawyer, their regulator will deal with it. We know that there are thousands of unauthorized consultants who are allowed to work without any consequences and our regulator pretends that it's not our problem.
Lawyers do NOT have to subscribe to electronic library - they are expected to use resources best suited to their practice. None of the law societies require from their members to pay thousands dollars for mandatory CPD points - as a matter of fact, there is no such thing as mandatory CPD. The most any of the law societies require from their members is 12 hours of education (see below). Ontario and Alberta do not have any particular CPD program - they require their members to develop their own plan and keep records of it. The facts in this paragraph apply to those law societies that offer the information on their websites: Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.
The Board conveniently omitted the fact that MARA was taken over by the government because of the irregularities and conflict of interest between MIA and MARA. It is sad that they still compare themselves to an organization that utterly failed to fullfil its mandate and had to be restructured in order to meet the requirements of the regulation of immigration agents.
The statement that MARA charges higher fees is wrong: for a repeated registration (renewal of membership), the fee is $ 1,595 AUD, inclusive of GST MARA renewal fees. New registrants pay $ 1,760 AUD MARA new registration fees. 1 AUD = 0.97 CAD

MARA also requires its members to complete 4 mandatory courses in their first year of practice, and then only 1 course per year. Mandatory Requirements
It is embarrassing, at least, that the Board does not check the facts before sending them in an official bulletin to the members.



Current fees

CSIC

Number of members: 1600

Membership fee: 2,645 + 300 = $ 2,945

NSF = $ 50

Reinstatement: 750

Payment options: in full or 6 installments with a penalty of $ 250

Ontario

CSIC information: $4,153.00

Law Society of Upper Canada

Number of members (2006): 37,907

Membership fee (2009): $ 1,703 plus GST = $ 1,788.15

Compensation fund (2006): $ 200

NSF cheques = $ 25
Payment options: cheque, money order, credit card or installments = 12 x 169.38 = $ 1,863.15

Alberta

CSIC information: $4,535.00

Law Society of Alberta

Number of members (2006): 11,272

Membership fee (2009): $ 2,031.75 (includes active fee of $ 1,333.50 and the assurance fund levy of $ 698.25) - including GST

Payment options: cheque, money order, internet banking, wire transfer - no credit cards

British Columbia

CSIC information: $3,283.50

Law Society of British Columbia

Number of members (2006): 11,403

Membership fee (2009): $ 1,633.50 plus compensation fund $ 150 = 1783.50
Late payment fee - $ 100
Manitoba

CSIC information: $1,950.00

Law Society of Manitoba

Number of members (2006): 2,037

Membership fee (2009): $ $ 1,250 + Education fund $ 100 + Reimbursement fund $ 100 = 1,450 plust GST = $ 1,522.50
Payment options: in full or installment plan: 2 payments: 725 + 75 administration fee plus GST = 840; second payment 725 + 36.25 = 761.25
Of course the insurance payments are much higher - but that has nothing to do with the management of funds by the associations.
Continuing professional development

Ontario

Expectations for Professional Development
The establishment of minimum expectations for professional development is an important step in the implementation of the Law Society's competence mandate. While there is no mandatory requirement to engage in professional development, you are required to report any self-study and CLE activities in which you participate.
Alberta

Continuing Professional Development

The new CPD Rule requires that a lawyer:

■Make a Continuing Professional Development Plan and render it in written or electronic form

■Declare to the Law Society that you have done so, and

■Retain the record of the plan for 5 years, and provide it to the Law Society on request.

British Columbia

Professional Development
The CPD reporting requirement is based on the calendar year, commencing January 1, 2009. Lawyers must complete in each calendar year at least 12 hours of continuing professional development in accredited educational activities. No less than two of the 12 hours must pertain to any combination of professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and practice management.

Manitoba

Professional Development
The Law Society of Manitoba’s minimum expectation for continuing professional education is 12 hours annual reporting period or roughly two full day courses per year. Although there is no rule that members engage in continuing professional development, the Law Society views professional development as a responsibility of all members.
Saskatchewan
Doesn't even mention CPD on their website
Nova Scotia
No CPD on the website
New Brunswick:

MCPD
The primary recommendations for the New Brunswick MCPD program are as follows:

"Twelve (12) hours of mandatory continuing education/ professional development annually (January 1 – December 31) is a reasonable expectation of lawyers given the important and serious tasks and roles with which we are entrusted by our clients and/or employers. Twelve hours equates to roughly two full days of education or professional development per year.
It may be possible to carry over some or all of the hours earned in excess of 12 annually to the following year, with the following year’s requirement being reduced accordingly."
Prince Edward Island:

Continuing Education
The Law Society, in cooperation with the PEI Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, offers a Continuing Legal Education program to members and clerks about the on-going practice of law. The Law Society also supports programs offered by other legal education providers by giving a credit to members for attendance at approved CLE programs. The Society’s Continuing Legal Education Committee organizes at least four CLE’s during the year.