Quebec Man Fined for Assisting Defective Pool Owners on Facebook Group

Quebec City: Philippe Vézina noticed his pool was falling apart and reached out to the manufacturer, Trévi. They offered him a discount on parts, but that didn’t cut it for him. So, he joined a Facebook group where others were sharing similar woes about their pools.

As he got involved, he realized just how widespread the issue was. He started helping others in the group, but things took a turn when he was slapped with a $7,500 fine for practicing law without a license.

This all kicked off after a Radio-Canada segment aired, showcasing a couple who bought a $19,000 pool that fell apart in just five years. Trévi’s president even admitted there were problems with pools made after 2012.

Vézina’s Facebook group, called “My Cedar Pool is Rotten!”, began to grow rapidly. He loved being the admin and helping people out. But then, he got a call from Trévi’s president, and they had a productive meeting. He thought he was just helping folks communicate with the company.

However, shortly after, the Quebec Bar Association got an anonymous tip about him. They started investigating, and things got messy. Vézina was just trying to help people get fair compensation, but he ended up in hot water.

He encouraged people to negotiate better offers, but he never claimed to be a lawyer. The Bar didn’t see it that way, though. They said he was acting as an intermediary, which crossed the line.

Vézina felt he was just facilitating communication, not practicing law. He even told the group he wasn’t a lawyer. But the Bar explained that giving legal advice, even if you don’t claim to be a lawyer, is still illegal.

A lawyer from the Université de Sherbrooke said it’s fine to list options for legal issues, but advising someone to take specific actions is where it gets tricky.

In the end, the Bar took action against Vézina, and he was fined. He didn’t even get the court summons, so he felt he couldn’t defend himself. Trévi said the agreement he signed was just to formalize his role, not to give him legal authority.

Despite the setback, Vézina is still passionate about helping others. He believes you can lend a hand without stepping on legal toes, as long as you’re careful with your words. Meanwhile, Trévi claims to have resolved most of the issues with their pools.