Is solicitor-client privilege an important component of the Canadian legal system?

Solicitor-client privilege is integral to the proper functioning of the Canadian justice system and is not to be lightly interfered with. As Fish J. said in Blank v. Canada (Minister of Justice) 2006 SCC 39, at para. 26: “... The solicitor-client privilege has been firmly entrenched for centuries. It recognizes that the justice system depends for its vitality on full, free and frank communication between those who need legal advice and those who are best able to provide it. Society has entrusted to lawyers the task of advancing their clients' cases with the skill and expertise available only to those who are trained in the law. They alone can discharge these duties effectively, but only if those who depend on them for counsel may consult with them in confidence. The resulting confidential relationship between solicitor and client is a necessary and essential condition of the effective administration of justice.”