Wanted: Unsung Heroes
Every year, the CBABC recognizes one member from each county who has made a significant difference to his or her community, with little public recognition. We rely on you, their colleagues, to ensure that unto these exceptional people a little light falls.

A nomination form is included in this issue of BarTalk. It is also available in Public/Media at www.cba.org/BC, or can be faxed to you by request (call toll free 1.888.687.3404). The nomination deadline is December 31, 2001 – nominations are valid for two years.


CBABC Staff Make Covenant House Donation
In September the CBABC staff, through its casual day initiative, donated $565 to Covenant House Vancouver. The funds were raised over a period of six months. Covenant House Vancouver is a crisis intervention centre and residence for homeless and at-risk youth aged 16-24. In addition to offering food, shelter, clothing, counselling, medical and social service referrals, the organization also provides educational-vocational preparation, drug abuse treatment, legal services, street outreach and aftercare.


Changes Afoot With BarTalk
Readers and new board vote for changes
BarTalk presents an interesting challenge: It must be interesting, readable and informative. It must have a mix of content to appeal to a wide cross-section of the 10,000 lawyers, judges, MLAs and reporters who receive it. And it must be produced in the most economical way possible, to provide the best use of members’ dollars.

As “shareholders” in the publication, our members have no qualms about telling us what they want to see. Every two years the BarTalk Editorial Board requests feedback and evaluates the responses. They also review cost-saving options and formatting innovations from other jurisdictions.

This year, some of the changes you will notice include:

• changes to the printing specifications, to allow significant cost savings (a special CBABC prize will be drawn among those who correctly identify all three changes in an email to cba@bccba.org)
• reduction of the size of the publication to 28 pages as often as possible – members have told us there’s too much information
• a new format for Legislative Update, which will be introduced in the December issue. This will feature a condensed synopsis and analysis, rather than a line-by-line listing of changes to Acts
• a Student Page will be introduced to concentrate information of direct relevance to student members in one page
• Caroline Nevin is moving into the position of Senior Editor, and former Production Assistant Sandra Webb is now Editor. Sandra is responsible for coordinating editorial contributions, advertising and inserts.

This year’s Editorial Board members are: Ken Armstrong, Chair; Vikki Bell, QC; William Clark; Christine Mingie; and David Roberts, QC. The Board welcomes your comments, feedback and ideas for future stories.

Thanks to everyone who shared their opinions with us. And congratulations to Ann Doyle, winner of our “Canuck sports bag” draw.


ASPECT Offers Extra Money for Training
ASPECT Training Works is a provincially funded program offering up to $3,000 in training reimbursement for training eligible new hires as well as existing employees. ASPECT Job Star offers a wage subsidy when hiring youth aged 17-24. The program offers limited paperwork and speedy approval times. ASPECT has a network of agencies around BC to support the program with employers. Visit www.aspect.bc.ca for more information.


Mentor Program
On behalf of the students at the Faculty of Law at UVic, Tim Livingston, UVic Vice-President of External Affairs, thanks the following firms who volunteered to join the Mentor Program for 2001/2002:

• Arvay, Finlay
• Attorney General of British Columbia
• Barrigar Intellectual Property Group
• Berge, Sasges & Hart
• Borden Ladner Gervais
• Considine & Company
• Cook Roberts
• Dinning Hunter Lambert & Jackson
• Firestone & Tyhurst
• Geselbracht Brown
• Gordon & Velletta
• Horne Coupar
• Mayland McKimm & Associates
• McDonagh, Sheane
• Mulligan, Tam, Pearson

Reader Comments
“Good job of being many things to many people.”

“I’ve noticed a definite improvement in BarTalk over the past year or two.”

“Great emphasis on practice efficiency.”

“Legislative Update needs a condensed format.”

“Like the Advocate and the National, BarTalk seems written by and aimed at a maudlin middle ground which is usually basically boaring [sic].”

“I really like the little bits of information in the margins.”

“Sometimes it is more timely than other publications. (I think its “currency” is the BarTalk’s strength.)”

“Consider using more graphs and photographs.”

“BarTalk is about the best and most useful publication I get. I make copies of its columns, articles, etc. and find it very practice-oriented.”


Lawyers Assistance Program
LAP provides confidential support, counselling and referrals for lawyers, their families, support staff, judges and students suffering from alcohol and/or chemical dependency, stress, depression or just about any type of personal problem.

For assistance or information on meetings and resources please call 604.685.2171 or toll free 1.888.685.2171.

The LAP office is located at 415-1080 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 2T4.

These articles were published in the October 2001 issue of BarTalk. © 2001 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.