CBIA Announces Expanded Eligibility
The Canadian Bar Insurance Association is now offering its life insurance products to the children and spouses of lawyers and Quebec notaries. If your children are eligible, let them know that they can now enjoy the savings offered by some of the lowest life insurance rates in Canada.
24/7 access to product information, rates, helpful insurance education, planning tools at www.barinsurance.com.
Customer Service Team
1-800-267-2242
custserv@barinsurance.com
On the Appointment Process to the Supreme Court of Canada
CBA President Bernard Amyot: “Whenever there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Canada, legal, media, and political circles start buzzing with speculation about the next appointment to the country’s highest bench. In this respect the replacement of retiring Justice Michel Bastarache has proven no different.”
Full Text: www.cba.org/CBA/News/2008_Releases/2008-05-01_scc.aspx
CBA PracticeLink
Take Your Practice to the Next Level: Hire a Coach
A growing number of lawyers have discovered personal coaching as a highly effective way to improve their careers. Since the key elements of a lawyer’s career are uniquely individual, it makes sense that individual, tailored coaching is the most effective route to get there quickly. This month on CBA PracticeLink, find out how a coach can help take your practice to the next level.
All this and much more at www.cba.org/practicelink.
Book Early to Avoid Disappointment: Quebec 2008 – August 17-19
Combine business with pleasure and make your trip to Quebec City this summer a memorable one! The CBA’s Canadian Legal Conference, Aug. 17-19, is packed with professional development programs and guest speakers to appeal to just about every specialty and interest. For family and guests, Quebec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations offer myriad activities for every age and taste. With hotels filling up very quickly, it’s essential to book early. Plus, take advantage of early bird rates and save up to $100 until June 30.
Details and registration: www.cba.org/cba/quebec2008/main/
A sampling of what Quebec City has in store this summer: - Espace 400e: the heart of the festivities
- From June to September 2008, Bassin Louise, Old Port
- The Visionnaires Garden
- June 6 to October 13, 2008, Musée de la civilisation
- Le Louvre à Québec : Les arts et la vie
- June 5 to October 26, 2008
- Le chemin qui marche: a glowing tribute to the St. Lawrence River
- On the evening of August 15, 2008
Details: www.quebecregion.com/campagne_publicitaire/hiver_2007-2008/400/programmation-ete-e.htm
CBA Welcomes Reforms to Land Claims Process
The CBA supports Bill C-30 (Specific Claims Tribunal Act) which creates a much-needed independent tribunal with the power to decide long-standing claims between First Nations and the Crown. “Legislative reform of the specific claims process is long overdue,” Christopher Devlin of Victoria, past Chair of the CBA’s National Aboriginal Law Section, told the Commons Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on April 9, 2008. “We anticipate that the bill will address serious problems of delay and backlog under the current regime.”
The CBA supports the specific claims process as a necessary alternative to litigation for resolving claims, but notes that the process has been clearly unable to cope with the sheer volume of claims from First Nations.
Submission: www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/08-22-eng.pdf
“Webby” Awards Honour CBA Website
The Webby Awards, the leading international honour for the Web, have recognized the CBA’s website (CBA.org) as an Official Honouree, a distinction that recognizes work exhibiting remarkable achievement. Hailed as the “Oscars of the Internet” by the New York Times, the Webby Awards are the leading international award honouring excellence on the Internet, including websites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile websites.  Law Day 2008
Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson was the featured guest at Ottawa’s Law Day on April 17. He was joined by CBA President Bernard Amyot and some 650 high school law students, who attended the event that included a mock trial, career panel, and special presentations by the President and the Minister. After meeting with Minister Nicholson, Bernard Amyot walked the short distance to Parliament Hill to visit the Senate, where Senator Hugh Segal read a Law Day statement on the subject of the rule of law.
CBA President Bernard Amyot (left) with federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson on Law Day 2008 in Ottawa.
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Standing Up For the Rule of Law
CBA President Bernard Amyot appeared before the Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs & International Development, Subcommittee on International Human Rights, on May 6. The subcommittee is looking into the situation of Omar Khadr, who has been detained in Guantanamo Bay for the past six years, and is in the process of being tried there by an American military court. In his statement, Bernard Amyot outlined the CBA position calling for the closing of the prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, and the repatriation of Omar Khadr to Canada where, if the Crown finds that charges are warranted, he would be subject to the Canadian criminal justice system.
The following is an excerpt from the statement: “The focus of our concern is the lack of respect for the rule of law. It’s easy to provide legal rights to those aligned with popular causes. Our commitment to justice is challenged where the individual is unpopular and accused of terrible crimes. It’s at times like this that we must speak out, and defend those rights. This is what the rule of law requires – that we recognize the rights of all, not just the favoured few.”
Full statement: www.cba.org/CBA/news/pdf/2008-05-05_khadr.pdf
These articles were published in the June 2008 issue of BarTalk. © 2008 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved. |
