Fraser Valley Forms New Section
The Criminal Justice - Fraser Valley Section was formed this Fall and added to the current list of active BC Branch Sections. There are now 68 Sections throughout BC, giving CBA members a network of professional contacts and information on new practice trends and legal developments affecting lawyers and their clients.

It’s not too late to participate in Sections! If you wish to enroll in this new Section or join any of the other currently active Sections, contact Fran Hodgkins at the Branch office and an enrollment form will be faxed to you immediately.

To register in Sections call the BC Branch office at 604.687.3404 or toll-free 1.888.687.3404 outside the Lower Mainland.


1999/2000 BarTalk Editorial Board
BarTalk is pleased to introduce the 1999/2000 BarTalk Editorial Board. David Paul of Paul & Company (Kamloops) is the new Chair of the Editorial Board. Other Board members are: Barbara Bluman, a labour arbitrator, mediator, and harassment complaint investigator (Vancouver); David Roberts, QC, a partner with Campney & Murphy, specializing in general commercial litigation and medical malpractice (Vancouver); Peter Warner, QC, who has a general solicitor’s practice with Heather Sadler Jenkins (Prince George); and Siobhan Sams, a research lawyer with Ladner Downs (Vancouver). If you have story suggestions or ideas for improving BarTalk, the Board members invite you to contact them at any time.


CBA Staff Casually Raise Funds for Charity
The Canadian Diabetes Association benefited from CBA “Casual Days” recently when they received a $329 donation from CBA Staff members. The CBA instituted casual days two years ago and since then has donated over $1000 to three charities, including The Food Bank, The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and The Canadian Diabetes Association.

The CBA chose The Canadian Diabetes Association after considering the prevalence of diabetes--over 1.5 million Canadians have been diagnosed with diabetes and it is estimated that another 750,000 have diabetes and don’t know it. Diabetes Symptoms include: unusual thirst; frequent urination; changes in appetite; unexplained weight loss; extreme fatigue; blurry vision; irritability; and tingling in the hands and feet.

For more information about The Canadian Diabetes Association call 604.732.1331 or toll free 1.800.665.6526, or visit the CDA web site at www.diabetes.ca.


Web Picks
The user-friendly National Library site uses a subject tree based on the classification used in all public libraries. It also has a link to the CBABC website. www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/caninfo/ep034.htm

The BC Law Institute site is comprehensive for law reform in BC, and is updated often. www.bcli.org

The BC Courts Legal Compendium is a new site offering both caselaw and commentary wound into a general description of the law and the judiciary of BC. It has a heavy emphasis on criminal law. The Legal Compendium is accessible to the public and informative for the legal practitioner. www.courts.gov.bc.ca/LegalCompendium/index.html

Thanks to Stuart Rennie, Legislation and Law Reform Officer, for his web site recommendations.


Lawyers Assistance Program
The Options for Lawyers workgroup meets the third Wednesday of each month at 12:15 pm at the LAP office.

The Women Lawyers Support Group meets the first Wednesday of every alternate month at 12:15 pm at the LAP office. (next meeting is on February 2, 2000)

There are now four “Lawyers in A.A.” meetings: every Wednesday at 5:30 pm at Christ Church Cathedral, in Vancouver, every Thursday at 12:30 pm at the LAP office, and every Thursday at 5:45 pm in New Westminster. For information on location, call 604.685.2171.

We have a Lawyers Accountability Group which meets Thursday at 5:45 pm at the LAP office.

We have a Codependents Anonymous group which meets Monday at 5:30 pm at the LAP office.

These articles were published in the December 1999 issue of BarTalk. © 1999 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.