by Sabrina Ali and Sandy Jakab-Hancock

The CBABC Equality Committee’s mandate is to advise and assist the CBABC Executive Committee to create strategies and programs which will assist the bar to recognize, reflect and promote equity and diversity within the CBABC, the profession as a whole, and the justice system.

The Committee strives to accomplish its mandate through a variety of strategies, including meetings with partner entities in the justice system, educational columns in BarTalk, receptions and events which bring members together to discuss equity and diversity issues within the profession, and through its representation on the Executive Committee. The Chair of the Committee is an Officer of the Executive Committee.

Past accomplishments include hosting two consultations on the CBA’s Racial Equality Report and a joint meeting with the Equity and Diversity Committee of the Law Society of BC, the Provincial Court Equality Committee, UBC and UVic law schools, BC Supreme Court Judges, and Ministry of the Attorney General representatives.

Most recently, the Committee co-hosted the Aboriginal Awareness Symposium at the UBC First Nations Longhouse Great Hall (Sty-Wet-Tan) on March 9, 2001. The program included an opening prayer, followed by speakers Chief Robert Joseph, UBC law professor June McCue, and Dr. Jo-Ann Archibald. Topics included the absence of Aboriginal history in and the impact of residential schooling upon the justice system. The program also featured table discussions, a friendship dance, a feast and entertainment, including a Métis Flutist, a contemporary Aboriginal singer and a Cree dance troupe.

The Equality Committee, then chaired by Valli Chettiar, proposed the idea of the Aboriginal Awareness Symposium in mid 2000 as part of the Committee’s mandate to provide equality education to CBA members. Perry Shawana, an Aboriginal lawyer and former member of the Committee, consulted with Dr. Jo-Ann Archibald, Director of the First Nations Longhouse at UBC and Sharon McNeill, Director of the Centre for International Indigenous Legal Studies to develop an aboriginal awareness education event for decision makers and leaders in the legal profession and the broader justice system.

The Legal Services Society and CBABC provided funding for 100 people to attend. Invitations were sent to the Legal Services Society, PLTC/CLE, the Law Foundation, CBABC Provincial Council members, Local and County Bar Presidents, Law Society Benchers, past and present members of the CBABC Equality Committee, Law Society Equity and Diversity Committee and their senior staff, Attorney General’s Office, Equality Committee members from the Bench, Judges of all levels of Court in the province, Chief Justice Brenner, then Chief Justice McEachern, Chief Judge Baird-Ellan, Deans and staff from UBC and UVic, the Human Rights Commission, and members of the following CBABC Sections: Human Rights, Aboriginal Law, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered, Women Rainmakers, Women’s Practice Issues/Equality Issues.

The speakers were extremely moving and those who attended made a personal commitment to spread the words of Chief Robert Joseph, Professor June McCue and Dr. Jo-Ann Archibald. The symposium was timely, in view of the fact that Professor Ferguson of the UVic had recently released his report entitled Addressing Discriminatory Barriers Facing Aboriginal Law Students and Graduates. The CBABC Equality Committee will advise and assist the Executive Committee on implementation of the recommendations in that report.

Equality Committee Members
All CBABC members are encouraged to forward any contributions or comments regarding the above or any equity and diversity issues to Sandy Jakab-Hancock or Sabrina A S Ali, Co-Chairs of the Equality Committee, or to any member of the 2001/2002 Committee:

• Angela Alphonse
• Kathryn Berge
• Jennifer Conkie
• Stephen Cooke
• Judith Lee
• Wynn Lewis
• David Paul
• Deirdre Rice
• David St Pierre
• Roxanne Vachon
• J Jacy Wingson

Thanks to Sabrina A S Ali and Sandy Jakab-Hancock for providing this article.