OTTAWA – In celebration of Law Day, some 500 Ottawa high school students will gather at the Albert Street Education Centre on Wednesday, April 17 for a half-day event featuring a mock trial, canine unit demonstration, and career panel.
Law Day is sponsored by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), which launched the event in 1983 to recognize the anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“On Law Day, CBA lawyers and judges across Canada dedicate countless volunteer hours towards increasing the public’s awareness and understanding of the law, the Charter, and the Canadian justice system,” said CBA President Robert Brun, Q.C., of Vancouver. “Ottawa Law Day on April 17 is one of many programs taking place across the country throughout the month of April.”
Law Day in Ottawa begins at 9:00 a.m. with a drama scene enacted by students from Glebe Collegiate Institute. The enactment is followed by a mock trial presided by Justice Julianne Parfett of the Ontario Superior Court, with Crown counsel Kevin Phillips appearing opposite defence lawyer James Foord of Foord Davies LLP.
After the mock trial, two officers from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will offer a demonstration of the “sniffing” skills of dogs Becky and Shaggy from the CBSA canine unit.
To wrap up the morning and help students make career decisions, at 11 a.m. a career panel featuring professionals from a variety of legal backgrounds will briefly describe what they do and answer questions from students. The panel, chaired by James Foord, will include:
- Justice Julianne Parfett, Superior Court of Justice;
- Crown Kevin Phillips, Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario;
- Dr. Tasleem Budhwani, Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and
- Michele Penney, Aboriginal support worker, Odawa Native Friendship Centre.
Law Day in Ottawa takes place in the auditorium at the Albert Street Education Centre, 440 Albert St., from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
Another aspect of Law Day activities is the Annual 5K Law Day Run/Walk for Charity. The event takes place on Friday, April 26, at 12:30 p.m. at the plaza behind Ottawa City Hall. Registration is available online, with proceeds going to Family Services Ottawa’s Supervised Access Program, which provides a safe setting for children to visit with their non-custodial parent.
Ottawa Law Day activities are coordinated by a committee of members from the Canadian Bar Association, the Department of Justice Canada, the County of Carleton Law Association, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to support for the rule of law, and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
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