I am proud to write to you to provide an overview of the work of our Executive in 2022–2023, to promote access to justice services in French in Canada.
In February 2023, the Section partnered with the CBA’s Equality Subcommittee to get Resolution 23‑04‑A passed by CBA members at the Annual General Meeting. I am confident that this resolution, which reaffirms the bilingual nature of our Association, will provide a solid foundation for new, concrete initiatives that will bolster the status of French within the CBA. For example, the resolution has already been used to encourage several other CBA Sections to hold webinars in French on their areas of interest.
The Section also represented CBA before the House of Commons and the Senate during the discussions on Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, which received royal assent on June 19, 2023. We played a vital role in advocating for many of the amendments to the initial draft and will continue to monitor the Bill’s implementation in the coming years to ensure promised improvements are, in fact, enforced.
In the same vein, and more generally to ensure that access to justice in French in Canada remains a top priority for lawmakers, the Section’s Executive Committee met with the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Minister of Justice in June 2023. We hope these fruitful meetings lead to lasting, regular and productive working relationships, so that the Section can more effectively serve as a bridge between the French-speaking legal community and government institutions.
Despite all this progress, there is still much to do to ensure access to justice in French in Canada. Luckily, the Section has Naaila Sangrar on its side. Set to become Section chair in September, Naaila Sangrar has already immensely contributed to our work over the last two years, first as secretary, then as vice-chair. She is brimming with brilliant ideas for the coming year.
If you have suggestions regarding the Executive Committee’s work or simply want to reach out, feel free to contact Naaila.
We encourage you to get involved in our upcoming initiatives! Keep reading to learn more.
Upcoming Professional Development Webinars
The challenges of multilingualism – Interpretation services in courts: In this webinar, seasoned lawyers will discuss court interpretation, notably the specific challenges of interpreting in the court room and during discovery, as well as the challenges of appearing before unilingual judges. They will also cover the topic of translating court decisions into French. CBA Law Series. This webinar will be held in French.
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In this webinar, seasoned lawyers will discuss the unique circumstances and challenges associated with practising law in French in an English-speaking setting in Canada. More specifically, they will address the opportunities that come with speaking French and provide tips on how to start a practice in French in a predominantly English-speaking law office. This webinar is part of the EDI series and is free for CBA members and will be held in French.
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Practicing law in French for lawyers in the LGBTQIA+ community: This webinar, hosted by seasoned lawyers will discuss challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ lawyers who practise law in French and will cover the use of non-binary pronouns for French-speaking legal practitioners. This webinar is part of the EDI series and is free for CBA members. The session will be presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English.
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More relevant, recent PD!
On-demand recordings are now available:
Sincerely,
Pierre Permingeat
Chair, CBA French Speaking Common Law Members Section 2022–2023