Upcoming Events

Law Day 2009
The Law Courts Education Society of BC (LCES) will be participating in a number of Law Day activities again this year. Law Days are occurring throughout the province from April 16-26. Locations and dates include:

Cowichan Valley (April 23)
Fort St John (multiple days)
Kamloops (April 16)
Kelowna (April 18)
Maple Ridge
Nanaimo (April 25)
New Westminster (April 22)
Prince George
Terrace (April 16)
Tri-Cities (April 23)
Vancouver (April 25)
Victoria (April 18)

Law Days are part of Law Week 2009, the theme of which is Access to Justice: Public Confidence in the Justice System. The LCES will have booths at the Kelowna, Nanaimo, Vancouver and Victoria locations to promote our programs, publications and services.

Preventing Violence Against Women: Together, We Can!
On Monday, April 20, local celebrities will gather to publicly denounce violence against women. The event is organized by We Can BC and takes place at the Roundhouse Community Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver) from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Click here for more information.

The following celebrities will become Change Makers by pledging not to commit or tolerate any violence against women, to work to re-shape societal attitudes, and to agree to encourage at least five other people to do the same:

• Daniel Igali, world champion wrestler
• Jerome Dennis, BC Lion
• Judi Vankevich, “the Manners Lady”
• Kathy Kreiner-Phillips, world champion skier
• Paris Jackson, BC Lion

It’s Time
It’s Time: African Women Join Hands Against Domestic Violence, has been nominated as the best Canadian Short Canadian Documentary at the Okanagan International Film Festival. The film will be screened on April 23 at 7:45PM at the Black Box Theatre.

It’s Time has previously been nominated as the Best Short Documentary at the 2009 Los Angeles Pan African Film & Arts Festival.

There will be a lunchtime screening of It’s Time in Victoria on April 29 at the Victoria Women’s Transition House Community Office (#100-3060 Cedar Hill Rd.). Light refreshments will be served. For more information contact Carolyn Fast.

Family Law Workshops
FREE Sessions are scheduled for both the Parenting After Separation (PAS) and Reducing Conflict After Separation (RCAS) programs.

The PAS program provides education and information to separating parents about the impact of separation on children, the Child Support Guidelines, decision-making skills and legal options. RCAS helps parents make informed choices about their separation which take into account the best interests of their children.

Past Events

Aboriginal Justice in Our Times
An audience filled the Chief Simon Baker Room at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre to watch passionate speeches and engaging discussions at Aboriginal Justice in Our Times.

The speaking event featured four prominent members of BC’s Aboriginal community and is now available online in video format at www.JusticeInOurTimes.ca.

Project News

Aboriginal Parenting After Separation Toolkit
The Aboriginal Parenting After Separation Toolkit is now available for purchase! It includes a number of informational handouts on topics commonly encountered by separating Aboriginal parents. Toolkit users – such as service organizations for family problems, Aboriginal justice organizations, schools and health departments – can quickly reference and distribute the handouts.

Judicial and Lawyer Independence
Judicial Independence & Lawyer Independence, Understanding the Rule of Law is in the piloting stage. The lesson will introduce the concepts of judicial and lawyer independence to secondary school students and demonstrate how these concepts are essential to the rule of law and the democratic state. The Teacher’s Guide and DVD will be sent out in late May. If you would like to ensure that you receive a copy, contact Kevin Smith.

Mayan/Aboriginal Traditional Justice Knowledge Exchange Project
This project is a knowledge exchange between Aboriginal peoples in BC and Mayan peoples in Guatemala. In February, a group from BC traveled to Guatemala where workshops were led by local communities. In May a group from Guatemala will visit BC. The project will deliver indigenous justice materials for both countries’ youth. The project’s objectives are to:

• strengthen the relationship between Aboriginal communities in Canada and Maya communities in Guatemala through two delegation visits to each country
• build the capacity of the Canadian and Latin American partners through project coordination and resource material development
• promote and protect Aboriginal and Maya justice practices through two series of forums and workshops in Canada and Guatemala
• develop hard and electronic tools and resources for public legal education programs for Aboriginal youth in Canada and Maya youth in Guatemala

NEW Public Legal Education Website: Clicklaw!
Twenty-four agencies that provide public legal education have contributed information and resources to a new website that will enhance access to justice for British Columbians. Clicklaw.bc.ca will be live online from Monday, April 20. The site provides Google-like search abilities for over 1000 publications covering a broad range of legal topics; the LCES has over 100 publications that will be available. Clicklaw: Solve Problems. Find Help.

Staff News

The LCES welcomes Waldo Brino, a native Chilean who will be working in our head office as a project assistant for our international work.