REMINDER: Register now for the FACL/NAPABA Conference and Gala!

Please register as early as you can – the more accurate we can be on the numbers, the more efficient we can be with our planning.  We need your help to make this the most successful event we’ve ever hosted.

In addition to providing the first-ever opportunity to mix with the membership of our U.S. NAPABA affiliate in Canada, the Conference will provide topical CLE approved sessions and a rare opportunity to be present for an address delivered by U.S. judicial trailblazer Judge Denny Chin of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The Gala dinner will be an unparalleled networking opportunity for the entire FACL/NAPABA family.

Spread the word!  As the substantive content of this newsletter demonstrates, FACL’s organizational work remains more vital than ever.  Onward to conference season!

REGISTER NOW:

BREAKTHROUGH! SHATTERING BARRIERS AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
FACL CONFERENCE/GALA AND NAPABA NORTH EAST REGIONAL
TORONTO, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/faclnapaba-northeast-regional-convention-2014-tickets-11418349591

FACL will be presenting the first-ever NAPABA North East Regional to be hosted outside of the United States in a single event that will incorporate the two largest FACL annual events – the FACL conference and the FACL gala.

FACL is also proud to present Judge Denny Chin of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as our keynote speaker.

CONFERENCE

When: Saturday, September 27th, 2014, 8:30AM-5:00PM

Where: Dominion Ballroom

Sheraton Centre Hotel

123 Queen Street West

Toronto ON M5H 2M9

 

Detailed Conference Schedule Available Here: http://facl.ca/facl-gala-2/facl_neregional_2014/

GALA

When: Saturday, September 27th, 2014, 6:00PM-10:00PM

Where: Osgoode Ballroom

Sheraton Centre Hotel

123 Queen Street West

Toronto ON M5H 2M9

FACL’s Bridge the Gap Project to Enhance Access to Justice

FACL has submitted its final report to the Law Foundation of Ontario on the Bridge the Gap project.

The Project resulted in the creation of a series of multilingual videos that FACL wrote, produced and distributed. The objective of the Project is to educate the general public and specific ethnic groups on the resources available in particular areas of law, specifically, youth criminal justice, human rights and immigration.  FACL translated each video module into six Asian languages – Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog and Punjabi. Through the work of researchers, voice talent and producers, FACL produced 84 video modules and completed the Project well under budget.

FACL member, Jason Tam, spearheaded the project, with funding from the Law Foundation of Ontario.  FACL is grateful to Jason and to all the volunteers who generously gave their time to make the Project a success.

The videos can be accessed on FACL’s website at http://facl.ca/resources/bridge-the-gap/.

UPDATE: FACL’s Advocacy on Judicial Diversity

On May 7, 2014, FACL wrote to Justice Minister Peter MacKay raising concerns regarding the federal judicial appointment process and the lack of diversity among federally-appointed judges. As noted in a recent Globe and Mail article, only 3 of the past 200 new judges appointed are visible minorities. FACL requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss potential initiatives to improve the representation of minorities on the bench.  Minister MacKay turned down our request by letter of June 26, 2014, “due to a heavy schedule”.

Minister MacKay’s response is not surprising, considering his comments to the council of the Ontario Bar Association on June 13, 2014.  When asked about the lack of women and visible minorities on the bench, he remarked that women and visible minorities simply don’t apply for the job.  This comment was particularly interesting since the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs doesn’t track the racial origin of judicial applicants and appointees.

Following Minister MacKay’s disappointing response to our request to meet, FACL reached out to the Liberal and NDP Justice Critics in an effort to bring the issue of diversity within our judiciary to the forefront for discussion in the House of Commons and at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.  FACL will continue to advocate for a more representative judiciary.

Please click on the links below to view the letters:

FACL Letter to Justice Minister Peter MacKay dated May 7, 2014

Response from Justice Minister Peter MacKay dated June 26, 2014

The letters have been posted under the Judicial and Legal Diversity in Canadasection of our Media page.