2013 Law Union Conference Receives LSUC CPD Hours Accreditation

The Conference Committee of the Law Union of Ontario is pleased to announce that 40 Years of Resistance: Looking Forward Looking Back – Law Union of Ontario Conference 2013, to be held this coming March 16th, has been accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada for Continuing Professional Development hours.

The plenary session, titled “Panels Full of Women” has been accredited by the Law Society for 1.5 Professionalism Hours, while the remainder of the agenda is eligible up to 5.75 Substantive Hours.

Conference attendees are reminded to keep a token attesting to their attendance at the Conference (whether it be a receipt, a conference program, or a registration confirmation email) in the event that their CPD hours declaration is audited by the Law Society.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE LAW UNION OF ONTARIO: March 16, 2013

LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK: 40 YEARS OF RESISTANCE
Annual Conference of the Law Union of Ontario

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Join us on Saturday, March 16, 2013, for the Law Union of Ontario’s Annual Conference! 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the Law Union, and this year’s conference will bring progressive legal and activist communities together to discuss an exciting and challenging series of issues.

The conference will be held at Victoria College, on the University of Toronto campus. The address is 91 Charles Street, with the building just south of Charles. This facility is wheelchair accessible. Follow this link for a map of the exact location of the conference: http://map.utoronto.ca/building/501

Scroll down for the full schedule of panels and speakers.

This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 1.5 Professionalism Hour(s) and up to 5.75 Substantive Hours.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH: ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT THE TRANZAC

In honour of the Law Union’s 40th anniversary, join other conference-goers on the evening of Friday, March 15th, for a celebration with live music, drinks, reflections, and awards. This event will be held at the Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto, from 7:30 pm onwards. All are welcome!

CONFERENCE PROGRAM: MARCH 16TH
Victoria College

REGISTRATION: 8 AM

PANELS: 9 – 10:30 am

Envisioning the New Law Practice Program
Renatta Austin, Articling Student, City of Toronto
Elena Iosef, Osgoode Hall Legal and Literary Society
Janet Minor, Ministry of the Attorney General, Law Society Bencher

Deconstructing the Doctrine of Discovery
Tannis Nielsen, Artist and Educator

Mental Health and Justice: Three Unique Voices – Psychiatric Survivors, Defence and Crown Counsel
Anita Szigeti, Hitlz Szigeti LLP
Kelley Bryan, Swadron Associates
Katalin Kirec, Ministry of the Attorney General
Sarah Shartal, Defence Counsel
Lucy Costa, Empowerment Council, CAMH

Working on the Margins: Perspectives on Migrant Work in Canada
Fay Faraday, Osgoode Hall Law School, Faraday Law
Kelly Botengan, Magkaisa Centre, Phillipine Women’s Centre
Evelyn Encalada, Justice for Migrant Workers

MORNING PLENARY: 10:45 am – 12:15 pm

Panels full of Women: 40 Years Later, Has Anything Changed?
Beth Symes, Symes Street & Millard LLP, Law Society Bencher
Janet Minor, Ministry of the Attorney General, Law Society Bencher
Jessica Wolfe, Legal Aid Ontario
Sharon Walker, Dykeman Dewirst O’Brien, LLP

PANELS: 1:30 – 3:00 pm

Resonance: Police Racial Profiling and Intelligence Gathering
Vickie McPhee, Rights Watch Network
TBA

Decolonizing Relationships: Treaties and Beyond
Diane Kelly, Former Ogichidaakwe (Grand Chief), Treaty #3
Crystal Sinclair, B.S.W., Activist and Organizer, Idle No More Toronto
Lorraine Land, Olthuis Kleer Townshend

Advocacy out of the Courtroom: Skills without Gowns
Asha James, Falconer Charney LLP
Janina Fogels, Human Rights Legal Support Centre
Diana Zlomistic, Toronto Star

Denial by Process: Resisting Neoliberal Restructuring of the Social State
Barbara Jackman, Jackman and Associates
Elizabeth Bruckmann, West Toronto Community Legal Services
Lucy Costa, Empowerment Council, CAMH
Sarah Shartal, Defence Counsel

PANELS: 3:15 – 4:45 pm

Solidarity City Now: Legal and Community Organizing for Immigrant Justice
Rathika Vasavithasan, Parkdale Community Legal Services
Faria Kamal, Health for All
Sarah Mikhaiel, Sanctuary Network
Liza Draman, Caregivers Action Network

The End of the Employee: A Critical Discussion on the Rise of Contract Work, Internships and Underemployment
Claire Seaborn, Canadian Intern Association
Jenny Ahn, CAW, Director for Membership, Mobilization and Political Action
Dr. Isik Urla Zeytinoglyu, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University
Sonya Singh and Acsana Fernando, Workers’ Action Centre

Aboriginal Youth and Child Welfare
Rina Okimawinew, Attawapiskat First Nation
Billie-Jean McBride, George Brown College
Judith Rae, Olthuis Kleer Townshend

Prison Litigation as Harm Reduction
Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
Seth Clarke, Prisoners’ HIV/AIDS Support Action Network

AFTERNOON KEYNOTE: 5 – 5:30 pm

Delia Opekokew is a lawyer and a deputy Chief Adjudicator for the Independent Assessment Process. From the Canoe Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, she was the first First Aboriginal woman admitted to the bar in Ontario and in Saskatchewan, as well as the first woman ever to run for the leadership of the Assembly of First Nations.

Childcare will be provided – please email us in advance at lawunionofontario@gmail.com with the number and ages of the children who will be attending.

If you would like to donate to the conference, you may do so through
the Jur-Ed Foundation at Canada Helps

Questions? Email us at lawunionofontario@gmail.com, and include “conference” in the subject heading.

Save the Date: LUO Conference, March 16, 2013

The Law Union of Ontario’s Annual Conference, 2013 Edition will be held on March 16, 2013 at Victoria College on the University of Toronto Campus.

Note that on Friday, March 15 we shall fete the 40th anniversary of the Law Union at a venue to be announced.

As the Conference shapes up and more information becomes available it will be posted here.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in March!

EVENT: Resisting the Omnibus Crime Bill (January 17, 6:30 – 8:30)

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In March 2012, the federal Conservatives passed the Omnibus Crime Bill C-10, despite the protests of thousands of Canadians that the bill would greatly increase the prison population, would not prevent crime, would cost billions of dollars and would have a devastating impact on already marginalized communities, particularly Aboriginal communities who are already drastically over-represented in Canadian prisons.

Bill C-10 is now law, but we can resist! The Law Union of Ontario is hosting a mass meeting on Thursday, January 17th. The idea is simple: Torontonians meet and we brainstorm ways to prevent the implementation of this bill and stop Harper’s unjust law and order agenda.

Thursday , January 17
Beit Zatoun
612 Markham St (just south of Bloor)
Toronto, ON
6:30-8:30 pm

Featured speakers:

Jules Koostachin (Elizabeth Fry Society Toronto): the omnibus bill’s impact on the over-criminalization and over-incarceration of Aboriginal peoples, especially Aboriginal women

Annika Ollner (PASAN): implications of the bill for prisoners,
including overall increases in Prison populations and changes to prisoners’ rights

Mike Leitold (Law Union of Ontario): overview of the omnibus bill’s changes to the criminal laws and the Law Union’s resistance to date

Light refreshments will be provided

ASL and child care will be available. Please email smack@tao.ca 48 hours before the event if you require these services.

PLEASE NOTE: there are two series of steps into the building. A ramp system is available. Washrooms are in the basement down a flight of stairs

If you’re interested in assisting in the advertising of this event posters are attached to this message and can be downloaded using the link below.

Hosted by the Law Union of Ontario’s Prison Justice Committee