What the World Needs Now is More Pro Bono

Todayville

Published

5 months ago

5 minute read

July 14, 2020

What the World Needs Now is More Pro Bono

Lawyers and the legal community use their performance skills to bring awareness and raise funds to support access to justice for our vulnerable population during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association (ACTLA) is staging a virtual Public Awareness Campaign partnered with United Way. Major supporters include the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch and the Legal Archives Society of Alberta. The show is called Laywers Vs Talent: A2J – Virtual Edition. Here’s a link to the lineup. You can watch by simply making a donation. The United Way is helping out so it’s a very secure and safe procedure. Click here to get your exclusive link. (You will receive an email with the link prior to showtime.)

COVID-19 caused cancellation of fundraising events (e.g. Battle of the Bar Bands-Calgary) within the profession where proceeds went to Pro Bono legal advice clinics. The Alberta Bar decided to innovate and create the virtual event for this Thursday, July 16th, from 6:00 PM to 8 PM (MDT) to raise a “behind the scenes” Awareness. Due to the Pandemic, Pro Bono clinics require technology for remote meetings or remote court attendance or require supplies for their clients such as masks and shields to attend meetings or attend court if people are forced by subpoena or otherwise need to attend.

Donna Purcell, member of the ACTLA COVID-19 Emergency Response Team said “We were going to call our event ‘lawyers got talent’ but one lawyer objected saying Simon Cowell would complain. Well what about ‘lawyers got no talent’? No, he might still complain, maybe try Lawyers vs Talent” and the seed was sown to invite professional talent, with entertainers from the United States, Mexico, Europe, Asia and South America under the Global A2J Alliance banner. The campaign is meant to highlight the need for everyone to protect the Rule of Law for vulnerable populations.

Forecasts for Alberta include 25% unemployment. The profession is concerned about providing Pro Bono services given the anticipated domestic situations, personal bankruptcies, foreclosures and evictions flooding antiquated justice systems.

“The legal profession and our judiciary have decided to lead the way in ensuring innovative access to justice for our growing vulnerable populations and all Albertans”, notes Purcell, “And we can’t only work for free, that is called being unemployed. And no lawyer jokes please, we might not get them. Grab a Shaq-a-roni, set up a Zoom after party, and come enjoy the entertainment, including some pros who know what they are doing and learn from our feature presenters and feature reporting.”

The show has many serious moments as well. You will hear from Rumana Monzur, Counsel at Department of Justice, Canada. In June 2011, she was brutally attacked and blinded by her husband at the time, Hasan Sayeed Sumon, while visiting in her home country of Bangladesh. As well, you will meet Maria Mitousis, Principal, Mitousis, Lemieux, Howard Law Corporation. Maria became national news when in the summer of 2015, she dropped into her office and opened a package that was on her desk. In the package was a bomb, and in the ensuing explosion, Maria lost a hand. Hers is a tragic but inspiring story.

A committee will decide where funds that are raised will have the most impact and includes consulting the United Way’s The Social Impact Lab, a platform to research, create, and test new services and business models. The goal is toensure the impact on organizations who support vulnerable populations through the legal sector is maximized. It is also hoped that public awareness of the out-of-date state of the justice system will encourage a provincial and national discussion.

A minimum $50 donation to United Way receives the Premiere Access link; donate any amount for an after the event link.

For more information and to donate, sponsor or to purchase tickets to the event, visit www.lawyersvstalent.com.

Remember, the show goes live Thursday, July 16th, at 6 PM.

Disclosure: Todayville is a proud partner in the production of this innovative program.

Todayville

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

A complete list of Alberta’s New Enhanced Emergency Measures

Alberta / 4 days ago

Watch Live: Premier Kenney declares state of emergency in Alberta

Crime / 1 week ago

ASIRT investigating incident which lead to a serious injury to a suspect in Red Deer

Alberta

Alberta adds 700 enforcers to stop COVID-19 rule-breakers as hospitalizations climb

Published on November 27, 2020

The Canadian Press

CALGARY — Alberta is giving 700 more peace officers the power to enforce COVID-19 restrictions as hospitalizations for the virus continue to climb in the province.

“We are not asking these officers to stop cold their day-to-day priorities or to harass responsible Albertans going about their everyday lives,” Justice Minister Kaycee Madu said Friday, as Alberta reported 1,227 new COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths.

Police officers and health inspectors also have the ability to enforce the rules.

Federal data shows that as of Friday, Alberta had the highest seven-day infection rate in Canada with 209 cases per 100,000 people.

Alberta has 405 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 86 in intensive care. A week ago, there were 55 patients in intensive care with COVID-19.

Postponing surgeries is one of the ways the province is freeing up space to accommodate more people severely ill with the virus.

New measures came into effect Friday to help blunt the spike in cases. Private indoor social gatherings are banned, capacity limits have been imposed on stores and students between grades 7 and 12 switch to remote learning on Monday.

Fines for breaking the rules range from $1,000 to $100,000 in extreme cases that make it to court.

When asked whether there would be crackdowns on anti-mask rallies, Madu said police will make independent decisions.

“But as minister of justice, my expectation is that those who are in violation of the measures that we have put in place would have to be held accountable.”

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said she is disappointed to hear about Alberta Health Services inspectors being verbally abused.

“Nobody deserves that, least of all the people who are working to keep all of us safe,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2020.

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

Alberta

Growth investing needed as pandemic wanes, says former BoC governor David Dodge

Published on November 27, 2020

The Canadian Press

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — Former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge says Canada must shift its attention to investing for economic growth as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic downturn over the next few years.

In an online presentation at the virtual Bennett Jones Lake Louise World Cup Business Forum, the former central bank chief said Canadian governments and businesses will have to continue to borrow money in 2021 and 2022.

But he added borrowing of $400 billion to date this year for the federal government and $100 billion for the provinces — about 20 per cent of Canadian GDP — should be reduced going forward and directed to growth areas rather than “consumption,” as has been the case to date.

The business forum is normally held in Lake Louise, Alta., in conjunction with World Cup alpine ski races, but both the races and the in-person conference were called off this year because of the pandemic.

Dodge says he’s expecting about 3.9 per cent economic growth in Canada in 2021, assuming vaccines are widely available after the second quarter, and 1.9 per cent in 2022.

He says the pace of growth should return to 2019 levels by the spring of 2022, but national output will still be three per cent lower than it would have been without COVID-19.

Dodge said a key challenge for Canada going forward is to continue to develop its technology expertise to compete with the growing influence of China.

“COVID has accelerated the transformation to a truly digital world and to Asia as it’s epicentre,” he said.

“Canada can thrive in this world as long as Canadian businesses, workers and governments work together and focus on investing in the future, not in preserving the past.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2020.

The Canadian Press