FEBRUARY 2020
VOLUME 32 / NUMBER 1
Contents
Departments
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FROM THE PRESIDENT Let’s Talk Mental Health by Ken Armstrong
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Take Care of You by Kerry Simmons, QC
8
INDIGENOUS MATTERS Indigenous Intercultural Competency by Randy Robinson
9
Canada’s Response to the Overrepresentation of Indigenous Children in Care by Frances Rosner
16 PRACTICE TALK An Ounce of Prevention by David J. Bilinsky
Inside This Issue Lawyers hold a special place in society. We are champions of justice. We are granted a license to practice as an oligopoly, because we protect rights, hold power to account, and generally grease the wheels of society. That is awesome, and privileged, and yet, we’re often discontent. This probably has something to do with the follies of intelligence (including ego), but it certainly has to do with our professional culture — something which we can only change through collective action.
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LAWYER WELL-BEING CHECK-IN by Aesha Faux
Building a better profession requires building a healthier one: physically, mentally and emotionally. Self-care, self-compassion, and yes, destigmatization, are some of the big topics tackled in this issue. The good news is there is a plethora of resources for us to improve our collective well-being, many of which you can read about in this issue. And here’s the main point: it’s okay. It’s okay to be sad, anxious, self-conscious, dissatisfied with work, or otherwise unhappy. There can be no achievement without suffering. But, that doesn’t mean we should give in to our A-type desire to see ourselves as perfect and remain in denial. Instead, we should accept the reality: negative feelings signal opportunities for growth. By practising self-care, maybe we’ll become better at caring for our clients and our colleagues, too.
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HAPPINESS IS A CURRENCY by Brandon Hastings
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SPEAKING UP ABOUT TRAUMA AND MENTAL HEALTH by Crystal Tomusiak
17 DAVE’S TECH TIPS 26 NOTHING OFFICIAL I Want to Name a Law School... After Me!!! by Tony Wilson, QC
Sections
28 SECTION UPDATE Civil Litigation, Health Law, Wills & Trusts and upcoming Section meetings
Features
14 WHEN THE TREATMENT WORSENS THE ILLNESS by Andrew Pilliar 15 STRESS LEVELS RISING? by Allison Wolf
Guests
18 A REVIEW OF LGBTQ2+ LAW: PRACTICE ISSUES AND ANALYSIS by Lisa Nevens 24 THE PROVINCIAL COURT OF BC: A LEADER FOR 50 YEARS by Judge Ann Rounthwaite 2
BARTALK / FEBRUARY 2020
— Brandon D. Hastings Chair, BarTalk Editorial Board
News and Events 4 20 21 22
South/North of the Fraser Barry Sullivan Law Cup — April 8, 2020 CBA Wellness BC WLF Update CBABC Advocacy Work Calendar Tips from Courthouse Libraries BC CLEBC Update
Also in This Issue
12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 23 LAW FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 30 BAR MOVES
