3 LAW FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Contents

Departments 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT Let’s Talk Mental Health by Ken Armstrong 5 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 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 6 LAWYER WELL-BEING CHECK-IN by Aesha Faux 7 HAPPINESS IS A CURRENCY by Brandon Hastings 11 SPEAKING UP ABOUT TRAUMA AND MENTAL HEALTH by Crystal Tomusiak 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 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.

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.

— Brandon D. Hastings Chair, BarTalk Editorial Board

News and Events 4 South/North of the Fraser 20 Barry Sullivan Law Cup — April 8, 2020 CBA Wellness BC WLF Update 21 CBABC Advocacy Work Calendar 22 Tips from Courthouse Libraries BC CLEBC Update

Also in This Issue 12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 23 LAW FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 30 BAR MOVES