LangleyAdvance
Grads helped to look their best pg A5
Your community newspaper since 1931
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Your source for breaking news, sports, and entertainment: www.langleyadvance.com
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B.C. turtle power
Three-year-old Adam Clark (background left) checked out a pair of painted turtles during B.C. Rivers Day celebrations at Williams Park on Sunday. The painted turtle is the only native freshwater turtle in B.C. The Sept. 28 Rivers Day celebration was put on by the Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) and featured more than 35 booths, salmon displays, bird house building, stream side tree planting, an upcycle boat race, and live music by Tony Prophet and the Genuine Jug Band.
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Lawyers to vote on TWU law school TWU has been disappointed by the latest move of the Law Society of B.C. by Heather Colpitts hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com
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The Law Society of B.C. will hold a lawyers referendum on Trinity Western University’s law school approval. In April the society, which oversees lawyers in this province, voted to approve TWU grads, a requirement of them practicing law in B.C. In June, a member brought forward a resolution that resulted in a vote to re-examine the approval. The vote was 3,210 in favour and 968 opposed. There’s division over the TWU requirement of students to sign its Community Covenant which has students pledging to abstain from sex outside marriage which is defined as a union of a man and woman. It’s seen as anti-
gay and has people questioning whether TWU can adequately educate lawyers. “Enrolment at TWU is by law open to people of any race, colour, creed, or sexual orientation,” said TWU spokesperson Guy Saffold. The society is holding a referendum of its 11,000 members. “We are disappointed with this decision,” said Saffold, “The Benchers originally approved TWU graduates based on constitutional principles and the rule of law. They have now decided that the matter should be determined by popular vote.” The LSBC benchers (most senior decision makers) met Sept. 26 to vote on three motions. They defeated a motion calling for the society to withdraw the TWU approval and a motion to hold off on decisions was withdrawn. The benchers did approve a motion to hold a referendum as soon as practical. The motion approved by the benchers says
the referendum decision is binding on the benchers if at least one-third of society members vote and if at least two-thirds of those, vote in favour of withdrawal of approval. It’s the latest wrinkle in TWU’s efforts to start a law school which it plans to open in September 2016. Jan Lindsay, president of the law society, said the benchers April decision was based on more than 800 pages of submissions, two reports from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, a number of legal opinions and
the Supreme Court of Canada decision in a previous Trinity Western University case. “Our decision to hold a referendum will ensure that all members… will now have a chance to be heard and provide direction to the benchers.” TWU released a statement that said the LSBC obtained a legal opinion that puts into question whether the member vote would have any relevance on the Benchers April 11 decision where they voted 20 to 7 in favour of TWU graduates.
continued on page A4…
Trinity Western University graphic
Trinity Western University plans to construct and open a law school for autumn of 2016 but has faced various hurdles in the many approval processes.