Criminal Justice - Vancouver
Submitted by Section Chair, Michelle Booker
Summary of Meetings
Number of Meetings Held: 9
September 17, 2013
Guest Speakers: The Honourable Judge Reginald Harris, Provincial Court of British Columbia, David Butcher, Q.C., Defence Counsel, Butcher, Buck Wilson & Sears, Mike Tammen, Defence Counsel, Michael Tammen Law Corporation, and Clive Milligan, Control Tactics Coordinator, Vancouver Police Department
Meeting Title/Topic: Hit Them Where It Hurts! - Police Use of Force: When is it Lawful?
Synopsis: Prosecuting and defending offences related to police use of excessive force.
October 15, 2013
Guest Speakers: The Honourable Judge James D. Bahen, Provincial Court of British Columbia, Brian MacFarlane, Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice, and Kasandra Cronin, Defence Counsel, La Liberte Cronin & Company
Meeting Title/Topic: Back to Basics: A Junior's Guide to Bail Hearings and Reviews
Synopsis: Fundamentals of Bail and Bail hearings in provincial court.
November 19, 2013
Guest Speakers: Donald G. Wilson, Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice, and Jeffrey T.J. Campbell, Defence Counsel, Peck and Company
Meeting Title/Topic: Dealing with Crown Witnesses and Sureties: Ethical and Practical Aspects
Synopsis: Panel discussion pertaining to situations that arise with Sureties and Crown, witnesses, including complainants. Presentation from Derek La Croix, Q.C., Executive Director with the Lawyer's Assistance Program
January 15, 2014
Guest Speaker: Peter Hogg, Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice, and Mark Jette, Defence Counsel, Sutherland Jette
Meeting Title/Topic: The Very Basics of Wiretap
Synopsis: Panel presentation on the basics of wiretap files. Discussion topics including: what is a wiretap, pre-requisites for authorizations, Charter issues and evidentiary issues.
February 19, 2014
Guest Speakers: Kenneth Yule, Q.C., Department of Justice, Troy D. Anderson, Defence Counsel, and David M. Layton, Defence Counsel
Meeting Title/Topic: Criminal Ethics Panel
Synopsis: Ethics in the Practice of Criminal Law
March 19, 2014
Guest Speaker: Trevor Shaw, Director, Prosecution Support, Crown Law Division, Ministry of Justice
Meeting Title/Topic: Criminal Law Reform in Climate of Hyper-Violence: The Central American Experience
Synopsis: This was a joint Section meeting held with the International Assistance Section. Presentation by Trevor Shaw on his extensive work with the Justice Education Society project aimed at building an effective criminal justice system in Guatemala
April 16, 2014
Guest Speakers: The Honourable Judge Melissa Gillespie, Provincial Court of British Columbia, Joe M. Doyle, Defence Counsel, Johnson Doyle Sugarman, and Jennifer E. Lopes, Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice
Meeting Title/Topic: Sentencing: The Basics - A Primer for Junior Counsel and a Reminder for the Old Folk
Synopsis: Panel Presentation on the basics of sentencing, including princples related to 1 1.5 credit and R. v. Gladue.
May 21, 2014
Guest Speakers: The Honourable Associate Chief Judge Phillips, Provincial Court of British Columbia, Grant Wong, Deputy Regional Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice, and Kirstin Murphy, Deputy Regional Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice
Meeting Title/Topic: Making Sense of the Chaos: Understanding the Changes Coming to a Provincial Courthouse Near You!
Synopsis: Panel Presentation on the Provincial Court Scheduling Project including the introduction of the new model for how matters are scheduled and judicial assignment. Discussion included basis of Crown File Ownership model.
June 25, 2014
Guest Speaker: The Honourable Justice Patrick Healy, Quebec Court of Criminal and Penal Justice
Meeting Title/Topic: Annual June Dinner (Joint Dinner with the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law)
Synopsis: Recent Reforms in Criminal Law
Comments and Observations of the Chair
This year's past highlights included the June Dinner, which was very well attended and the introduction of the use of electronic aids during the panel presentations. The turnout for Section meetings was relatively consistent; however, our particular Section is experiencing a decline in numbers due solely to the due to the costs associated with joining the CBA and the particular financial challenges facing those practising in criminal law (ie. cuts to legal aid and legal aid rates). Our executive continues to raise this issue with the CBA in hopes that the CBA and the current executive can come up with some sort of creative solution to assist in maintaining the viability of the Section going forward.