Be it resolved

Policy Committee Chair Kelly McDermott presided over a debate on seven resolutions at this year’s AGM.

Resolution 25-01-A is a straightforward name change of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA). Adopted by the group’s board of directors, it calls for changing the name to the Canadian Bar Association - In House Lawyers (CBA-IL). It was adopted.

Resolution 25-02-A urges the federal government to provide greater predictability and transparency in the application of sanctions so that Canadian individuals or entities can set up compliance plans and procedures. Public guidance would align Canada with allied countries that already provide it to their citizens to ensure their sanctions regimes are effective and that the principles of justice and procedural fairness are respected. It was adopted.

Resolution 25-03-A calls on the CBA to urge the federal government to limit the introduction of multipart legislation that combines substantially different and unrelated subject areas. The resolution says bundling laws limits opportunities for meaningful scrutiny, debate, and public consultation of each part, and it risks delaying needed reform by requiring the simultaneous consideration of unrelated matters. It was adopted.

Resolution 25-04-A asks that the Canadian Bar Association urge governments in Canada to provide adequate funding and resources for privacy and access to information regulators and to access to information and privacy offices within public institutions. It was adopted.

Resolution 25-05-A asks Canadian Bar Association members to vote to repeal a 2016 resolution that proposed a narrow interpretation of section 43 of the Criminal Code and urge the federal government to repeal that section entirely and make the physical punishment of children illegal. At the same time, the resolution asks that efforts be made to increase public education on the issue to build parental competence and reduce the need for intervention in families and the criminal prosecution of parents. It was adopted.

Resolution 25-06-A calls on the CBA to commit to maintaining engagement with lawyers and articling students to identify continuing challenges faced during articling, to develop practical strategies for improving the articling process and ensure high standards of lawyer training and public protection are in place. It was adopted.

Resolution 25-07-A, on non-adversarial advocacy and family law standards, asks the CBA to engage the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in amending the Model Code to include standards of practice for family lawyers. It also calls for Rule 5.1-1 to be amended with new commentary clarifying the role of lawyers in non-adversarial proceedings. It was adopted.