Submitted by Section Co-Chair, Aleem Bharmal
Summary of Meetings
Number of Meetings Held: 3
November 5, 2015
Guest Speaker: Aleem Bharmal, Executive Director, Community Legal Assistance Society & Clea Parfitt, Sole Practitioner
Meeting Title/Topic: INDO-CANADIAN VETERINARIANS' HUMAN RIGHTS CASE
Synopsis: In a landmark decision, the BC Human Rights Tribunal ruled that the BC Veterinary Medical Association (BCVMA) engaged in systemic discrimination against a group of thirteen Indo-Canadian vets operating discount clinics in the Lower Mainland. The Indo-Canadian vets were represented by Aleem Bharmal and Clea Parfitt. At this meeting, they discussed some of the relevant background and legal significance of this historic case.
March 30, 2016
Guest Speaker: Lindsay Waddell (Complainants’ Counsel), David G. Wong (Respondents’ Counsel), and Norm Trerise (Tribunal Member)
Meeting Title/Topic: HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINTS INVOLVING SELF-REPRESENTED PARTIES
Synopsis: Human rights cases, like many other types of legal proceedings, have seen a marked increase in the number of self-represented parties involved. This talk identified some of the challenges and offered valuable advice in dealing with self-represented parties appearing before the BC Human Rights Tribunal, from the perspectives of complainants’ counsel, respondents’ counsel, as well as the adjudicator.
May 17, 2016
Guest Speaker: Steve Adamson, Registrar, and Devyn Cousineau, Legal Counsel, B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, and Robyn Durling and Rose Chin, Co-Directors, BC Human Rights Clinic
Meeting Title/Topic: BC HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL AND THE BC HUMAN RIGHTS CLINIC: ANNUAL REVIEW AND UPDATE
Synopsis: Steve and Devyn provided the Tribunal’s annual review and update to the Bar and Robyn and Rose discussed the mandate, services and operations and provided an annual update of the Clinic.
Comments and Observations of the Chair
The meetings held this year by this section were all very relevant, substantive, and well-attended. This section is critical to those practicing in human rights law.