Submitted by CBABC Sections
Summary of Meetings
Number of Meetings Held: 4
October 6, 2016
Guest Speakers: Donald Jordan, Q.C. of Harris & Company LLP, Nicole Mangan of Richards Buell Sutton LLP, and Michelle Quinn of Richards Buell Sutton LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: B.C. Court of Appeal Restores Landmark Damages Award in UBC v Kelly: Injury to Dignity Awards - The Cost of Being Unique
Synopsis: Donald Jordan Q.C., Nicole Mangan and Michelle Quinn discussed the BC Court of Appeal's recent decision of University of British Columbia v. Kelly 2016 BCCA 271. These practitioners provided participants with a summary of key findings by the Court of the Appeal and how the decision signals the support for the trend of rising human rights damages in B.C.
November 15, 2016
Guest Speakers: Walter Rilkoff, Full-Time Member, BC Human Rights Tribunal, Steven Adamson, Member (term) & Registrar, BC Human Rights Tribunal, and Devyn Cousineau, Legal Counsel, BC Human Rights Tribunal
Meeting Title/Topic: BC Human Rights Tribunal "Bear Pit"
Synopsis: Guest speakers from the BC Human Rights Tribunal discussed a range of procedural and substantive issues, and answered questions.
May 12, 2017
Guest Speakers: Robyn Durling - Co-Director/Advocate with the BC Human Rights Clinic, and Carolyn MacEachern - Partner at Young Anderson
Meeting Title/Topic: Legalization of Marijuana - Considerations In The Workplace
Synopsis: It is anticipated that the federal government will introduce new legislation to overhaul the regulation and legalization of marijuana in Canada by this summer. With that in mind, Robyn Durling from the BC Human Rights Clinic and Carolyn MacEachern from Young Anderson, disscussed at this Section meeting the leagal implications associated withthis new overhaul and what it means in the context of employment and human rights law. Robyn Durling's presentation focused on whether medical marijuana should be treated as an intoxicant like alcohol or should it be treated like any other prescribed medication/pharmaceutical? He also explored what the courts have done in terms of balancing the rights of the employer with that of the medical marijuana user. From the employer's perspective, Carolyn MacEachern discussed recent labour arbitrations and human rights tribunal decisions regarding the use of marijuana in the workplace, in particular, the impact on drug and alcohol policies and the duty to accommodate.
June 30, 2017
Guest Speakers: Steve Adamson, Registrar, BC Human Rights Tribunal, and Katherine Hardie, Legal Counsel, BC Human Rights Tribunal
Meeting Title/Topic: BC Human Rights Tribunal: Annual Review and Update
Synopsis: Steve Adamson and Katherine Hardie are from the BC Human Rights Tribunal, an independent, quasi-judicial body responsible for accepting, screening, mediating, and adjudicating human rights complaints in the province. Steve and Katherine provided the Tribunal’s annual review and update to the Human Rights Law Section.
Comments and Observations of the Chair
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