Law Times

Page 16 March 21, 2016 • Law TiMes www.lawtimesnews.com ARBOUR RECEIVES 2016 PEARSON PEACE MEDAL The United Nations Association in Canada has announced that Louise Arbour is the recipi- ent of the 2016 Pearson Peace Medal. The medal was presented by Governor General David John- ston March 17 at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. A news release from the as- sociation says the medal is for "a Canadian who has made an outstanding contribution, in a professional capacity or through volunteer work, to those causes for which Lester B. Pearson is remembered; aid to the developing world; mediation where conf licts arise; assistance to refugees and those in need; equal rights and justice for all; peaceful change through interna- tional law and multilateralism." Arbour was the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. She was also a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1999 to 2004, before her appointment as the UN's high commissioner for human rights. She also served as president and CEO of the International Crisis Group until 2014. "The jury especially commended her actions of personal courage beyond her professional remit: that through her professional life she has shown leadership and resolve when confronted with despicable perpetrators and their protectors. Her leadership is a model — profes- sional and personal — for young men and women aspiring to making peaceful change in the world through the enforcement of law and jus- tice for all," said Kathryn White, president and CEO of UNA-Cana- da, in the news release. BUSINESS LAW ADVISORY COUNCIL APPOINTED Ontario has created a new Busi- ness Law Advisory Council. It will be chaired by Carol Han- sell of Hansell LLP and the vice chairman is E. Patrick Shea of Gowling WLG. The council will "make recom- mendations to reform laws that are responsive to changing busi- ness priorities and supportive of a prosperous economy," accord- ing to a government news release. FOURTH ANNUAL BENCH AND BAR YOUNG LAWYERS SOIREE The Toronto Lawyers Asso- ciation has announced it will be holding the annual event on April 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Courthouse Library, located on the third f loor of 361 Univer- sity Avenue. The event is for those who were called to the bar less than 10 years ago, and for articling and law school students. Judges from the Court of Ap- peal, judges and masters from the Superior Court of Justice, and judges from the Ontario Court of Justice will be invited. Retired Supreme Court of Canada justice Ian Binnie will be making the opening remarks. Registration is free for TLA members, and it costs $20 for non-members or friends of the TLA. Those interested in at- tending can contact 416-327-5702 or events@tlaonline.ca for more information. LAW TIMES POLL Law Times reported last week that the federal government is studying the possibility of bring- ing back, and expanding, the Court Challenges Program. Readers were asked if they sup- ported the return of the program. Slightly more than 65 per cent of readers indicated they do indeed support the return of the Court Challenges Program, because the program funds im- portant court challenges that have enhanced equality jurispru- dence. Less than 35 per cent of read- ers indicated they do not support government funding for court challenges, saying it's a form of advocacy that is important but should not be financed by the public purse. LT u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story Louise Arbour received the 2016 Pearson Peace Medal at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. By Jove, ma'am! She appears to be signaling, "Look, I brought my own communications device to work, too!" © 2015 Stewart. All rights reserved. We put legal professionals front and centre and we put our efforts into keeping real estate transactions where they belong – in your office. Learn more about our level of support, call (888) 667-5151 or visit stewart.ca. Ally Untitled-4 1 2016-03-02 10:19 AM DEFENCE LAWYER LEFT BRUISED AND BLOODIED BY INVESTIGATOR SANTA ANA, Calif. — In a scene that could be right out of Better Call Saul, a bloody brawl broke out last week at the Orange County courthouse between a defence lawyer and an investigator from the district attorney's office. The fight took place in the hallway of the 10th f loor of the courthouse between defence attorney James Crawford and an unidentified investigator. Crawford, who recently won a high-profile case against the DA's office in an ongoing jailhouse snitch scandal, was left bat- tered and bruised when the skirmish was over. A lawyer representing Crawford said his cli- ent was in the courthouse representing a wom- an subpoenaed to testify and the investigator was watching over the woman. According to the Los Angeles Times, when Crawford approached the woman, the investigator reportedly called defence lawyers "sleazy." Crawford shot back saying the DA's office, which has been part of a scandal over the use of testimony from jailed informants, wasn't much better. As Crawford got up to go about his business, the investigator f licked a large paper clip at him. Crawford volleyed it back at him and the gloves were off. The investigator grabbed Crawford's head, slammed it into a bench, and punched him repeatedly. Sheriff deputies and officers had to remove the investigator. Crawford is representing an accused gang member convicted of murder who won a retrial last month. A judge ruled authorities should have given Crawford jailhouse records show- ing a key witness had acted as an informant in a number of other cases. The brawl resulted in a sinus fracture and swollen eye for Crawford whose shirt was also left bloodied from the inci- dent, which is under investigation. HOW MUCH ROOM DOES A GATOR NEED TO BE HAPPY? LAKELAND, Fla. — Who knew gators could be a girl's best friend? Mary Thorn is fighting local authorities who have told her that Rambo — her 57-kilogram, 1.8-metre-long pet alligator — doesn't belong in her home even though she's had a licence to have him for the past 11 years. The large reptile rides on the back of a mo- torcycle and has his own bedroom. But accord- ing to The Associated Press, wildlife officials say that, given Rambo's size, he needs at least one hectare of land to call his own. However, Thorn told the Orlando Senti- nel that, even if she had that much property, it wouldn't benefit the beast since he has an ex- treme sensitivity to sunlight. Thorn takes Rambo to schools and charity events to educate people about gators and she claims he has been trained not to bite. A Florida wildlife commission spokesman says the case is under investigation. TEEN JOY RIDE ENDS WITH CRASH INTO CAR DEALERSHIP ST. PAUL, Minn. — A 15-year-old Minne- sota boy may have saved himself and others by choosing to take a front-end loader out for a joy- ride instead of a car. The teen fired up the loader in the middle of the night and drove along the city streets of St. Paul for about four hours through the University of Minnesota before crashing into a car dealer- ship building, damaging one third of the prem- ises. Police suspect his intent was to steal a car by smashing through the business to obtain keys. "He was sick and tired of driving a front-end loader and wanted to drive a car home," said dealership owner John Eaton. A GPS device in the loader gave police a de- scription of the route the boy took. Charges are pending against him in juvenile court. A woman who appeared the next day to apologize for the boy's behaviour claimed he took photos of his exploits and his intent was simply to brag about it to friends. LT

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