Law Times

Page 16 December 12, 2016 • Law Times www.lawtimesnews.com LSUC ANNOUNCES HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD HONOUREES The Law Society of Upper Canada has announced that Cin- dy Blackstock will receive one of its 2016 human rights awards. Blackstock, who is the execu- tive director of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Soci- ety of Canada, has been her- alded for her work taking on the federal government to advocate for First Nations children. "I simply cannot sit still and allow the federal government to give less life opportunities to a generation of children simply because they are First Nations children, and I am not alone," says Blackstock. She led a successful human rights complaint against the federal government at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which found the government guilty of systemic discrimination by under- funding child welfare on reserves. Blackstock, a member of the Gitx- san First Nation of British Columbia, says the Human Rights Award recognizes all of the indigenous and non-indigenous people who have stood up for First Nations children. The other winner of the 2016 award is Saudi Arabian human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair, who founded the Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia. In 2014, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for what human rights groups have said are unfounded terrorism charges. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in 2017. TORONTO LAWYER APPOINTED TO CCPPP BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships has named a partner with Den- tons Canada LLP to serve on its board of directors. Michael Ledgett will join a group of representatives from private and public institutions from across Canada on the board. The CCPPP is a non- profit that promotes public pri- vate partnerships. Ledgett is co-chairman of Dentons' National P3/Infra- structure Group and advises on private-public partnership projects across the world. LAO STUDENTS VOTE TO JOIN UNION Legal Aid Ontario articling students have voted to join the Society of Energy Pro- fessionals. LAO counted the ballots on Dec. 1, almost seven months after the students voted. They voted in favour by 29-4. Lawyers representing the students said LAO used stall tactics to delay the vote count, but the agency said the dispute that was holding up the count was a normal part of the bar- gaining process. The counting of the vote will mean the same union that repre- sents LAO's staff lawyers will do the same for its articling students. 23 % NO, I DO NOT AGREE YES, I AGREE 77 % LAW TIMES POLL A recent Law Times column ar- gues that the Anti-terrorism Act creates a chill on free speech by adding unclear sections to the Criminal Code. Readers were asked if they feel the new laws will hurt coun- ter-terrorism efforts. More than 77 per cent said yes, the Anti- terrorism Act is vague and does not provide lawyers with a clear sense of how courts will apply the new provisions. The remaining 23 per cent said no, the Anti-terrorism Act is meant to be applied to a vari- ety of terrorism-related offences, and it gives Canadians a stron- ger legal framework to prosecute such offences. LT u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story "Don't worry! I hacked into their milk and cookies extractor app and reset its acquisition preferences to flat-screen TVs. They should all get at least two years without parole." NICKELBACK DETERRENT TO DRUNK DRIVING? KENSINGTON, Nf ld. — Despite its interna- tional multi-platinum success, Nickelback has a lot of haters on the Internet. Now, they can add a Newfoundland police department to that group. Police in this small town of 1,500 are hoping that adding Nickelback music to an impaired driving charge will be enough to keep drunk par- tiers away from the wheel, according to Reuters. In a Facebook post last week, Kensington police asked holiday partiers to plan ahead and drink responsibly. For those "dumb enough" to drink and drive, Kensington police had this message: "When we catch you, and we will catch you, on top of a hefty fine, a criminal charge and a years [sic] driving suspension we will also provide you with a bonus gift of playing the offices [sic] copy of Nickelback in the cruiser on the way to jail," reports Reuters. "Now, now, no need to thank us, we figure if you are foolish enough to get behind the wheel after drinking then a little Chad Kroeger and the boys is the perfect gift for you," the post added. The police post garnered hundreds of Face- book comments, including some joking, "Police brutality!! Torture!! Inhumane punishment!!" and "OUCH!! I'd rather be shot . . . twice!" Oth- ers asked if the police were saving Justin Bieber for worse crimes, reports Reuters. With millions of fans around the world buy- ing their music, it's doubtful Nickelback and The Biebs are worried about the "harassment" by Kensington's finest. BANK OF ENGLAND'S FAT-FREE POUNDS LONDON — The Bank of England said its sup- plier of currency, Innovia, is working toward re- moving the use of animal fat in the production of its new plastic five-pound note after objec- tion raised by thousands of vegetarians, accord- ing to Reuters. The bank said it did not know about traces of tallow, which contains animal fats, in the pro- duction of the currency when it signed the con- tract with Innovia. But earlier, reports Reuters, the Bank of Eng- land confirmed that tallow is used in the pro- duction of the new currency, after an online petition against its use in the notes, started by campaigner Doug Maw, was signed by more than 100,000 supporters in less than two days. "We are aware of some people's concerns about traces of tallow in our new five-pound note. "We respect those concerns and are treating them with the utmost seriousness," the bank said in a statement, according to Reuters. MOONSHINERS CHARGED NEWTON, Kans. — A couple is facing federal charges for making and selling moonshine out of their basement. Ryan and Jennifer Penner each were indicted last week on one count of possession of an un- registered still, one count of unlawful produc- tion of distilled spirits and one count of failing to be bonded as a distiller, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said, according to the Wichita Eagle. The couple is accused of making moonshine — an illegal home-brewed liquor on which feder- al and state excise taxes haven't been paid — and selling it from their home. Undercover officers investigating the home- distilling operation bought jars of moonshine from the Penners several times after the Newton Police Department learned about it. Police who served a search warrant at the home found and seized a still, 25 containers of moonshine, a sales ledger and moonshine- making ingredients, reports the Wichita Eagle. If convicted, the Penners face up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of US$250,000. LT Cindy Blackstock is one of the recipients of a human rights award from the Law Society of Upper Canada. A DAILY BLOG OF CANADIAN LEGAL NEWS LEGALFEEDS.CA FEEDS LEGAL POWERED BY FEEDS LEGAL FEEDS LEGAL Untitled-2 1 2016-12-06 8:40 AM

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