This year, the Section executive (Co‐Chairs Melanie Bueckert and Darla Rettie, Vice‐Chair Cynthia Lau and Member‐at‐Large Catherine Skinner) planned and offered several sessions targeting various practice areas across the public and private bar.
In October 2012, the Section offered a session on Legal Research Ethics, focusing on recent case law concerning research costs and the connection between research abilities and a lawyer’s professional competence. The speakers were Section co‐chair Darla Rettie and Jocelyn Frazer, Practice Management Advisor with the Law Society of Alberta.
In November 2012, the Section partnered with the Law Society of Manitoba to present the Electronic Legal Research Booster (An Intermediate Level Program). This well‐attended session followed up on the Section’s February 2012 introductory electronic legal research offering.
In December 2012, the Section held its annual holiday party at Rudy’s Eat and Drink (courtesy of Pitblado). In honour of the season, Section members were asked to bring donations to the West Broadway Youth Outreach program, resulting in a generous donation of school supplies and other materials.
In January 2013, the Section sponsored a Mid‐Winter session on Bilingual Statutory Interpretation for Anglophones (What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You). The Section was honoured to welcome as speakers The Hon. Mr. Justice Richard Chartier of the Manitoba Court of Appeal and The Hon. Michel Bastarache, C.C. Dr. Gerald Heckman of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law moderated this lively and informative session.
In April 2013, the Section partnered with the Public Sector Lawyers’ Forum to offer an Overview of Public Policy Research and Development. Speakers Dr. Sarah Whiteford, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Council on Post Secondary Education, and Denis Le Heiget, Associate General Counsel with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, introduced participants to the techniques involved in researching and developing public policy.
Planning is underway for a number of events later this year including the third annual Legal Research Roundtable to be held in June. The Section executive is also busy planning events for 2013‐2014, including a second instalment in the joint policy research series with the Public Sector Lawyers’ Forum.
The Section’s monthly online newsletter, Law and Library Monthly (LLM), continues to be compiled by Melanie Bueckert with the assistance of many volunteer contributors (Johanna Caithness, Tony Cellitti, David Davis, Andrea Doyle, Scott Entz, Tanya Keller, Cynthia Lau and Catherine Skinner). The newsletter provides topical updates in the areas of civil litigation, criminal law, family law, immigration law, labour and employment law, tax law and law reform updates, as well as information on recent Great Library acquisitions and provincial and federal proclamations. In all, nine editions of the newsletter will be published in 2012‐2013, in an effort to provide Section members with comprehensive information about recent updates to Manitoba law.
Respectfully Submitted,
Melanie Bueckert and Darla Rettie, Co‐Chairs