Women Archives - Page 27 of 35 - Maureen F. Fitzgerald

We need a positive culture not just for schools but also for the teachers’ strike

BC Premier Christy Clark just announced a $2 million strategy and anti-bullying program to keep school kids safe. As she rightly points out, laws and punishments do not work and we need to “create a positive school culture.” She stated correctly that, “educators need tools to be able to deal with conflicts in an appropriate

When four ex-ministers and scientists slam the goverment I listen

Four former federal fisheries ministers from BC as well as several scientists have asked our Canadian government to stop weakening the fisheries laws that protect fish and reduce pollution. Although I know very little about fish I do know that rarely do such highly respected experts join together in such a manner. Their voices are

Mark McEwan is a brave and brilliant judge

Justice Mark McEwan just did what governments are too afraid to do. He struck down the court hearing fees as being unconstitutional. He said, as all of us lawyers know, if people can not access justice (because they have no money or ability) then justice in denied. Obviously. So for now the government can no longer charge $500

Wife abuse highest in Kelowna and Abbotsford

We should be ashamed that about 13,000 people in BC were victims of family violence last year. About 99,000 people across Canada! How can we say we live in a civilized society when almost half of those incidents involve men assualting their wives – to the degree that the police are called in. Domestic violence is

First lady of France attacked by media

Three attacks on a women leader in one article. I just read that the incoming first lady of France is single and although Ms Trierweiler is the President’s life partner the fact that she is not married to him is wreaking havoc. Why? Because certain people do not want her to sleep with her

Sue Paish moves

Congratulations to Sue Paish, lawyer extraordinaire on her move to head up LifeLabs.

Killed Because they were Girls is a new book

I see that Christie Blatchford and the National Post have published a book on the trial of the Shafia family. If you recall the father, mother and brother were all found guilty of murdering their two daughters and step mother. They pushed their car into a lake. I like the title of the book because its so true.

Lawyers can be so cruel

I was embarrassed to call myself a lawyer when I read about lawyer Dirk Derstine’s cross examination of Tara McDonald – the mother of the 8 year old girl who was brutally murdered in Woodstock Ontario in 2009. In trying to defend his client (who is accused of help the woman who is already in jail

RCMP don’t need investigations they need restorative justice

The RCMP just announced that they will be training officers to investigate incidences of harassment. This comes when a class action law suit is being persued by over 100 female RCMP officers. As a lawyer and investigator, I am not sure this action will stop sexism or deal with the current complaints. Sexism is not

Yeah for Delayne Sartisan investgating sexism at missing women’s

Things are getting worse for the Missing Woman Commission who is looking into why the murderer (Pickton) of so many sex trade workers was not caught sooner. Recently some former (note they are not current!) staff working working on the inquiry alleged sexist attitudes by certain male staff. So the head (Wally Oppal) decided to appoint Delayne Sartison,