ARCTIC OBITER

CBA-NT BAR NOTES—SANDRA MACKENZIE, PRESIDENT
t is that time of year again, when we as lawyers get
I into the swing of professional activities after
enjoying an amazing northern summer. Fall is a time
to get back to business, to start afresh, and to set goals
for the upcoming year ahead. As I sit down to write
this piece, the first snow flakes are falling (and staying
on the ground) in Yellowknife, and I am thinking
about the upcoming year and what it means to be a
member of the Canadian Bar Association.
To me, it means being a connected and
engaged member of the bar, participating
in legislation and law reform, and having
access to great local and national
professional development and networking
opportunities. It is also a great way to get
involved and to give back to the
profession.
It has been a busy fall for the CBA at the national and
local levels, and it is my hope that this year the CBA-
NWT will continue to provide value, engagement, and
meaningful CPD programs to its members. The fall got
off to a great start with the Presidents’ Dinner on
September 21, 2013, which was co-hosted by myself
and the president of the Law Society, Caroline
Wawzonek. We had the honour of hosting Madame
Justice Andromache Karakastanis of the Supreme
Court of Canada for the weekend of the dinner. Justice
Karakastanis spoke about lawyers’ professional
obligations to their clients, and the potential conflicts
that arise between lawyers’ ethical obligations and the
business of law. It was a thoughtful and insightful
speech, and overall the evening was a great success! A
big thanks goes out to all of the LSNWT and CBA staff
and volunteers who made this event happen.
Section Chairs are busy putting together a roster of
great CPD programming for the year. Stay tuned for a
busy few months of interesting programming. On a
national level, the Skilled Lawyers Series is returning
with another great line up of exceptional webinars.
This season is focused on practice competencies and
practice management. Each webinar will be replayed
this year, so members will have another opportunity
to access a program if they missed it the first time.
These webinars can also be replayed upon request at
any time.
The Women Lawyers Forum has also had a busy fall
so far. The season kicked off with a wine and sushi
reception at the beginning of September which was a
great way for people to reconnect professionally after
the summer. The group put together a team for the
CIBC Run for the Cure, and went out and ran on a
beautiful autumn day in early October.
At the national level, the CBA Access to Justice
Committee recently released the Access to Justice
Report “Reaching Equal Justice” at the CLC in
Saskatoon this past summer. This fall, the committee
is developing a work plan that will move the CBA
from the targets in the report to concrete
implementation. and is now in the final phase of the
project. The CBA Futures Initiative is in full swing and
is looking for members to “Join the Conversation” by
participating in live webinars and twitter chats and
online forums. There are lots of opportunities to get
involved at the national level. Email me for any further
information or questions on these projects or getting
involved on national committees.
As the new president of the CBA-NWT, I look forward
to working with you this year.
I want to hear what matters to you.
I want to know how we can improve your experience
as a member of the CBA, or if you are not a member- I
want to know why you are not a member, and what
the CBA can do engage and connect with local
members of the bar.
4 ■ FALL 2013 ARCTIC OBITER