The Canadian Bar Association’s AGM took place on February 17, 2021. L4CJ put forward a Climate Leadership Resolution as planned, and many members spoke in favour. Unfortunately, other members expressed concern about the implications of the resolution, and the resolution was defeated. Of the 35,000 CBA members, approximately 350 members were virtually attending the meeting when voting on the resolution was called. The numbers who voted in favour vs. against the resolution were not made public.
L4CJ is heartened by the support for the resolution and encouraged by the dialogue that it sparked among members of the legal profession. The CBA described the dialogue in its Resolution Round Up, quoting Brian Hebert, Chair of CBA’s Aboriginal Law Section as saying he could not fathom “why we as lawyers wouldn’t support this,” pointing out that the American Bar Association passed a similar resolution two years ago. “We might try to ignore climate change,” he said, “but it’s happening all around us.”
L4CJ is considering its next campaign and invites anyone who would like to get involved to contact us.