CBA Statement

I am honoured to present my candidacy for the position of Vice-President of the Canadian Bar Association.

I joined the CBA on my third day of law school and have had the privilege to grow from a member, to a Branch Section Chair, to a National Section Chair, to now a National Board Member.  I have seen the great work done by the CBA, but I know that better is always possible.

My forward-facing vision for the CBA has three pillars: Membership Growth, Cooperative Federalism, and Professional Advocacy.

The strength of the CBA will always lie in its members.  I believe that growing the membership, especially with students and young lawyers, is vital to the future of the CBA.  By bringing in more members we don’t just bring in more volunteers, we bring in more ideas and more opportunities.

The CBA is a federation and the National-Branch relationship is core to how effective the CBA as a whole can be.  I believe that CBA National must continue to improve its commitment to collaboration between it and the Branches.  This is not just in terms of resources, but coordinating member services and advocacy initiatives.

As the voice of the profession, the CBA’s advocacy role is crucial to showing governments and the Canadian public improvements to be made in the administration of justice. I believe that the CBA must double these efforts to counter the growing distrust of the profession and the justice system as a whole.  This means continuing to advocate for better access to justice for the public and being a strong voice against political interference in the profession.

If you believe in a strong CBA with growing membership, better National-Branch collaboration, and a louder voice for advocacy, then I ask for your support.  I know that this vision of the future is possible, and I will work tirelessly for it.  With your help, we can make this vision a reality.

Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to serve as your next Vice-President.