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Truth be told : my journey through life and the law / by McLachlin, Beverley,1943-author.;
"Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Beverley McLachlin, offers an intimate and revealing look at her life and shares her insights into the most pressing legal and social questions we face today. As a young girl, Beverley McLachlin's world was often full of wonder--at the expansive Prairie vistas around her, at the stories she discovered in the books at her local library, and at the diverse people who passed through her parents' door. While her family was poor, their lives were rich in the ways that mattered most. Even at a young age, she had an innate sense of justice, which was reinforced by the lessons her parents taught her: Everyone deserves dignity. All people are equal. Those who work hard reap the rewards. Willful, spirited, and unusually intelligent, she discovered in Pincher Creek an extraordinary tapestry of people and perspectives that informed her worldview going forward. Still, life in the rural Prairies was lonely, and gaining access to education--especially for girls--wasn't always easy. As a young woman, McLachlin moved to Edmonton to pursue a degree in philosophy. There, she discovered her passion lay not in the ivory towers of academia, but in the real world, solving problems directly related to the lives of the people around her. And in the law, she found the tools to do exactly that. She soon realized, though, that the world was not always willing to accept her. In her early years as an articling student and lawyer, she encountered sexism, exclusion, and old boys' clubs at every turn. And outside the courtroom, personal loss and tragedies struck close to home. Nonetheless, McLachlin was determined to prove her worth, and her love of the law and the pursuit of justice pulled her through the darkest moments. McLachlin's meteoric rise through the courts soon found her serving on the highest court in the country, becoming the first woman to be named Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. She rapidly distinguished herself as a judge of renown, one who was never afraid to take on morally complex or charged debates. Over the next eighteen years, McLachlin presided over the most prominent cases in the country--involving Charter challenges, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia. One judgment at a time, she laid down a legal legacy that proved that fairness and justice were not luxuries of the powerful but rather obligations owed to each and every one of us. With warmth, honesty, and deep wisdom, McLachlin invites us into her legal and personal life--into the hopes and doubts, the triumphs and losses on and off the bench. Through it all, her constant faith in justice remained her true north. In an age of division and uncertainty, McLachlin's memoir is a reminder that justice and the rule of law remain our best hope for a progressive and bright future."-- Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Autobiographies.; Biographies.; McLachlin, Beverley, 1943-; Canada. Supreme Court.; Judges;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella. by Avrich, Barry,film director.; V71 US Inc. (Firm),dst; Kanopy (Firm),dst;
Originally produced by V71 US Inc. in 2023.An account of the life and career of Rosalie Abella, a former member of the Supreme Court of Canada, who immigrated to Canada as a child after her parents survived the Holocaust.Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subjects: Documentary films.; Criminal law.; Social sciences.; Americans.; Foreign study.; Gender identity.; Documentary films.; Women's studies.; History.;
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Pride & persistence : stories of queer activism / by Breen, Mary Fairhurst,1963-;
Every day, people face discrimination because of their sexuality and gender identity. The people between these pages have stood up for the queer community, whether on their own behalf or in support of people they love. Some made a difference by confronting injustice; others dared to be fully themselves. Susan Ursel fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada for the right to have books with queer characters in schools. Sparkle Wilson runs an internship program for LGBTQ+ youth in San Francisco that helps them build skills and grow their confidence. Itzayana Gutiérrez Arillo discovered the joy and global community of queer tango. Their stories prove that we can all make the world a little safer, kinder, and more inclusive.
Subjects: Biographies.; Political activists; Sexual minorities; Sexual minorities; Gay activists; Lesbian activists; Gay rights;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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No reason to apologize : the resilient legacy of Viola Desmond / by Liberman, W. L.; Jamal, Tajliya.; Guignard, Tommy.;
"In 2018, Viola Desmond's likeness appeared on the Canadian ten-dollar bill, leading many people to wonder about her story. Who was she and why is she an important figure? Viola was a stubborn, entrepreneurial woman who stood up against racial discrimination. Denied a floor seat in the whites-only section at a cinema in 1946, she was forcefully removed, arrested, and convicted of tax evasion. She owed a single penny. Viola fought for her rights in court, even appealing her case to the Supreme Court of Canada, but was unfortunately denied. Her actions sparked controversy among the Black community at the time, and her career, reputation, and relationships were all impacted. In the end Viola chose to leave her family and friends in Nova Scotia and move to New York City to start over. Tragically, it was there that she died, alone and far from her loved ones, at the relatively young age of fifty. It wasn't until the year 2010 that Viola Desmond received a full pardon for her supposed "crimes" and conviction. Today, her struggle for justice and her contribution to the modern civil rights movement is widely recognized."--Publisher.
Subjects: Graphic novels.; Comics (Graphic works); Nonfiction comics.; Biographical comics.; Desmond, Viola, 1914-1965; Race discrimination; Civil rights; Black people; Women, Black; Businesswomen; Cartoons and comics.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Walmart : diary of an associate / by Meunier, Hugo,author.; translation of:Meunier, Hugo.Walmart.English.;
Includes bibliographical references."In 2012, journalist Hugo Meunier went undercover as a Walmart employee for three months in St. Leonard, Quebec, just north of Montreal. In great detail, Meunier charts the daily life of an impoverished Walmart worker, referring to his shifts at the box store giant as "somewhere between the army and Walt Disney." Each shift began with a daily chant before bowing to customer demands and the constant pressure to sell. Meanwhile Meunier and his fellow workers could not afford to shop anywhere else but Walmart, further indenturing them to the multi-billion-dollar corporation. Beyond his time on the shop floor, Meunier documents the extraordinary efforts that Walmart exerts to block unionization campaigns, including their 2005 decision to close their outlet in Jonquiere, QC, where the United Food and Commercial Workers union had successfully gained certification rights. A decade later he charts the Supreme Court of Canada ruling that exposed the dubious legal ground on which Walmart stood in invoking closure and throwing workers out on the street. In Walmart: Diary of an Associate, Meunier reveals the truths behind Walmart's low prices. It will make you think twice before shopping there."-- Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Wal-Mart (Firm); Discount houses (Retail trade); Retail trade; Retail trade; Working poor;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The last doctor : lessons in living from the front lines of medical assistance in dying / by Marmoreo, Jean,author.;
"An urgently important exploration of the human stories behind Canada's evolving acceptance of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), from one of its first and most thoughtful practitioners. Dr. Jean Marmoreo spent her career keeping people alive. But when the Supreme Court of Canada gave the green light to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in 2016, she became one of a small group of doctors who chose to immediately train themselves in this new field. Over the course of a single year, Marmoreo learns about end-of-life practices in bustling Toronto hospitals, in hospices, and in the facilities of smaller communities. She found that the needed services were often minimal--or non-existent. The Last Doctor recounts Marmoreo's crash course in MAiD and introduces a range of very different and memorable patients, some aged, some suffering from degenerative conditions or with a terminal disease, some surrounded by supportive love, some quite alone, who ask her help to end their suffering with dignity and on their own terms. Dr. Marmoreo also shares her own emotional transformation as she climbs a steep learning curve and learns the intimate truths of the vast range of end-of-life situations. What she experiences with MAiD shakes her to her core, makes her think deeply about pain, loneliness, and joy, and brings her closer to life's most profound questions. At a time when end-of-life care and its quality are more in the public eye than ever before, The Last Doctor provides an accessibly personal, deeply humane, and authoritative guide through this difficult subject."--
Subjects: Personal narratives.; Marmoreo, Jean; Assisted suicide; Assisted suicide;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Colonialism and capitalism : Canada's origins 1500-1890 : a new history for the twenty-first century. by Palmer, Bryan D.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.In the past decade Canadian history has become a hotly contested subject. Iconic figures, notably Sir John A Macdonald, are no longer unquestioned nation-builders. The narrative of two founding peoples has been set aside in favour of recognition of Indigenous nations whose lands were taken up by the incoming settlers. An authoritative and widely-respected Truth and Reconciliation Commission, together with an honoured Chief Justice of the Supreme Court have both described long-standing government policies and practices as "cultural genocide." Historians have researched and published a wide range of new research documenting the many complex threads comprising the Canadian experience. As a leading historian of labour and social movements, Bryan Palmer has been a major contributor to this literature. In this first volume of a major new survey history of Canada, he offers a narrative which is based on the recent and often specialized research and writing of his historian colleagues. One major theme in this book is the colonial practices of the authorities as they pushed aside the original peoples of this country. While the methods varied, the result was opening up Canada's rich resources for exploitation by the incoming European settlers. The second major theme is the role of capitalism in determining how those resources were exploited, and who would reap the enormous power and wealth that accrued. The first volume of this challenging and illuminating new survey history covers the period that concludes in the 1890s after the creation out of Britain's northern colonies of the semi-autonomous federal Canadian state.
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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