OBA Women Lawyers Forum & Family Law Section PROGRAM | 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM (ET)

In honour of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (December 6), join us for this special screening of the smallest steps. This feature documentary by Nicole Bedford follows two law students and two survivors as they take a stand against gender-based violence. 

Following the film, engage with our expert faculty as they unpack the key themes from the film, including:

• Forms of gender-based violence and how to identify them
• The intersection of gender-based violence and the legal system – family and criminal law
• Practical advice for lawyers handling cases involving gender-based violence
• Avenues to advocate for change - because even the smallest steps matter

You’ll leave inspired, and armed with the insights and confidence to take your own small steps in the movement against gender-based violence.

About the smallest steps:
What does it take to have a voice? What sustains people on the long road from fear and silence to courage and action? For women whose voices are often suppressed, the journey is full of challenges. Many quit along the way.

But in Ottawa, Ontario, two law students (Victoria & Jade) and two survivors of violence (Sheri & Ashley) have decided to take a stand and join the anti-violence movement. The only trouble is, they don’t know how to be activists.

In their homes and on the streets, the smallest steps follows these women as they take their first activist steps, protesting for equality in -40 Celsius weather, crafting briefs in support of amendments to the Divorce Act, and advocating for a National Action Plan for Gender Equality. Interwoven through their journeys, veteran activists share their struggles and successes, providing historical context and reminding us that ending violence against women is a challenge spanning generations.

Overall, the smallest steps is a story of how women find their voice, both as individuals and as a collective movement. Through an intergenerational glimpse of the courage and stamina required to be an anti-violence activist, this story teaches us that even the smallest steps to do what is right can lead to big change.

Filmed between 2018 and 2021 on unceded Algonquin Territory. Watch the trailer: https://smalleststeps.ca/

PROGRAM CHAIRS

Kathy Batycky, Stoner & Company Family Law Associates
Emma Katz, Kelly D. Jordan Family Law Firm

PROGRAM SPEAKERS

The Honourable Loretta Merritt, Superior Court of Justice
Sheri Buck, Protagonist from the smallest steps
Deepa Mattoo, Executive Director, Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Kelly Jordan, Kelly D. Jordan Family Law Firm