OBA Women Lawyers Forum and Family Law PROGRAM | 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Join us for this special screening of the smallest steps, a feature documentary by Nicole Bedford that 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
- Because even the smallest steps matter: avenues to advocate for change
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
PROGRAM DETAILS
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Date: |
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 |
Time: |
4:00 pm Welcome and Opening Remarks
4:05 pm Film screening: the smallest steps
5:15 pm Panel discussion
6:30 pm Networking Reception
7:30 pm Event concludes |
Location: |
OBA Conference Centre
20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor | Toronto, ON | M5C 2B8 |
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PROGRAM PRICE
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Program with Reception:
CBA Member: $88* | CBA Student Member: $60* | Non-Member: $138*
Program only:
CBA Member: $73* | CBA Student Member: $45* | Non-Member: $123*
*plus applicable taxes
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