CALL-ACAMS Newsletter - April 2005

CALL-ACAMS Affairs

Keith Oleksiuk – Remembered
We regret to inform you that Keith Oleksiuk, a dear friend and colleague, died in February 2005. He is survived by his wife Kathy, and children Danny, Kayla and Shane. Keith articled at the USWA National Office with Brian Shell and subsequently assisted Ken Neumann in the USWA District 3 Office before serving as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Labour Relations Board of British Columbia from 1992 to 2000. He has since been on the legal staff of the British Columbia Government and Service Employees Union.  Hundreds of his friends attending a Memorial Gathering in March heard tributes from family, neighbours, sports coaches, co-workers and friends including Brian Shell, Kate Young, Ken Georgetti and Jim Sinclair.

Keith's family invited anyone wishing to make a donation in Keith's memory to consider the Sierra Legal Defence Fund (http://www.sierralegal.org/), the British Columbia Cancer Agency (http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/) or a charity of their choice.

Federal Law Reform Project
Warren Edmundson, Chair of the Canada Industrial Relations Board, requested CALL's participation in a working group to review the Canada Labour Code and the workings of the Board. Five CALL members volunteered to form a working group to be the voice of CALL in that process. Larry Steinberg (Toronto) and Michael Cohen (Montreal) are co-chairs of the working group and Ray Larkin (Halifax), Michael Church (Toronto) and Don Bobert (Vancouver) round out the group.

CALL/ACAMS Website
CALL/ACAMS has a new web look. Visit www.call-acams.com to have a look. The new site should bring increased web functionality and utility for CALL members. 

CALL/ACAMS Aid to Tsunami Impacted Trade Unions
The CALL/ACAMS Council voted to provide immediate and ongoing funding relief to trade unions impacted by the tsunami in Southeast Asia. The International Committee is working together with Craig Flood and Michael Church, Treasurer, to work out the level and target of the funding.

International Affairs

Cuba Conference
Claude Melançon is reviewing the feasibility of CALL/ACAMS co-sponsoring an international labour conference in Havana, Cuba this coming Fall. Stay tuned for more information.

Mexico City Conference (July, 2005)
The Latin American Association of Labour Lawyers (Asociacion Latinoamericana De Abogados Laboralistas - ALAL), is meeting in Mexico City in July, 2005. It has been proposed that CALL/ACAMS support sending a Spanish-speaking member to the conference to further ties with the Latin American Labour Lawyers.

Mexico City Conference (October, 2005)
Regional Congress of the International Society for Labour Law and Social Security. CALL/ACAMS to consider whether it would be important to send a delegate to provide connection for the Paris Conference in 2006.

Paris Conference (September, 2006)
In order to provide an opportunity for CALL/ACAMS members to meet colleagues from around the world, it has been agreed in principle that CALL/ACAMS will support and facilitate a delegation to the XVIII World Congress of the International Society for Labour Law and Social Security, Paris (France), September 2006. More information will be available at the Montreal CALL/ACAMS conference.

Bill 144 Committee
An ad hoc committee of Ontario labour lawyers got together to lobby the Minister of Labour on behalf of CALL/ACAMS in connection with Bill 144.  Bill 144 proposes a number of significant changes to Ontario's Labour Relations Act. A copy of the submission is available at www.call-acams.com. For further information contact Ron Lebi.

14th Annual CALL/ACAMS Conference - Montréal, Québec -June 16-19, 2005
Planning is well underway for the 14th annual CALL/ACAMS Conference to be held in Montréal, June 16-19, 2005, immediately following the CLC Convention.  The Conference hotel is the Hyatt located at 1255 rue Jeanne Mance, Montréal, Québec.  Registration materials are available at the CALL-ACAMS website or by contacting Michael Cohen of the Montréal organizing committee.  If you have ideas for the agenda, contact Craig Flood.

We look forward to seeing you in Montréal.

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