www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 10 Justice for all, civil liberties lawyer tells students at forum by Michael Gregory Oakville Beaver Staff One of Canada's top intellectuals in the field of social justice and freedom of expression was recently the guest at Abbey Park High School as it hosted to a youth legal forum. "No value, no virtue is so great that it could overpower all other virtues," Alan Borovoy, general counsel emeritus at Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) told his audience. "We have no choice but to balance them, one against the other," he said. Students from Abbey Park, Robert Bateman, Garth Webb, St. Thomas Aquinas and White Oaks secondary schools all attended the Youth In Law and Justice evening. Borovoy is an Officer of the Order of Canada and holds numerous honourary doctorates. He cautioned everyone's freedom must be respected in order that everyone have freedom. "It's so important to be able to stand up for people, even if you don't like them yourself, because our civil liberties depends on it," he Claude's vaCuum shop Includes Deluxe Air Package Sales · Service · Parts Free Estimates on Repairs Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday · 9am - 6pm Wednesday · 9am - 5pm Saturday · 9am - 4pm sale $39999 Supreme 100, 10 Years Warranty 128 Kerr St., Oakville, ON L6K 3A7 905.842.5658 | claude2@cogeco.net www.claudesvacuum.com Abbey Park High School hosted its second annual Youth In Law and Justice evening with guest speaker Alan Borovoy, a Canadian lawyer best known as the general counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA). | photo by Riziero Vertolli Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/ HaltonPhotog) said. "The freedom of no one is safe unless the freedom of everyone is safe." Borovoy discussed a 1974 case in Fort Erie in which a drug raid led to searches and seizures that would be considered illegal under Charter legislation as dozens of people, mostly women, were subjected to physical examinations and searches. Borovoy also discussed his experiences arguing against Ontario's panhandling laws, as well the federal government's outlawing of pornography in the early 1990s. He also outlined factors that often contribute to someone being vulnerable to having their rights compromised. The evening wrapped up with students having an opportunity to ask questions of a distinguished legal panel. Family lawyer Katherine Batycky, CCLA lawyer Laura Berger, civil litigator Jacinthe Boudreau, poverty lawyer and social justice advocate Ken Jim and criminal lawyer Brendan Neil all weighed in with expertise on everything from the best part of their jobs to tips for success in the profession. "Use these next few years to explore different things and that means talking to different people and doing volunteer opportunities and internships," Berger advised students. "You're much more likely to end up in an area that you love if you put in that time now." TERR O ATION C O L ON A MILT NLY $ 0 st 5 m 1 o r CH 2 Shop f TH - MAR 0 M 1 Y R - 3P A U M N A 0 A J Y1 A D R SATU Join TERRA and local farmers, artisans, and other local vendors at the TERRA @ Home Winter Market in Milton! Shop for meats, produce, baked goods and unique & specialty food items. rs o d n e local v ! 100 Off A pair of Prescription Glasses or Sunglasses 92 Dunn Street Downtown oakville lebeauoptical@gmail.com www. lebeauoptical.com MILTON LOCATION ONLY 12800 Britannia Rd. · (905) 876-4000 · www.terragreenhouses.com 905-845-3621