the daily snivel
Among other things
I was nominated this week for the Greenspon Brown award, which has been an ongoing award here at the University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic for many years after it was donated by the law firm of Karam, Greenspon and Associates (now Greenspon, Brown and Associates) in recognition of Clinic students who have made a significant contribution to the files and members of the Clinic. The special thing about the award is that you have to be nominated by at least two fellow students, with reasons, and only the students at the Clinic can vote on the ultimate recipient. Along with myself, two of my very good friends were also nominated, which I admit has put me in a bind.
I admit I would love my little name to live on, engraved on the plaques than hang on our conference room wall, especially since I so admire and respect (and nominated) the student who won last year, who is currently articling here as my supervisor. It also comes with a modest bursary, which again would be quite delightful.
On the other hand, I was talking with one of the other nominees, and he and I agreed that the third nominee was really one of the unsung heroes of the Clinic. She's a swell person who has worked hard on the Steering Committee, supervised her division with grace and skill, and while very well liked and appreciated by everyone, nevertheless hasn't gotten the big prizes, such as I did when I won the Clarey B. Sproule Memorial Bursary, or my also-nominated colleague did when he got hired here to help out with research for the criminal division this summer.
So, we both agreed it was time to vote for our good friend, which we did, yesterday. Everyone's wishing me luck, and again I'm torn, but in the end I'd be very happy if my good friend won instead ... though, OK, perhaps I'd be just as happy if we tied and were awarded it together.
What an award whore am I.
***
As another aside, let me say that there will be a ruling from the judge at the head of the Gomery Inquiry into the Liberal Party sponsorship scandal today about whether or not the publication ban will be lifted, which will probably result in some furious discussion about whether this government is going down or not. You might have noticed that I spend a lot of time talking about US politics, but less about Canadian. I think, on the whole, that the wingnutty culture in the US is just so freaking scary that it captivates my horrified attention and outrage. Canada has pockets of the same, but the US is really a chilling example of what could come, and I'm anxious to see those fires put out.
Still, I think it is time to take more of an interest in local issues as well, which is certainly in the works and I'll be able to talk about (and read more about) if the publication ban is lifted. I'm no fan of the Liberal Party, but we as Canadians have put ourselves in a silly quandary by concluding that there are only two options -- the Liberals or the Conservatives -- and preferring sleazy and corrupt to freaky and scary. I personally think it's time to put a progressive party in power that can balance some amount of fiscal prudence with genuine progressive and constitutionally justifiable stances on issues that Canadians care about.
As it stands right now, given the waste, corruption, ideology, and non-denial-denials, neither the Liberal Party nor the Conservatives can honestly lay a claim to either priority.
Comments:I admit I would love my little name to live on, engraved on the plaques than hang on our conference room wall, especially since I so admire and respect (and nominated) the student who won last year, who is currently articling here as my supervisor. It also comes with a modest bursary, which again would be quite delightful.
On the other hand, I was talking with one of the other nominees, and he and I agreed that the third nominee was really one of the unsung heroes of the Clinic. She's a swell person who has worked hard on the Steering Committee, supervised her division with grace and skill, and while very well liked and appreciated by everyone, nevertheless hasn't gotten the big prizes, such as I did when I won the Clarey B. Sproule Memorial Bursary, or my also-nominated colleague did when he got hired here to help out with research for the criminal division this summer.
So, we both agreed it was time to vote for our good friend, which we did, yesterday. Everyone's wishing me luck, and again I'm torn, but in the end I'd be very happy if my good friend won instead ... though, OK, perhaps I'd be just as happy if we tied and were awarded it together.
What an award whore am I.
***
As another aside, let me say that there will be a ruling from the judge at the head of the Gomery Inquiry into the Liberal Party sponsorship scandal today about whether or not the publication ban will be lifted, which will probably result in some furious discussion about whether this government is going down or not. You might have noticed that I spend a lot of time talking about US politics, but less about Canadian. I think, on the whole, that the wingnutty culture in the US is just so freaking scary that it captivates my horrified attention and outrage. Canada has pockets of the same, but the US is really a chilling example of what could come, and I'm anxious to see those fires put out.
Still, I think it is time to take more of an interest in local issues as well, which is certainly in the works and I'll be able to talk about (and read more about) if the publication ban is lifted. I'm no fan of the Liberal Party, but we as Canadians have put ourselves in a silly quandary by concluding that there are only two options -- the Liberals or the Conservatives -- and preferring sleazy and corrupt to freaky and scary. I personally think it's time to put a progressive party in power that can balance some amount of fiscal prudence with genuine progressive and constitutionally justifiable stances on issues that Canadians care about.
As it stands right now, given the waste, corruption, ideology, and non-denial-denials, neither the Liberal Party nor the Conservatives can honestly lay a claim to either priority.
