Nanaimo Women's Centre presents Legal Seminars for Women

The Nanaimo Women’s Resources Society is offering empowerment for women through regular legal seminars provided by women lawyers. Topics include child custody and guardianship, access and supervised access, restraining orders, child and spousal maintenance and court forms and procedures. Sessions are free, and are open to any woman who needs information to navigate the family legal system.

Facilitators Bonnie MacLaughlin, Elisabeth A.L. Strain and Mindy Coles are practising family lawyers in Nanaimo. Bonnie MacLaughlin has a degree in Communications and attended law school at Dalhousie. Elisabeth Strain has a degree in Criminology and a degree from UBC School of Law. She has 12 years experience and is former Crown Counsel. Mindy Coles practises family law and solicitation work for Mont & Walker.
“Issues surrounding custody of children and financial support are difficult and stressful, especially if you are self-represented,” MacLaughlin explains. “Providing information to women who are navigating the legal system on their own is one way that the Nanaimo Women’s Resources Society can help women in our community.”
The first session is on Tuesday Dec. 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Nanaimo Women’s Centre, 285 Selby. All women are welcome. For more information, call 753-0633.


*The lawyers facilitating these seminars are unable to provide specific legal advice regarding individual cases.*

THANK YOU to the Rights and Democracy Nanaimo delegation for hosting a successful and moving December 6 fundraiser for the Nanaimo Women's Centre!

We are grateful to the organizers, donors, performers, volunteers and to all of those who attended this event. Your continued support of our work in the community does not go unnoticed.

We will update you with our fundraising total in a later post. Again, many thanks.

DECEMBER 6 EVENTS

5:30 pm

Malaspina University College Dec. 6 Memorial
Wednesday December 6 in the memorial garden in front of Building 360

6pm to 9pm

In cooperation with the MFA Status of Women Committee and the Nanaimo Women’s Centre, Remembrance and Renewal: A National Day of Action will be held in building 355 of the Malaspina University College campus.

BACKGROUND on the Montreal Massacre

On December 6, 1989, on the campus of Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique, 14 women lost their lives in a shooting now known as the Montreal Massacre.

The murdered women were:
Geneviève Bergeron, aged 21; Hélène Colgan, 23; Nathalie Croteau, 23; Barbara Daigneault, 22; Anne-Marie Edward, 21; Maud Haviernick, 29; Barbara Maria Klucznik, 31; Maryse Leclair, 23; Annie St.-Arneault, 23; Michèle Richard, 21; Maryse Laganière, 25; Anne-Marie Lemay, 22; Sonia Pelletier, 28; and Annie Turcotte, aged 21.

These women's lives were cut short simply because they were women.

The anniversary of this event has become a day of remembrance, and in 1991, the Parliament of Canada named December 6 the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

For more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_Massacre

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-70-398/disasters_tragedies/montreal_massacre/

http://gendercide.org/case_montreal.html