Canada, Minority Issues, Old People

The View From Up North: More On The Dinosaurs Who Run The Law Society

Hey, you know who else is good at addressing minority issues? Minorities. But, why let minorities speak for themselves when old, white dudes can do it for them?

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Last week, I published my votes for bencher. As you may recall, I took issue with the fact that the Law Society is run by an overwhelming majority of old, white lawyers. That was cool back in the Red River Rebellion days, but it ain’t today.

I also wrote that the whole voting process is a bit of a joke. There are no debates amongst the candidates. Everyone publishes a short bio that highlights their incredible career accomplishments and revolutionary ideas for changing the profession. Based on those short bios and a few heartwarming emails from candidates where they reiterate their incredible accomplishments and revolutionary ideas, Ontario lawyers make their voices heard. Honestly, c’mon, how the hell is anybody supposed to determine who will make a great bencher based on a short bio?

Thus, I ignored the revolutionary ideas and voted almost exclusively for candidates with diverse backgrounds, or white candidates who are in the beginning or middle of their careers. I think my message is clear — it’s time for convocation to get younger and more diverse.

The response I got was quite positive. A few of the benchers I voted for thanked me both for my vote and for raising awareness about the lack of diversity at the Law Society’s highest level.

But, I got an interesting email from one bencher candidate. Let’s call him Ichabod. Ichabod is white and, as near as I can tell, around 60 — exactly the person I don’t want running the Law Society.

Ichabod proceeded to tell me the way I had picked my candidates was a “silly basis on which to vote.” He concluded his email by telling me responsible voting calls for thoughtful analysis, not shallow reactions.

Well, that’s not too paternalistic.

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Ichabod reminded me that old, white lawyers are not “so daft” as to be incapable of dealing with minority issues. Hey, you know who else is good at addressing minority issues? Minorities. But, why let minorities speak for themselves when old, white dudes can do it for them?

Ichabod also took the time to educate me about women. He said 20 years ago, there was a hue and cry about not enough women benchers. Good ole Ichabod told everybody, just wait, they’re coming. And low and behold, they did. I should rename him Kreskin, but I’m too lazy to go back and make changes.

I think the “hue and cry” part of his visionary prediction is lost on Ichabod. Nothing changes unless somebody pushes for change. Thus, my last two columns about bencher elections have been a little “hue and cry.” Do you get it, Ichabod? I used my votes and my column to raise some awareness. I wanted people to talk about convocation’s homogeneity. I don’t think anything will change overnight, but nothing changes without a little hue and cry.

You may not agree with my choices, but I can assure you, I thought long and hard about my votes, you paternalistic SOB.

I responded to Ichabod’s email by saying, “Thanks, Ichabod. I appreciate you taking the time to email me. Have a great day, Steve.” Pleasant, huh? I thought so, considering I was pretty ticked off that some dude barely a decade my senior thought I needed a lecture. I seriously considered blasting him.

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But, I didn’t.

Why?

Because he won’t get it.

Even if he reads this column and recognizes I’m talking about him (which he might not because, you know, I changed his name) he just won’t get it.

Ichabod is exactly the reason why convocation has to get younger and more diverse.

That’s the View From Up North. If you haven’t voted yet, voting is open until 5 p.m. EDT on April 30th. Remember, if you don’t vote, the Commies will take over.

Steve Dykstra is a Canadian-trained lawyer and legal recruiter. He is the President of Keybridge Legal Recruiting, a boutique recruitment firm that places lawyers in law firms and in-house roles throughout North America. You can contact Steve at steve@keybridgerecruiting.com. You can also read his blog at stevendykstra.wordpress.com, follow him on Twitter (@IMRecruitR), or connect on LinkedIn (ca.linkedin.com/in/stevedykstra/).

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