Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance Section (SAGDA) – Hero Award

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance Section (SAGDA) awards recognize excellence within the Canadian legal profession in advancing the cause of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and two-spirit people.

Criteria

Open to lawyers, professors, law students or judges who are members of the LGBTQ2+ communities, who have advanced the cause of equality of the LGBTQ2+ communities through either a single important action or series of actions or through a career contribution and/or those, who through excellence in their profession or community, or both, have served as a role model for other members of the LGBTQ2+ communities.

Eligibility

  • Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents within Canada
  • Current members of the SAGDA executive are not eligible for the awards
  • There are no posthumous awards

Nomination Procedure

  • Nominations shall take the form of a letter stating reasons for the candidate's nomination;
  • The nominee's written consent and curriculum vitae shall be included with the nomination;
  • The full name, address, telephone fax and email information of both the nominee and the nominator shall be included with the nomination
  • Completed nominations must be submitted online and include all above noted documents.
  • Nomination packages (name, address, telephone and fax numbers, email information, and curriculum vitae) will be held by the CBA and nominees may be re-considered for Award selection in subsequent years. Any such nominee will be contacted by the Selection Committee and asked to provide a new, up-to-date consent form.

Selection Process

The award is administered by the SAGDA Awards Selection Committee which includes members of the SAGDA Executive. Gender equity and geographical representation will be a consideration in the selection of the members of the Selection Committee and in the selection of the Award recipient.

Award Presentation

The award will be presented virtually at a SAGDA Section event in 2024. 

Deadline for Submission

May 14, 2024

Contact

CBA Sections 
Phone: (613) 237-2925 
Toll Free: (800) 267-8860
E-mail: sogic@cba.org

Past Winners

  • 2024 - Bennett Jensen (ON) and Robert Leckey, Ad. E. (QC)
  • 2023 - Adrienne S. Smith (Vancouver, BC)
  • 2022 - Samuel Singer (Ottawa, ON)
  • 2022 - Tuma Young K.C. (Sydney, NS)
  • 2021 - Nikki Gershbain (Toronto, ON)
  • 2020 - Kristine Barr (MB)
  • 2019 - Florence Ashley (Montreal, QC)
  • 2017 - No award given
  • 2016 - Marie Laure Leclercq (Montreal, QC)
  • 2015 - Nicole LaViolette (Ottawa, ON)
  • 2014 - No award given
  • 2013 - Mile Komlen
  • 2012 - The Honorable Judge J. Gary Cohen (Surrey, BC)
  • 2011 - Susan Ursel (Toronto, ON)
  • 2010 - Michael J. Law (Winnipeg, MB)
  • 2009 - Professor Kathleen Lahey (Kingston, ON)
  • 2008 - Joanna Radbord
  • 2007 - El-Farouk Khaki (Toronto, ON)
  • 2006 - barbara findlay, K.C. (Vancouver, BC)
  • 2005 - Douglas Elliott (Toronto, ON)
  • 2004 - Professor Karen Busby (Winnipeg, MB)
  • 2003 - John Fisher (Ottawa, ON)
  • 2002 - The Honorable Ruth Krindle (Winnipeg, MB)
  • 2001 - Kenneth W. Smith (Vancouver, BC)
  • 2000 - Cynthia Petersen (Toronto, ON)
  • 1999 - Svend Robinson, M.P. (Vancouver, BC)