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Despite the prominence he gained within his field, he remained
approachable and was always available to have coffee with everyone from
prospective law students to seasoned counsel. Driven by his desire to
increase access to justice, Peter was more than willing to impart his expertise
to colleagues in the field, regularly acting as both a mentor and advisor
within the legal community. In 2016, Peter and two of his colleagues from
the Vancouver immigration bar started an immigration law and policy podcast
featuring a variety of academics, politicians, lawyers, judges and other
stakeholders as guests. He also shared his knowledge with his students
while teaching law in the forensics program at the B.C. Institute of Technology
and the Immigration Certificate program then offered through the University
of British Columbia.
Public outreach was one of Peter’s passions. He actively built close relationships
with a variety of non-profit organizations both to ensure that
refugee and other immigrants were aware of changes to the law and to connect
his clients to the settlement services they so desperately needed. He
was also a regular guest on Radio Canada, CBC’s French-language service.
A self-professed “law geek”, Justice Edelmann’s past advocacy work,
keen interest in the law and dedication to access to justice leave him well
placed to preside over the breadth of cases now appearing on his desk as a
Supreme Court judge. While his current chambers are a far cry from his
inelegant law office, the man behind the desk will undoubtedly remain the
same. Indeed, sometimes one can live no way but one’s own.
The Honourable Judge Craig Sicotte
The Honourable Judge Craig Sicotte, who was welcomed
as a Provincial Court judge in the spring of
2019 and currently presides in the diverse community
of Abbotsford, would seem to have come a long
way from his bluest-of-blue-collar roots in the tiny
village of Kaslo, B.C. on west shore of Kootenay Lake.
The small-town boy remains and resonates
within, however. Craig’s humility, self-deprecating sense of humour and
grounded awareness of his own history allow him to connect and empathize
with people of all walks of life.