332 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 3 MAY 2022
Membership in our bar includes people who might have lived through
some or all of World War II, who worked with senior members of the bar or
judges who fought in that or other wars, who served in military operations
themselves or who may have fled war-torn parts of the world to come to
Canada. Some have even survived genocides to which they have lost family
members. For many of us, though, war and the horrors that accompany it
are a completely “other” thing that happens only in history books, movies
and the news. The biggest worry some of us ever had (although it was a
mighty big worry) was over the threat of mutual annihilation during the
Cold War. It all made for decent films and great novels, but it was always
somewhat other to our comfortable British Columbian existences.
While the Doomsday clock might click ever closer to midnight, we currently
still have that comfortable existence. Russia has not invaded our
lands or those of our immediate allies. Troops have not arrived to take our
resources or recalibrate our allegiances. Our cities and towns and hospitals
and daycares are not getting bombed. Our families are not fleeing in the
millions to other lands. Our men between the ages of 18 and 60 have not
been prohibited from leaving the country, given guns and told to help support
the military defence forces. Can you imagine? Can you actually imagine
it?
Currently, on the Vancouver Art Gallery the words IMAGINE PEACE
stand high advertising an art show by conceptual artist Yoko Ono. The
exhibit has been at the gallery since October 9, 2021 (it runs until May 1,
2022). Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the sign has been regularly
bathed in the colours of the Ukrainian flag at nighttime and has taken on a
particular poignancy during these troubled times. B.C. lawyers, meanwhile,
go about their business. We are not called upon to serve. We are not asked
to stop mid-career and volunteer to fight a tyrant in Europe alongside our
allies. We are not moving to other parts of the country for training or literally
shipping out overseas. But if called upon, if asked, would you? Would
you be willing to be one of the members of the bar prepared to fight for the
principles on which our society is based?
Bill Maitland was 22. He was one of more than 20,000. He was also one
of us. C’est la guerre.