Fall 2020 Newsletter
Back to School
We're all facing learning curves during the back to school season this time around. The current state of the world is leaving many feeling like anxious students again.

The lawyers at Daunais McKay + Harms have extensive experience in all aspects of family law work. Our team includes trained mediators, arbitrators, collaborative law lawyers, and litigators. We are able to use whatever method of dispute resolution best suits you, to help achieve your goals. Several of our lawyers have extensive expertise in family law appeal work. We also provide expertise in matters of real estate, wills and estates, and estate litigation. If you're looking to book a consultation, please click the button at the top of the newsletter!
Giving Thanks
Why do Canadian's celebrate thanksgiving? After all: pilgrims did not land on the shores of Quebec in the early 1600's. In fact: Thanksgiving was not even a National holiday in Canada until January 31, 1957 when it was proclaimed as "a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest in which Canada has been blessed". Sound a little archaic?

Thanksgiving in Canada has a remarkably long history, the first one of note being celebrated by Martin Frobisher, an early explorer, to give thanks and observe communion on land at Frobisher Bay. They dined on salt beef, biscuits, and mushy peas and gave thanks for their safe arrival in Newfoundland.

This is acknowledged as Canada's first Thanksgiving, having occurred in 1578, some 43 years before the first American Thanks Giving. Who says Americans are always first?

What ever your reason for celebrating Thanksgiving, hopefully it will be a time to enjoy family and friends over a locally sourced meal full of love and friendship!
I. DM+H NEWS
Notable Recent Cases
Michael Ghert, our outstanding resident scholar, has contributed the insightful comment on the case of MacDonald v. Brodoff [2020]

"An interpretation of the Guidelines that requires proof of “specific intention” in order to impute income where parenting is not shared, but effectively eliminates that requirement where parenting is shared would derogate from the Guideline objective of consistent treatment of payor parents by setting differing standards dependent on the parenting regime."
Emily Koch, one of the newer members to our team, has offered her fresh views in regards to what qualifies as an Adult Interdependent Relationship (AIP) in the courts. The current lack of consensus presents a concern for lawyers when advising their clients.
Fun in the Fall
Some members of our team having a socially distanced get together in Heather McKay's back yard on September 14th.
II. DM+H SHOUTOUTS
Jonathan Griffith is now teaching his second semester of Family Law at the University of Calgary. We also want to celebrate that he authored the Arbitration chapter of the Family Law Practice Manual.
Well wishes to Wanda Dawson who is leaving Widdowson Kachur to rejoin her previous firm, which will now be called Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP.
III. DM+H SPOTLIGHT
Collin Smith and Egale Canada
Collin is currently sitting on the Legal Advisory Committee for Egale Canada, a national LGBTQ2S+ legal advocacy group which focuses on interventions on cases which affect those communities as well as education of the bar and bench on these issues.

Some landmark cases in the LGBTQ2S+ community, such as the Trinity Western case , were successfully appealed to the Supreme court of Canada because of Egale's involvement.

Collin was asked to sit on the committee because of his passionate commitment to the law and advocacy for LGBTQ2S+ rights.
IV. Upcoming Events
Pat Daunais QC will be speaking at the Calgary Estate Planning Council in November on the Intersection of Family Law and Estates.

Patricia Sealy Q.C. will be co-presenting through ASSIST, a presentation for Foreign Trained Lawyers
Title: Etiquette for Carriage of a File : Court, Settlement Meetings & Client Management

Patricia Sealy Q.C. will be co-hosting as a member of the board of the Women in Law Leadership Awards, the virtual Awards evening to present the Stronger Together” Award to highlight the work of “unsung heroes” across Canada.

Patricia Sealy Q.C., Jonathan Griffith, and Susannah Alleyne (Matkovic Allan) will be presenting to the CBA subgroup Child Welfare and Representation of Children in 2021 on the revisions to the Divorce Act and what they mean for counsel who represent children.

Imogen Jenkins will be running a "Divorce 101" workshop at the Calgary Women's Centre on October 19th, 2020.
V. What we're Following
Patricia Daunais has just finished Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett and says "it's a fascinating look at race relations in the United States through the eyes of Black twins who were separated (by choice) as young adults"

Emily Koch highly recommends the podcast Rabbit Hole from the New York Times. It explores how individuals are becoming radicalized to the alt right movement through websites such as YouTube, and how YouTube’s watch algorithms contribute to the problem.

Collin Smith recommends the podcast The Ezra Klein Show. He listens to it all the time because of it's stimulating novel content.
VI. We Recommend These Articles from our Team
Pat Daunais QC January, 2019 Wills and EPAs - Tricky Sticky Wills and Codicils

Pat Daunais QC May, 2019 Impact of Death on Separation and Divorce Proceedings
V. CONNECT WITH DM+H
Suite 2050, 645 - 7th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, AB T2P 4G8
Phone: 403-218-6275
Fax: 403-218-6299