Martin Levine was a Visa Officer and Analyst at Citizenship and Immigration Canada from 1978 – 2009. He then worked as a contract employee as an ATIP Analyst for numerous federal departments.

This episode is like reading the results of an Access to Information Act on how IRCC works, and then asking questions of the person who wrote it. We discuss the culture at IRCC, whether artificial intelligence will improve decision making, whether visa officers should have more discretion, budget cuts and training issues and how the biggest obstacle to meaningful change at IRCC might be the Treasury Board.

---

---

This is the second instalment (Part 1 is Episode #105 in this mini-series on Trauma-Informed Lawyering. In this segment, Deanna’s own clinical counsellor, Dr. Deborrah Dunne discusses in more depth:

a) vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue;

b) the importance of self-care in running a trauma-informed practice;

b) strategies for identifying trauma (in yourself and your clients);

c) tools on how to “get present,” and ideas for how to help your client get there too

Thank you again, Deborrah for all of your precious time!

---

---

---

Samuel Hyman is a Vancouver lawyer with one of the more well known practices in Canadian customs law.

We dive into Canadian customs law for individuals, examining the procedures and rights that Canadians have at the border around the seizure of goods, the imposition of administrative monetary penalties and loss of NEXUS. We discuss the consequences of violating customs regulations and how to challenge CBSA decisions.

After, Sam shares his view on why eliminating the distinction between immigration and tax status could unlock significant revenue gains for the government.

---

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Sharalyn Jordan (Associate Professor in Counselling Psychology and Equity Studies in Education at Simon Fraser University, and chair of the Rainbow Refugee society in Vancouver BC), and Dr. Deborrah Dunne, clinical counsellor.

Our guests take us through a “Trauma 101” style overview of PTSD, C-PTSD and the neurobiology of trauma. We also start in on a discussion of “tips and techniques” for trauma-informed lawyering. Regrettably, we had to lose Dr. Dunne toward the end of the episode (because our discussion went on for too long). Happily, we have undertaken to produce a “part 2” episode with Dr. Dunne’s further thoughts on how to work with traumatized clients. Central to that conversation will be a discussion of how advocates should address their own trauma (including vicarious trauma) to set the stage for “optimal engagement” with their clients. Look out for that episode in the days to come! And please subscribe to our channel and send any comments/questions/suggestions for future consideration.

---

---