Judge Corrine Sparks and Ms. Nancy Sparks, President, Board of Directors, Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children
(From bottom left to right): Judge Flora Buchan, NS Provincial Court; Judge Lillian Harris Ransom,
Judge Sparks (left) and Dean Phillip Saunders (right)
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; Judge Corrine Sparks, NS Family Court; Judge Juanita Westmoreland, Traore, Court of Quebec; Judge Daniel Dortleus, Court of Quebec; Judge Castor Williams, NS Provincial Court; Judge Anne Derrick, NS Provincial Court; Judge Lydia Kirkland, Philadelphia Municipal Court; Justice Hugh Fraser, Ontario Court Justice, Hon. J. Michael MacDonald, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
DBLSA Award Committee Members: Steve McCardy, Burtley Francis and Misty Morrison, missing is Toks Omisade
Judge Sparks and the Honourable Mayann Francis, Lieutenant Governor, Nova Scotia (right)
“A key aspect of human greatness, which we all have, is experienced, I believe, by the way in which power and influence are utilized to empower, encourage and exalt others.” —Judge Corrine Sparks received a top notch education. She emphasized the work ethic that she inherited from her parents and spoke of her journey to the bench. Judge Sparks received great support from many faculty members at Dalhousie Law School during her LL.B. and LL.M. degrees, and explained that she felt increasingly encouraged as the legal profession opens up to more diverse groups of people. She ended her remarks quoting Judge Constance Motley Baker, the first black woman to be appointed to the U.S. Federal Court, who observed that “something which we think is impossible now — is not impossible in another decade” reiterating her support for the law students and wishing them success in the future. Award recipient Mr. Lyle Howe exemplifies many of Judge Sparks’ qualities. His community involvement includes serving
as a mentor and participating in Pro Bono Students Canada through which he is re-drafting the Constitution of an historical African Nova Scotian Church. Upon accepting the Award, Lyle noted that the quest for social justice and equality motivated him to attend law school and that he hoped to see justice for the Halifax community of Africville of which he is a descendant. Nancy Sparks, President of the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children Board of Directors accepted the award on behalf of the community organization. Finally, Spoken Word artist, Ms. Tesia Rolle, ended the evening by reciting her poem, “Old Mother River”, specifically written for the event. The poem delighted the audience and was received with much applause. In the end, the DBLSA Award Committee of Burtley Francis, Stephen McCardy, Misty Morrison and Toks Omisade had much to be proud of. •
Anyone interested in contributing to the success of the award can make a contribution online at www.dal.ca/giving or by cheque made payable to Dalhousie University with memo “Judge Corrine Sparks Award in Law”, sent to the following address: Office of External Relations, Dalhousie University, Macdonald Building, 6300 Coburg Road, Halifax, N.S., B3H 3J5. Dalhousie Law School Hearsay 2007
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