19 Jan 2008
In Canada and the United States, we expect news items like this from Jurist, to deal with other countries.
This particular editor hailed from Belarus – a nation not well known for its tradition of freedom and democracy.
We don’t, however, need to look that far.
7 Jan 2008
There is an excerpt from a video deposition that has been making the rounds on YouTube for about the last year or so, that a lot of people seem to find funny. I am not one of them.
I suppose the custom would be for me to link to it, but I am not going to do that. I am not doing it because typically, most jurisdictions have rules that say that evidence obtained in a lawsuit during the discovery process cannot be used for any collateral purpose. How the video made it onto the internet, assuming that rule is operative in the state from which it originates, raises a whole series of other troubling questions. In any event, my view is that it would be a violation of that rule for me to further distribute the video.
Nevertheless, the disturbing content is a good case for ethical analysis.
31 Dec 2007
“Holmes on Homes” is one of the most popular home renovation television programs on the cable channel “HGTV“. The series is based in Ontario, however its popularity is not restricted to Canada. The show has been doing very well in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. For those not familiar with this series, Mike Holmes is a highly respected construction and renovation contractor who “rescues” homeowners who have fallen victim to unscrupulous, sloppy or inept renovation contractors.
Mike’s motto is “Make it Right”, and his passion for his calling is clear from the moment every show begins, through to the when the credits roll. Watching the show, it becomes clear that Mike Holmes has little patience for contractors who take on work in which they have little knowledge or experience.
He has even less patience for those who have the requisite knowledge and/or experience, but do not care enough to do the job right. Mike Holmes’ philosophy is exemplified in this excerpt from his book, taken from the website:
…[T]he most important lesson I learned from my father wasn’t about wiring or plumbing…it was about doing things right…he cared about what he did…doing something right wasn’t just about business practice, it was about who you were as a person, and how you treated others…I have always tried to get it right the first time.
The parallel to legal ethics should be obvious.
