The website will monitor the implementation of recommendations from the Regaining Trust report
The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society has commemorated the anniversary of the “Regaining Trust: The Ruck Report’s” publication with the debut of the RegainingTrust.ca website.
Douglas Ruck wrote the original report that was published on October 29, 2024. It presented a roadmap to tackle systemic discrimination within the Nova Scotia legal profession and its regulator.
The website will monitor the implementation of 21 recommendations from the report. The the public and the legal community will be able to view updates from independent implementation lead, Janna Hines, and the implementation task force on the site.
The implementation process will be managed independently of the NSBS. The society will also incorporate implementation strategies and insights from Hines and the taskforce.
“Regaining Trust was a call to action — not a one-time event. One year later, this work continues to shape how we show up as a regulator and as a community. We are committed to being part of the broader culture change this report demands, and to creating a profession where equity, inclusion, and public trust are foundational to everything we do,” said Jennifer Pink, NSBS’ interim executive director, in a statement.
The recommendations from the report included calls for the collation, analysis, and sharing of discrimination data; the implementation of an access accommodation policy; and a legislative review on systemic barriers to progress.
Per the website, the taskforce will concentrate on evaluating and updating anti-discrimination policies and regulations, setting reporting and investigation systems with whistleblower safeguards and representation from equity deserving communities, amending the Code of Professional Conduct, and mandating collaboration with equity-deserving groups for 2025-2026. It has already made progress on the first two recommendations, which were to assign an independent implementation lead and to mandate systemic discrimination training and resources.
“This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on both the progress made and the work that lies ahead. The society’s council and staff remain deeply committed to the principles of equity and accountability that underpin Regaining Trust,” said Michelle Kelly, NSBS president.
