We Proudly Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride this June
Love wins. Always. As part of our commitment to workplace inclusion and LGBTQ+ allyship, we’ve curated a collection of educational resources to help you learn, reflect, and take meaningful action toward building a more inclusive, equitable environment for all.
TURN AWARENESS INTO ACTION
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Veritext is honored to participate in Mental Health Awareness today and every day. To promote awareness and inclusivity in our workplaces and communities.
Let’s Celebrate International Women’s Day | March 8, 2023
International Women’s Day is a time to look at the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. Canada’s theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 is Every Woman Counts. This is a reminder that all women, from all ages and walks of life, have a place in every aspect of Canadian society, including in the economic, social, and democratic spheres. Canada has produced many strong women who have each fought in their own way for a space in their spheres of influence. In 1992, the Government of Canada designated October as Women’s History Month, marking the beginning of an annual celebration of the outstanding achievements of women and girls throughout Canada’s history. However, for many, March is the month to celebrate, so in honor of International Women’s Day, here are just a few Canadian women of note:
- Viola Desmond, who now graces our ten-dollar bill, was a civil rights activist and businesswoman in the 40s. She is best known for her refusal to leave a whites-only section of a movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia in 1946 for which she was arrested and fined. Her actions helped spark the modern civil rights movement in Canada.
- Margaret Atwood is the author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and many other works for which she has won numerous awards including the Book Prize and the Governor General’s Award.
- Buffy Sainte-Marie is an Indigenous Canadian American (Piapot Cree Nation) singer-songwriter and social activist. She has been active since the 1960s and many of her songs are about social and political issues. She has been an advocate for Indigenous rights throughout her career.
- Emily Carr was a painter and writer, best known for her depictions of Indigenous people and the landscapes of British Columbia’s rugged coast. Her work helped to define Canadian art in the early 20th century.
- Julie Payette is an astronaut and engineer who has flown two space missions. She then served as the Governor General of Canada from 2017 to 2021, becoming only the fourth woman to hold that position.
- Mary Two-Axe Earley was a Mohawk and Oneida women’s rights activist. After losing her legal Indian status due to marrying a non-status man, she advocated for change to the Indian act which until then had promoted gender discrimination and stripped First Nations women of their rights to participate in the political and cultural life of their home reserves. On June 28, 1985, Bill C-31 was passed to amend the Indian Act.
- Corrine Sparks was the first black Canadian woman to become a judge for the Family Court in Nova Scotia.
This is just a sample of the many Canadian women who have made significant changes to their world. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate their achievements and the achievements of all the women of Canada and around the world, who continue to work to make this a better place to live, thrive and function.
You can read, watch, learn, and listen to more examples of notable women in Canada and the US who have made their mark in history here.
Connect Series: Meet Diane Richards
As you know, Richards Reporting is now part of our Veritext Canada team. Led by Diane Richards, they were in operation for over 30 years in the Fraser Valley, servicing clients throughout the mainland of British Columbia with the utmost excellence. We took a brief moment out of Diane’s busy schedule and asked her a few questions about her experience as a Court Reporter.
Can you tell us how you became a court reporter and if there was a trial or experience that made an impact on you and how you view the role of a court reporter?
I was taking several courses and one was a legal assistant. We went on a tour of the courthouse and the court reporter was pointed out. I signed up for the program and it was love at first sight haha.
My very first job was two weeks in court: chambers, pre-trials, Supreme Court. Jumped right into it, although probably not a good idea for new reporters. I loved court ever since. I have worked in a lot of different places. Free-lance, Official Court Reporter in Manitoba, contract reporter in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago High Court, and Senate. Then worked overseas a few times a year: Asia, Emirates, and Europe.
Veritext’s corporate values are respect, ethics, collaboration, accountability, and professionalism. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?
To be a court reporter I believe all those values apply. Court reporters are unique creatures, I think, perfectionists, self-motivated. We must be neutral and juggle our relationships with counsel, despite their antagonism to each other. We are referees when we need to be and know when to keep silent.
Lastly, wellness and self-care are important to our team. Do you have a favourite way to recharge, or can you share any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically, both at work and at home?
I work out a lot. Outside whenever I can (hiking and snowshoeing are my go-to’s) and I have a gym trainer. Trainers are beneficial because there is no thinking, can decompress, and simply follow instructions. They also are a good ear for venting. I go to the gym, even for 30 minutes, when I am stressed or upset about something. Works every time. Traveling is important to me also.
We Are Not Alone: Why Mental Health Matters
To merely say that Covid-19 has added a fresh layer of stress over whatever else we all deal with daily is probably an enormous understatement.
The last couple of years have been hard on all of us. We have all been trying to manage our work, our families, and our lives in a constant state of worry. This goes for everyone – those lucky to have not gotten sick, for those who have battled the illness or frankly for ANYONE who has known ANYONE afflicted by this virus. The effects of this crisis run deep. Deeper than we may even yet realize.
With the lifting of many mandates and rules across the country, many of us have simply decided that we have had enough of worrying. However, is it enough to decide? Does it matter? The infection rates are still high – I have three of my family sick with it right now. The worry is still warranted.
The term ‘selfcare’ has been thrown around a lot but still seems to be connected mostly to spa days and mediation. A nice bath, while relaxing, is probably not going to help you very much as you plunge into the next day of worry, compounded by the previous day of worry.
The theme of this year’s Canadian Mental Health Week is Empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and sadly according to a recent study our empathy for others is at an all time low. As they say, crisis can breed contempt. Out of necessity, we go inward and we tend to focus on our own. The survey conducted by the CMHA found that only 13 per cent of Canadians were feeling empathetic. This is a drop of 10% since the beginning of the pandemic.
This is not hard to understand. It is hard to feel for others when we ourselves are struggling. But empathy does indeed start with us. It must. If we can truly understand and respect what is happening within ourselves, we can indeed see that same struggle within others.
The first thing to remember is, you do not have to do this alone. Due to the pandemic, many of us have felt isolated and cut off from our friends and family, even our neighbours and co-workers. Reach out. Reach out. Reach out.
If you are fortunate enough that your employee benefit plan may have mental health resources available… use them. The CMHA website is filled with valuable resources too, like this Mental Health Meter.
Other resources include:
- Finding your local CMHA here
- Free mental health support at Wellness Together Canada
- For younger people and children contact Foundry
- And if any thoughts of suicide? Call 1-833-456-4566 (in QC: 1-866-277-3553) or visit crisisservicescanada.ca.
We are not alone and there is nothing shameful about the challenge of mental health issues. Now, more than ever, be empathetic with yourself – when you take care of yourself first, that care will reflect upon those around you who perhaps are also struggling.
Connect Series: Meet Dayna Canning
We love getting to know our new teammates from across the country. Dayna is the scheduling associate at Ace Reporting Services in Edmonton, and we asked her to tell us more about herself and her life with Veritext Canada.
Can you tell us what led you to your current role and what you love about working there?
I went to NAIT for the Captioning and Court Reporting program; however, it was not in the cards. The mum of one of my fellow classmates suggested to me that I apply for the job. To assist in my future success, my background also includes eight months as a QB court clerk and ten months as a legal assistant.
I love that moment when a client calls in a panic, and you can come through with a reporter. Knowing that you have just relieved a huge amount of stress — words cannot express how satisfying it is. Above all, I really love working with the reporters. They are the job, and without them I would not have this opportunity.
How do you think this new unified national team will help better service the legal industry across Canada?
Veritext has survived a pandemic and has come out even stronger. Since joining forces with British Columbia, Veritext Canada is now a company that can provide services for any matter, regardless of the province. We have adapted to a situation no one thought would happen in their lifetime. Everyone’s efforts are leading to a seamless experience, whether it be booking a matter or ordering transcripts.
Veritext’s mission and corporate values aim to be respectful, ethical, collaborative, accountable and professional. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?
The two values that I see exemplified the most are accountability and collaboration.
We all work together to help each other. It could be from scheduling demands that arise, to training new associates, to finding new ways to do things. If it was not collaborated on, we would not be where we are now.
Speaking from experience, we are accountable to each other and to our clients. Our associates leave no stone unturned. We must work together so we can continue to have happy clients.
Wellness and self-care are important to our team. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically, both at work and at home?
Working from home was a challenge that I did not anticipate for my career, ever. Going from an office every day to working at my kitchen table was not something I had ever considered. I found it is helpful to have a specific workspace where you can close the door at the end of the day and leave work in the room. It is key to separate your work life and your home life — something that took a long time to achieve for me, personally. I also found it helpful to have a supportive partner. I started making it a rule to ask them if they have the mental space to listen to me. If all else fails, cats and corny movies are also important parts of my self-care.
Getting to Know Us
If you have been connecting with the firms across our Canadian division, you may have noticed a new link when you visited the Amicus, Ace, Neesons or Royal websites. We are happy to welcome you to our new Veritext Canada blog!
The Reportex team has used this blog not only to highlight our innovative services and solutions but also to help people understand the vision and passion that has driven the company to where it is today. Many of these posts fall under our (R)evolution series and use the hashtag #shapingthefuture — and these are more than catchphrases. We have been committed to being the driving force of change and advancement when it comes to legal services and court reporting in Canada. It is our goal to support a sustainable future for our industry.
It is why we are now proud to be a part of Veritext Legal Solutions. We know we can do great things together.
Through the profiles in our Connect Series, our blogging platform has also been used to showcase the many talented people who are key parts of the engine that keeps this amazing machine running. We hope to keep this initiative going and highlight the many outstanding people across our teams in Canada and the US. We are all in this together now.
The blog is here to keep you — our clients and colleagues — informed of any changes or updates to our services. We also want to communicate more with and about the incredible reporters and other independent contractors — editors, proofers, scopers, technicians and everyone else that makes up the organization. Also watch this space for information about webinars and seminars that we are hosting or sponsoring.
And we want to make sure we stay relevant to meet your needs in your own legal community. If you have stories or suggestions to share, please do not hesitate to reach out to me – Kerry Sauriol – at [email protected].
Enjoy.
Better Together!
What’s better than a cold Abbotsford cider on a hot sunny day?
Joining forces with another incredible team!
In the spirit of continuing to build a strong, sustainable court reporting community across Canada, we are thrilled to announce that Richards Reporting is now part of our Veritext Canada team!
As you know, Richards Reporting, led by Diane Richards, has been operating for over 30 years in the Fraser Valley, servicing clients throughout the mainland of British Columbia with the utmost excellence and we’re thrilled to partner with them.
Access to an extended team
Rest assured, you will still be working with the same exceptional team of reporters that you know and love and will have access to more boardrooms, integrated legal technology and efficiencies to enhance your litigation practice.
Under the Veritext umbrella our Canadian division is able to offer you reporting, transcription and integrated virtual services across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario as well as in the United States for our cross-border clients.
Our focus is always to provide an incomparable experience for clients and this collaboration is incredibly exciting. We look forward to continuing to shape the future of court reporting in Canada, together.
Connect Series: Meet Victoria Joosten, Operations Manager
We love connecting and learning about our new-found team across the country. Victoria Joosten is the operations manager at Neesons and our connection to the east side of our operations. She has her finger firmly on the pulse of the needs for legal services in Ontario, and we value her insight and are excited to be working with her as part of the Veritext Canada team.
Can you tell us what led you to your current role and what you love about working there?
I started in the scheduling department at Neesons back in 2016 and had the pleasure of building that role into more of a client/marketing-focused position for four years. I was lucky enough to work closely with Kim Neeson and Dani McCoy to learn the ebbs and flows of the business, preparing me to step into the operations role that I am in today. I love that every single day is different — new problems to solve and a huge team to support, collaborate with and lead. I am learning something new every single day, and I could not imagine working for a more supportive company.
How do you see this new unified national team will help better service the legal industry across Canada?
We have a really great opportunity to become the undeniable leaders in the legal support industry in Canada right now. Our reach is far and wide, led by a team of hard-working, driven and like-minded individuals across the country. We now have access to court reporters and transcriptionists in almost every province nationwide and a support team that is available 24 hours a day. There is nothing we can’t do!
Veritext’s mission and corporate values aim to be respectful, ethical, collaborative, accountable and professional. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?
I would be lying if I said I thought one of those values is more important than the others, but I do have to say working collaboratively and holding people accountable resonate with me the most. I strongly believe in collaborative leadership, focusing on open conversation and organic solutions that will benefit and grow the business. Veritext is full of individuals with creative, innovative ideas, and it is important that we not only hold our team accountable to drive results but also hold ourselves accountable as well. Be the leader you would follow.
Wellness and self-care are important to our team. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically both at work and home?
I am a huge health nut! I love the standing desk option for both the office and my home, and I keep a huge water bottle by my side. I also make it a priority to take a break from the screen every half hour or so to readjust my eyes for a few minutes. I do intense HIIT workouts every day after work to de-stress, and I am a strong believer that connecting with people will always boost your mood. My tips would include drinking at least 2 litres of water every day, getting your 10K steps in and going outside in the sun! Vitamin D is everything.