Normally we try to blog about serious legal issues because, well, that's kind of our thing. Serious legal issues. But today I'm going to blog about the 1980s, when AQW's most senior lawyers were budding young activists with shining ideals and great glasses - and AQW's most junior lawyer was a tot crammed somewhat unsafely into a single-kid stroller shared with her big sister, who was six years old and clearly capable of just walking. But I digress...

A friend tipped us off to the existence of an online archive of photographs from the Pacific Tribune, Vancouver's labour newspaper back in the day. And look at the gems we dug up!

BC Fed convention 1983

1986 Walk for Peace

Carmela leading the 1986 Walk for Peace with Susanna and Martina in the stroller, walking with Mike and Becky Harcourt and their kids.

Tenants tent-in at Vanier Park, 1983

Jim was the Tenants' Rights Coalition coordinator

Walk for Peace rally

1983

End the Arms Race rally

Peace Arch rally

End the Arms Race press conference

1983, promoting campaign against cruise missile testing in Canada

COPE 1984 AGM

Rally in support of fired VSB trustees, 1985

That's Carmela holding Susanna, two over from Phil Rankin. Carmela was one of the VSB trustees fired by the Socred government for refusing to implement funding cuts.

End the Arms Race

Carmela was the Canadian chair of End the Arms Race, here with her US counterpart at a Peace Arch rally

COPE election rally 1986

Nice sweater Carmela! This is at the Commodore Ballroom

COPE victory party, 1984

Can you spot Carmela?

Not only are these pictures fun reminders of an exciting time in BC politics (and 80s eyewear trends), they are testaments to our firm's long history of commitment to progressive causes. We all cut our teeth as activists - in the labour, peace, anti-poverty, tenants' rights, and student movements - and our fierce advocacy as lawyers is fuelled and instructed by those early days.