It comes as no surprise then that Joe was an especially fierce advocate for protecting the Charter rights of the La Rose youth plaintiffs. He was a chief architect of this case and was voraciously working on their appeal. He wholeheartedly believed in the merits of the case, and that the youth plaintiffs he and his fellow attorneys were representing deserved protection of their rights via the courts. Joe was confident they would prevail. We intend to honor the legacy of this extraordinary man by continuing his fight to secure the legal right to a safe climate for these young Canadians he so admired. We are confident that the best way we can honor him is by fighting even more determinedly for justice.

For today, we are sad and grieving but also grateful to Joe, and feel so truly privileged to have had the precious opportunity to partner with him on this landmark constitutional case. Our heart goes out to Joe’s family, friends, and colleagues as we reflect today on the many extraordinary impacts he had on us, the youth we represent and support, and the lives of his fellow Canadians.

With a grieving but grateful heart,

The Team at Our Children’s Trust