EPAC Webinar: First say “Sorry” – The legal framework for apologizing.
The ethical values of honesty and of respect and compassion for persons sometimes mean that an organization ought to apologize to persons who have been harmed. But if an apology amounts to a guilty plea, organizational interests can rule out the apology. In fact, many provinces and territories have passed laws in recent years that separate apologizing from legal admissions of guilt and from insurance awards. Our guide through this framework will be Tami Cogan, a licensed paralegal since 2011 with the Upper Canada Law Society. Before that, she was a police officer for nearly 20 years, and was witness to the restorative effect an apology can have in a conflict situation. She will explain how the 10-year-old Ontario law operates and provide illustrative cases.