Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The McGill Law Journal Podcast

This episode explores the constitutional battle surrounding Quebec's Bill 21 and its implications for religious freedom, gender equality, and minority rights. The discussion examines the tension between Section 28 of the Canadian Charter, which guarantees gender equality, and Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, which Quebec used to shield the law from certain Charter challenges. Featuring perspectives from Professor Vrinda Narain and Me Cee Strauss, the episode considers whether Section 28 can limit the use of Section 33 and what the Supreme Court of Canada's decision could mean for the future of equality rights and legislative power in Canada.

This McGill Law Journal podcast episode discusses the doctrine of piercing the corporate veil in Canada, focusing on its exceptional nature and its impact on corporate governance and access to justice. Daniel Grodinsky, a commercial litigator, explains the criteria for lifting the corporate veil in Quebec, emphasizing the need to prove shareholders as alter egos, use of the corporation to mask wrongdoing, and the nature of the wrong committed. Douglas Sarro, a law professor, highlights the restrictive approach of Canadian courts, exemplified by the 2018 Chevron case, and suggests potential evolutions in corporate accountability through alternative theories. The conversation underscores the tension between certainty and justice in corporate law.

In this episode, MLJ Podcast Committee member Megan Campbell sits down with Professor Sébastien Jodoin and Professor David Lepofsky for a discussion of accessibility in legal education and practice. Topics include wellness in legal pedagogy, the need for disability-inclusive law school curricula, and the role of lived experience in legal research.

For up-to-date information about the Disability Inclusive Climate Action Research Program, please visit https://www.disabilityinclusiveclimate.org/

For more information about the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Alliance, please visit www.aodaalliance.org

David Lepofsky's Open Source Memoir, "Swimming Up Niagara Falls": https://wyaj.uwindsor.ca/index.php/wyaj/article/view/8579

"People With Disabilities Need Lawyers Too! A Ready-To-Use Plan for Law Schools to Educate Law Students to Effectively Serve the Legal Needs of Clients With Disabilities as Well as Clients Without Disabilities": https://wyaj.uwindsor.ca/index.php/wyaj/article/view/7780

In this episode, 1L podcast committee members Ben Rutkowski, Erin Porter, and Adela Pirillo are joined by Professor Robert Austin, Associate Director of the Center for European and Eurasian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. They discuss the complex legacies of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, with a particular eye to the treatment of women in transitional justice. They reflect on what lessons can be drawn from the ICTY for future transitional justice processes.

Please note that this episode contains discussion of sexual and gender-based violence. Take care when listening.

Alongside renowned Kahnawà:ke Mohawk activist and scholar Taiaiake Alfred, 1L MLJ Podcast Committee members Aaminah Qureshi, Mia Kruger and Tarek Maussili discuss the pitfalls of "pretendianism"—the phenomenon of non-Indigenous people misappropriating Indigenous identities. Their conversation includes reflections on modes of Indigenous self-identification, and on the material harms of opportunities for Indigenous communities being misallocated.

Les référendums sectoriels, bien que peu fréquents dans l'histoire canadienne, ont fait surface dans la paysage politique au cours des dernières années. Ceux-ci soulèvent des questions cruciales sur le pouvoir des provinces et leur potentiel impact sur les relations entre gouvernements. Dans cet épisode, les membres de l'équipe podcast RDM Félix Lévesque, Magali Shimotakahara et Hubert Dupuis accueillent Patrick Taillon, professeur titulaire à la Faculté de droit de l'Université Laval, afin de mieux comprendre les impacts des référendums sectoriels organisés par les provinces sur les dynamiques fédérales—accordant une attention particulière aux relations Québec-Canada.

In this episode, MLJ Podcast Committee member Ezequiel Indriago Perez sits down with Spencer Nestico-Semianiw to discuss his article "Newcomers to Canada: Assessing a Civil Right of Action in Canadian Courts for Crimes Against Humanity and Aggression Committed Abroad." Nestico-Semianiw's article is available in full in the McGill Law Journal's Volume 70, Issue 4.

Members of the MLJ 1L Podcast team sit down with McGill's Co-Director of the Institute of Air and Space Law, Prof. Andrea Harrington. From governance frameworks to new forms of liability, this discussion explores one of private law's newest and most challenging frontiers.

Le RDM accueille la juge Sally Gomery de la Cour d'appel de l'Ontario pour une discussion sur l'application de la loi anti-SLAPP. S'appuyant sur l'affaire Di Franco c. Bueckert, la juge Gomery et les membres de l'équipe du podcast 1L, Alice Viollet et Samuel Schonfeld, discutent de l'évolution du paysage anti-SLAPP à l'ère numérique.

En conversation avec Maître Patrick Martin-Ménard, l'équipe du balado MLJ examine le statut juridique de l'aide médicale à mourir au Québec.

La Revue de droit de McGill est depuis longtemps un lieu de discussion et de débat sur le rôle du droit civil dans l'histoire juridique du Canada. Dans cet épisode, les invités Maître Daniel Boyer et le professeur Michel Morin reviennent sur trois des publications civiles les plus influentes de la Revue. Ils réfléchissent à l'autonomie et à la cohabitation du droit civil québécois avec d'autres ordres juridiques, au mérite ou à l'importance de la codification, et au rôle des institutions judiciaires et de la profession juridique dans le développement du droit civil québécois.

In this episode, we explore the legal and political implications of Bill C-18, the Online News Act, and the ongoing battle between the Canadian government and social media giants.

Our guest, Dr. Elizabeth Dubois, Associate Professor and University Research Chair in Politics, Communication, and Technology at the University of Ottawa, breaks down the motivations behind Bill C-18, its impact on Canadian news access, and the broader consequences for media regulation in Canada. She also examines how similar legislation has played out internationally and what the future might hold for digital news intermediaries.

In this episode, we unpack the ethical and regulatory challenges posed by artificial intelligence, particularly its impact on systemic inequality.

Our guests, Professor Ignacio Cofone from Oxford University and Professor Jane Bailey from the University of Ottawa, delve into the ways AI can amplify discrimination, the shortcomings of Canada's current AI legislation, and the need for more robust accountability frameworks. They also discuss the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA). 

Be on the lookout for the McGill Law Journal's special issue on artificial intelligence in Volume 69(4)! 

Note: At the time of recording, Professor Ignacio Cofone was Canada Research Chair in A.I. Law & Data Governance at McGill University. He is now Professor of Law & Regulation of A.I. at Oxford University. 

The late Professor Paul André Crépeau was a legendary figure in Quebec Civil Law and in the study of civil law at McGill. His work in the reform of the Civil Code, in the development of new theories in the law of obligations, as well as his contributions to comparative law, and legal academia spanned approximately six decades. In this episode, we discuss with Justice Nicholas Kasirer and Professor Élise Charpentier about the continued importance of Professor Crépeau's contributions to legal pedagogy at McGill, his publications in the McGill Law Journal, and creation of the Paul-André Crépeau Center for Private and Comparative Law.

Note on the episode: The McGill Law Journal specifies that although many of the Civil Code Revision Office's suggestions were accepted, the Quebec legislator did not accept them all in the drafting of the new Civil Code of Quebec, in force since 1994.

Le regretté professeur Paul-André Crépeau était une figure légendaire dans le droit civil québécois et dans l'étude du droit civil à McGill. Son travail sur la réforme du Code civil et sur le développement de nouvelles théories dans le droit des obligations, ainsi que ces contributions au droit comparé et au monde académique du droit s'étayait sur six décennies. Dans cet épisode, nous discutons avec le juge Nicholas Kasirer et la professeure Élise Charpentier par rapport à l'importance continue des contributions du professeur Crépeau à la pédagogie juridique à McGill, ses publications au sein de la Revue de droit de McGill, et la création du Centre Paul-André Crépeau de droit privé et comparé.

Note sur l'épisode: La Revue de droit de McGill tient à préciser que bien que plusieurs propositions du rapport de l'Office de révision du Code civil aient été acceptées, le législateur québécois ne les a pas tous suivies lors de la rédaction du nouveau Code civil du Québec, entré en vigueur en 1994.

In this episode, we unpack the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement and the 2023 Supreme Court of Canada decision Canadian Council for Refugees v. Canada which unanimously upheld its constitutionality.

Our guest, Audrey Macklin, Professor and Rebecca Cook Chair at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, delves into the history, consequences, and supposed "safety valves" of the agreement.

This episode explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), intellectual property, and art, focusing on the challenges posed by AI-generated works.

Katherine Wilson-Milne, a partner at Schindler Cohen & Hochman LLP, discusses the complexities of copyright laws as they apply to AI-created works. Katherine also considers ongoing legal battles which could reshape copyright protections in the digital age. The episode provides a timely look at how AI is transforming both the art world and its legal landscape.

This episode explores the challenges of freedom of expression in Canada's digital landscape.

Emmett Macfarlane, Professor of Political Science at the University of Waterloo, discusses how Canadian courts define free speech and the role of professional regulatory bodies in curbing misinformation and disinformation. Professor Macfarlane also examines policies like Bill C-18, offering insights into how Canada can address online harms while preserving democratic values and ensuring a healthy media environment.

This episode delves into the controversy surrounding Quebec's decision to significantly raise tuition for out-of-province students attending anglophone universities.

Dr. Daniel Weinstock, Full Professor at McGill University and the Catherine Pearson Chair in Civil Society and Public Policy, contextualizes the tuition hikes within the province's long-standing efforts to protect the French language. Dr. Weinstock's discussion also touches on the broader implications of the tuition hikes for education, cultural identity, and accessibility in Quebec.

Dans cet épisode, nous interrogeons les défis que vit actuellement le système de justice et ce, sous un angle bien précis. Notre invitée, Emmanuelle Bernheim, professeure titulaire à la Faculté de droit de l'Université d'Ottawa, s'est penchée, dans son article dans la Revue de droit de McGill, sur les défis rencontrés par le personnel judiciaire dans ses interactions avec les justiciables non-représentés et sur les obstacles auxquels se heurtent les justiciables non-représentés eux-mêmes dans le cadre des procédures judiciaires.

This episode will explore access to justice as part of the McGill Law Journal's progression towards open access, highlighting the importance of access to justice and how access to legal information can contribute to this pursuit. 

In this episode Me Steeves Bujold provides rich insight on how to improve access to justice, particularly for marginalized communities, and the way in which the legal industry can evolve to best serve those who need access the most. 

Over the last 5 years, the use of section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, known as the Notwithstanding Clause, has become increasingly controversial. This episode delves into the historical context of the Notwithstanding Clause to shed light on the section's current issues. Using Quebec's Bill 21 and Ontario's Working Families cases, we highlight the tensions between legislative authority and judicial oversight.

We speak with Marion Sandilands, partner at Conway Litigation and Professor at the University of Ottawa.

Dans cet épisode, nous plongeons au cœur de la justice des jeunes contrevenants au Canada, avec une attention particulière portée sur le Québec.

Nos invitées sont Me Véronique Champagne, procureure en chef au Bureau des affaires de la jeunesse du Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénale et Mme Catherine Lapierre, directrice des services de justice réparatrice pour mineurs à Équijustice.

This episode navigates the intricate landscape of the Canadian legal system as it intersects with the lives of neurodivergent individuals. We aim to explore the ways in which autistic people may interact with the legal system and how various factors can influence the overall journey through the justice system. We discuss potential solutions and suggestions aimed at reducing ableism and providing support for neurodiverse populations.

We hear from Dr. Stephanie Ehret, a criminologist and Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trent University. Dr. Ehret's research focuses on gender and violence, as well as autism and criminal justice.

Cryptocurrency's rapid rise has placed financial regulators in uncharted territory, forcing experts to think outside the box about how to best regulate decentralized digital assets. This episode will explore the Canadian cryptocurrency regulatory landscape in the wake of the FTX collapse and consider how it might evolve in the future.

In this episode, we speak with Me Laure Fouin, co-head of the Digital Assets and Blockchain group and a partner at the Montréal office of Osler, a leading Canadian law firm. 

Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual violence and genocide.

This episode explores how non-governmental and other international organizations work to achieve justice and redress for survivors of international war crimes. We speak with Natia Navrouzov, who shares expertise on the role of NGOs, and the international community, more generally, in obtaining redress for Yazidi survivors of genocide. 

In this this two-part epsiode, we hear from McGill Law graduates whose unconventional careers challenge the typical image of what it means to be a lawyer or have a law degree. Our guests for part two are Aaron Wenner and Geeva Samynathan, both law graduates who decided to pursue entrepreneurial careers.

Aaron is co-founder and CEO of CiteRight, a Toronto-based legal-tech start-up that helps coordinate legal research and drafting. Geeva runs a consultancy company, ECTAA, that provides guidance in management, environmental consulting, and corporate training. 

Huit ans après la publication du rapport final de la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation du Canada, cet épisode se penche sur les voies possibles des interactions entre les peuples autochtones et l'État canadien. Nous nous entretenons avec Jean Leclair, professeur de droit à l'Université de Montréal spécialiste du fédéralisme et du pluralisme juridique, pour mieux comprendre le concept de justice transitionnelle dans le contexte canadien.

In this two-part episode, we hear from McGill Law graduates whose unconventional careers challenge the typical image of what it means to be a lawyer or have a law degree. Our guests for part one are Alba Stella Zuniga Ramos and Hanson Hossein, who have built careers in municipal politics and journalism, respectively.

This episode is the first in the MLJ Podcast's Legal Fictions series. Made for and by law students, Legal Fictions traces developments in the legal profession, aiming to demystify the practice of law, delve into the history of its regulation, and reimagine its future.

Bill C-11, commonly known as the Online Streaming Act, has been riddled with controversy since its introduction in June of last year, through to its adoption as law in April 2023. Canada's first major reform of the Broadcasting Act since 1991, the Act aims to promote Canadian content on online streaming services, in part by extending the regulatory powers of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In this episode, we hear from Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, on why the Act falls flat, and how it misunderstands the nature of on-demand streaming services.

This conversation was recorded in January 2023, while Bill C-11 was in its third reading before the Senate.

This episode explores the practice of solitary confinement in Canada and the winding road toward its abolition. Our two guests, Andrea Monteiro (former Director of Corrections for the Yukon Government and founder of Ethical Correctional Consulting, Inc.) and Nora Demnati (a Montreal-based prison lawyer and instructor at McGill's Faculty of Law) bring their differing experiences and perspectives to bear on the question of prison reform. Our discussion centres around the history and evolution of solitary confinement, why its elimination has proved difficult, and the challenges of piecemeal versus system-wide change.

Comment le système canadien d'immigration et de protection des réfugiés réagit-il aux conflits qui provoquent un afflux de migrants ? En utilisant la guerre en Ukraine comme étude de cas, nous discutons du programme de résidents temporaires protégés et de ses lacunes, en considérant surtout les conséquences au niveau de l'intégration communautaire.

Cet épisode est le premier de notre série Counterpoint, qui met en conversation des universitaires et des praticiens du droit avec des travailleurs communautaires ayant l'expérience du droit dans son application. Nos invités sont le professeur François Crépeau, titulaire de la Chaire Hans et Tamar Oppenheimer en droit international public et M. Kinan Swaid, directeur des opérations au Centre des réfugiés à Montréal, et responsable du département orientation et académique du Centre.

Dans le premier volet de cet épisode en deux parties, Dominique Goubau, professeur de droit à l'Université Laval, examine les principaux changements apportés par le projet de loi 2 - devenu loi en juin 2022 - sur le droit de la famille au Québec.

In February 2022, the federal Government invoked the Emergencies Act in response to a series of protests and blockades across Canada. We speak with Professor David Schneiderman about the historic use of emergency powers in Canada, the development of the Act, and the implications of its invocation.

Notre premier épisode de la série MLJ Shorts analyse une nouvelle loi fédérale ayant pour objectif de combattre le trafic d'organes. Garnett Genuis, le député qui a parrainé le projet de loi S-223 à la Chambre des communes, nous explique pourquoi il a été introduit et quel rôle il pourrait jouer dans la lutte contre les violations des droits de l'homme au-delà des frontières du Canada.

In Toronto (City) v. Ontario (Attorney General), the Supreme Court held the Ontario government's decision to reduce the size of Toronto's City Council – during an election – was constitutionally valid. In this episode, we explore the case and its implications on freedom of expression and unwritten constitutional principles. We speak with Nathalie Des Rossiers, Principal of Massey College, who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario when the events transpired.

At the international level, malware has become a tool of transnational repression – enabling governments to reach across national borders to silence and surveil dissidents. We speak with Siena Anstis, senior legal advisor at The Citizen Lab, about how digital transnational repression takes place, how it implicates human rights, and how governments around the world are responding to its occurrence.

Selon les statistiques les plus récentes de Statistique Canada, deux grandes entreprises canadiennes sur cinq auraient été victimes d'une cyberattaque. Dans cet épisode, nous explorons les implications légales découlant des logiciels malveillants ("malware") avec Maître Éloïse Gratton, avocate et associée au cabinet Borden Ladner Gervais. Nous discutons les impacts au droit à la vie privée, la protection des renseignements confidentiels et personnels et les obligations légales des entreprises de signaler ou de notifier les incidents.

While proponents of conversion therapy argue that legislative bans infringe on freedoms of expression and religion, its opponents contend that failing to impose a ban would have harmful consequences. Now criminalized at the federal level, we discuss the practice of conversion therapy: its impacts, ideological underpinnings, and the legislative approaches to its ban in Canada.

We speak with Dr. Kristopher Wells, associate professor in the Faculty of Health and Community Studies at MacEwen University, and author of the Canada Research Chair report, "Conversion Therapy in Canada: A Guide for Legislative Action."

Dans cet épisode, nous explorons les droits et obligations respectives des propriétaires et des locataires au Québec. Nous discutons du phénomène des rénovictions, des particularités du Tribunal administratif du logement, ainsi que de certains mécanismes mis en place pour protéger les droits des locataires et de solutions potentielles à la crise du logement qui touche plusieurs villes du Québec.

Nous parlons avec Me Marc-André Émard, avocat au Bureau Centre-Sud de l'aide juridique, et Me Daniel Crespo Villareal, chargé de cours en droit du logement à l'Université du Québec à Montréal et avocat chez DDC Légal.

Enshrined in the Canadian Constitution since 1982, Canada's equalization program transfers federal tax revenue to provinces whose fiscal capacity is less than the national average. But since its inception, equalization has been subject to recurring public debate and controversy. In this episode we explore the constitutional legal history of equalization and unpack Alberta's 2021 equalization referendum with Professor Eric Adams from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Law. 

Reflecting on 40 years of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we speak with Professor Martha Jackman from the University of Ottawa about the right to health. In particular, we explore how the right has been litigated on section 7 and section 15 grounds to advance protection over social determinants of health—such as access to food, clean water, and housing—with varying degrees of success. This special episode was produced in collaboration with the McGill Journal of Law & Health.

The Afghanistan War and its legacy continue to exert a profound influence over Canada's national security policy. In this episode, we reflect on Canada's role within the war and the international humanitarian law that governed the conflict. We speak with Retired Maj Gen Blaise Cathcart, Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Armed Forces (2010–2017), and Professor Mary Ellen O'Connell, Research Professor of International Dispute Resolution at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame.

Although the reasonable person standard continues to be a useful tool in many areas of the law, it can also reinforce stereotypes of power and privilege. In this episode, we speak with Professor Mayo Moran about what a critical lens reveals about the shortcomings and limitations of the reasonable person standard.

Regulating online content is a complex issue that platforms and governments alike continue to grapple with. In this episode, we explore the Canadian Government's Proposed Approach to Address Harmful Content Online and its potential impact on civil liberties.

We speak with Me Lex Gill, a public interest lawyer who co-authored a recent report on the pressing privacy, freedom of expression, and human rights considerations related to the government's proposal.

Le projet de loi n° 96, la loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec, le français, a été présenté par le gouvernement de la Coalition Avenir Québec en 2021. Il propose plusieurs mesures pour renforcer et promouvoir la langue française au Québec. Bien que l'Assemblée Nationale du Québec a voté unanimement pour que le projet de loi 96 passe à la phase de consultation, certains ont remis en cause sa nécessité et sa constitutionnalité. Dans cet épisode, nous discuterons avec le professeur Guillaume Rousseau et Me Julius Grey sur les origines et les objectifs principaux du projet de loi 96 ainsi que les critiques les plus courantes formulées à son encontre.

Dans cet épisode, nous discuterons du rôle de la responsabilité civile dans la prévention des dommages environnementaux. Afin de nous éclairer sur ce sujet, nous avons invité Maître Michel Bélanger, avocat spécialisé en recours collectifs et en droit de l'environnement.

In 2021, the Ontario Superior Court developed a new tort of online harassment. The tort was fashioned to respond to the outrageous conduct of the defendant, who incessantly posted malicious and defamatory falsehoods about the plaintiffs across various online platforms. But was the creation of a new tort necessary? And will it provide an effective solution for other victims of cyberbullying or internet harassment? Our guest is Iris Fischer, co-head of the Toronto Litigation Group at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Music by Alexander Shamaluev and IvyMusic from Pixabay.

A recording of the lecture delivered by Professor John Borrows at the McGill Law Journal's 2022 Annual Lecture. The Annual Lecture is a McGill Law Journal tradition that dates back to the 1980s. This year, Professor John Borrows spoke about the role students play in reshaping and growing the law and the legal field by collectively engaging in the process of making sense of the world around us. 

Three years following the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, the role of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in regulating cannabis has yet to be adequately addressed, creating a state of legal uncertainty over questions about jurisdiction and control. Despite this uncertainty, some Indigenous nations have nonetheless begun to assert their inherent rights to self-government and regulate cannabis according to their own customs and laws. In this episode, we explore both the challenges the Cannabis Act has posed for Indigenous governments and cannabis entrepreneurs, as well as the flourishing "red market" of cannabis businesses that operate and are licensed under Indigenous laws and frameworks.