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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

Surrogacy law in Canada has long been a debated topic, whose evolution is tied to moral and ethical issues including reproductive rights, and protection against the commodification of women and children. In this episode, we explore how the law regulates the rights, expectations, and relationships of surrogates and hopeful parents. We also unpack recent reforms that have attempted to clarify this complex area. Our guest is Dr. Stefanie Carsley, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa...

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...