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2026 | AJW Webinar — Resistance to Change: Neuroscience and Implementation Research in Support of Successful Change

Date: June 12, 2026
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW

This webinar will explore why individuals and organizations resist change — and, more importantly, how to create the conditions that make change possible. Drawing on neuroscience, communication, and leadership, the session will offer practical insights to help rethink justice issues and support more human, effective, and sustainable change.

National Administrative Justice Week 2026

 

SPEAKER & MODERATOR

Speaker:

Nicole Sherren, PhD, Principal Consultant, R2P Solutions

Dr. Nicole Sherren has a PhD in neuroscience and has spent the past 18 years helping professionals across the health, education, justice, and non-profit sectors turn “what we know” from research and evaluation into “what we do” in public policy and professional practice.

Using an organizational change management approach, Nicole helps her clients integrate best practice research into organizational strategies, program design and delivery, evaluation plans, and policies. She has provided strategic advisory and implementation support to national and regional non-profits, public agencies, and funders in order to strengthen their ability to improve health and social outcomes at scale.

Her key areas of expertise include the science of early brain development and its impact on learning, social, and health outcomes; research and evaluation; knowledge translation and mobilization; strategy design and execution; professional development; and community development and system change initiatives.

She is also the Board Chair of Calgary Alpha House Society, an agency that provides outreach, emergency shelter, detoxification, and supportive housing to street-involved individuals with substance use issues.

Moderator : 

Christine O’Doherty, Lawyer & Executive Director, CIAJ

Christine O’Doherty has been Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) since 2017 and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1994. A bilingual lawyer (French and English), she has strong expertise in Indigenous law and administrative law. An experienced manager and effective communicator, she has also played a key role throughout her career in the development and implementation of public and government relations strategies for various high-profile organizations.

A certified trainer and adult education specialist, Ms. O’Doherty has nearly 10 years of experience in continuing legal education at CIAJ. She designs and facilitates specialized workshops, including on judgment and decision writing, tailored to the Canadian judiciary and other legal professionals. She has also contributed to the development of customized programs for courts, aimed at improving writing quality, decision-making effectiveness, and access to justice.

Before joining CIAJ, Ms. O’Doherty taught for 14 years at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal, where she was responsible for the cross-disciplinary skills program for undergraduate and graduate students. This experience allowed her to build strong expertise in instructional design and the delivery of key competencies.

At CIAJ, she oversees the development and implementation of innovative training programs for the judiciary and the Canadian legal community, incorporating participatory and practice-oriented approaches. Her initiatives focus particularly on contemporary issues related to access to justice and improvements in judicial administration.

Alongside her professional responsibilities, Ms. O’Doherty devotes part of her free time to writing novels.

CPD HOURS

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

  • Total: 1h
  • No EDI hours

 

FEES

Categories

Fees
CIAJ or CCAT Members $55
Non-Members $75
Students (CIAJ or CCAT Members) Free
Students (Non-Members) $40

 

Webinar | Resistance to Change: Neuroscience and Implementation Research in Support of Successful Change

AJW Webinar | Resistance to Change: Neuroscience and Implementation Research in Support of Successful Change (1:32:58)

2026 | Webinar — Legislative Drafting and the Environment: From Backyards to Biomes

Date: June 4, 2026
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW

This webinar will explore the evolving landscape of legislative drafting in the environmental context, highlighting how federal, provincial, and municipal jurisdictions navigate overlapping authorities and responsibilities. Presenters will identify recurring drafting challenges, and discuss best practices and mitigation strategies for responding.

Through real‑world examples and thematic discussion, attendees will leave with tools and perspectives to support drafting effective, adaptive, and principled environmental legislation.

 

SPEAKERS & MODERATOR

Speakers:

Kristi Cairns, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel, Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Kristi Cairns is a legislative drafter with deep experience at the intersection of environmental policy and public law. After completing a degree in environmental engineering, she earned her law degree from Dalhousie University in 2001, along with a Certificate in Marine and Environmental Law. She was called to the bar in 2002 and began her legal career practicing pharmaceutical patent litigation at Gowlings, where she spent two years before moving into public service.

Kristi then joined the legislative drafting team within the Legal Services Branch of Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Over the next 16 years, she worked as instructing counsel on a wide range of complex legislative and regulatory initiatives, including emissions trading, administrative penalties, spills, air pollution, the cosmetic pesticides ban, pollinator health, Drive Clean, and the modernization of approvals.

In January 2020, Kristi joined the Office of Legislative Counsel, moving to the other side of the drafting table. In her current role, she works on a broad array of bills, regulations, and motions for several ministries, including the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, bringing a practical, policy‑informed perspective to legislative drafting.

Andrea A. Cole, Lawyer, Law Department, The City of Calgary

Andrea Cole practices administrative law in Alberta as in-house counsel with The City of Calgary, a position she has held since 2016. Her practice includes drafting municipal bylaws, policy review, and legislative interpretation. A graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Andrea was first called to the bar in Ontario in 2010. After articles, she began her law career within Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General (first at Crown Law Office-Civil Law and then with Social Justice Tribunals Ontario).

Andrea has co-authored two articles on administrative law that were published in the Canadian Journal of Administrative Law & Practice and the Canadian Bar Review. Along with co-counsel, Andrea represented The City of Calgary as an intervener before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Auer appeal that addressed judicial review of subordinate legislation.

Thomas Cormie, Senior Counsel, Legislative Services Branch, Department of Justice Canada

Thomas Cormie was raised in Whitehorse and holds BA, BCL and LLB degrees from McGill University and an MA from Columbia University in the City of New York. Thomas articled at Justice Canada’s Montréal offices in 2011, and is a member of the Barreau du Québec.

Thomas conducted judicial review litigation before the Federal Court until 2016, then moved to Ottawa to begin work as legislative counsel in Justice’s Headquarters Regulations Section. Since arriving in Ottawa, Thomas has on two occasions stepped away from drafting regulations to work on assignment providing advice on various administrative law matters, as well as on other matters related to legislative drafting and interpretation.

Although Thomas may be called upon to prepare regulations sponsored by most federal ministers, Thomas has particular responsibilities in assisting Environment and Climate Change Canada’s regulatory initiatives.

Moderator : 

Jaimie Graham, Legal Counsel, Alberta Utilities Commission

Jaimie Graham is legal counsel for the Alberta Utilities Commission. She holds a LL.M. from the University of Calgary, focusing on natural resources, energy, and environmental law, and has participated in the University of Victoria’s Indigenous Law Research Methodologies Intensive. Her work experience includes roles with the Government of Canada, the Yukon Utilities Board, and the Alberta Electric System Operator.

CPD HOURS

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

  • Total: 1h
  • No EDI hours

 

FEES

Categories

Fees
CIAJ Members Free
Non-Members $75
Students (CIAJ Members) Free
Students (Non-Members) $25

 

Webinar | Legislative Drafting and the Environment: From Backyards to Biomes

Webinar | Legislative Drafting and the Environment: From Backyards to Biomes (1:25:43)

2026 | Webinar — Putting the Right to Housing into Practice: Legal Responses to a Crisis

Date: April 30, 2026
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW

A 2024 report by the Federal Housing Advocate states that “Canada’s homeless encampments are a national human rights crisis”. These encampments have been established across the country not only because of a lack of affordable housing, but also because many people who are unhoused have nowhere safe to go. What is the role of the law in addressing this crisis?

In this webinar, three experts share their perspectives on this question. The discussion will examine the right to housing, as recognized in the National Housing Strategy Act, and the legal obligations of all levels of government to protect this right. The speakers will also give an overview of the legal landscape, highlight key legal and policy issues, discuss the tools that have been developed, and present the work currently underway within and outside the courts.

 

SPEAKERS & MODERATOR

Speakers:

Dr. Alexandra Flynn, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Programs
Peter A. Allard School of Law - University of British Columbia

Dr. Alexandra Flynn is Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Programs at the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law. Professor Flynn’s current focus is on housing and homelessness, and the meaning of the 'right to housing’. 

Her forthcoming book, The Bylaw State: Encampment Evictions and the Struggle for Public Space, co-authored with Professor Joe Hermer (Toronto) explains the role of bylaws in regulating homelessness, contrary to human rights standards enshrined in Canadian law.

Marie-Josée Houle, Canada's first Federal Housing Advocate

Marie-Josée Houle is Canada's first Federal Housing Advocate. She was first appointed to the role in February 2022, and was re-appointed for a three-year term on February 21, 2025. She brings with her deep knowledge, expertise, and passion from a long-standing career in the affordable housing and homelessness sector. 

As Federal Housing Advocate, Ms. Houle is using her mandate to spotlight key issues of national concern and provide evidence-based recommendations to address the housing and homelessness crisis. Ms. Houle is dedicated to working directly with rights holders, civil society, and decision-makers to arrive at human rights-based solutions. Her work creates space for marginalized voices to be heard and amplified. 

In particular, Ms. Houle remains one of the country's top voices advocating for the human rights of encampment residents. Her work has exposed the serious underfunding and lack of safe housing infrastructure for Métis communities in Saskatchewan and Inuit in Nunavut and Nunatsiavut. She has also successfully led advocacy campaigns with decision-makers to advance her recommendations and drive change on these systemic issues. She has referred three major systemic housing issues to the National Housing Council for formal review. 

Ms. Houle’s previous experience includes frontline and educational work in housing co-ops, project management for non-market housing development, housing-related research projects, and advocating for tenant rights at all levels of government. Her previous titles include Executive Director for Action-Logement, Executive Director for Unity Housing Ottawa, and co-chair of the City of Ottawa's Housing Loss Prevention Committee. She has held advisory roles with several committees and built partnerships among diverse stakeholders. 

Born in Val D'Or, Québec, and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Ms. Houle holds a Master of Arts in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Dalhousie and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta. She is fluently bilingual in English and French, and is a devoted and celebrated musician. 

Laura Macintyre, Staff Lawyer
Pivot Legal Society

Laura is a Staff Lawyer at Pivot Legal Society, where she leads the Homes for All Campaign. Pivot’s Homes for All Campaign calls on all levels of government to treat housing as a fundamental human right, rather than as a privilege or a commodity; challenges laws, policies, and practices that discriminate against people who are unhoused and/or precariously housed; fights the criminalization of homelessness; and targets the intersection between housing justice and other forms of injustice.

Prior to joining Pivot, Laura worked as a lawyer in Toronto providing legal assistance and representation to women-identifying individuals who experienced intimate partner violence. She supported her clients as they navigated complex histories of violence alongside precarious immigration status, systemic housing discrimination, racism, and criminalization. Through this work, Laura developed an approach to lawyering that centers her clients’ resilience, autonomy, and self-determination in the face of interlocking systems of oppression.

Laura holds a Masters of Law (LLM) from Harvard Law School and is a member of both the Law Society of British Columbia and the Law Society of Ontario.  

 

Moderator: 

Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel
CIAJ

Sarah is a graduate of University of Ottawa’s Common Law program, having previously obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. She articled at Legal Aid NL and is a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Throughout law school, Sarah worked as a student intern at CIAJ. In her new position as legal counsel, Sarah is responsible for assisting with the development and management of CIAJ projects, including the research and analysis of legislation, court decisions, and government policies. In this role, she also engages with law students and law faculties to ensure relevancy and legal accuracy of CIAJ’s educational programs.

In her free time, Sarah enjoys volunteering, playing guitar, and supporting local theatre.

 

 

CPD HOURS

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

  • Total: 1h
  • No EDI hours

 

FEES

Categories

Fees
CIAJ Members Free
Non-Members $75
Not-for-profit organizations $40
Students (CIAJ Members) Free
Students (Non-Members) $25

 

Webinar | Putting the Right to Housing into Practice: Legal Responses to a Crisis

Webinar | Putting the Right to Housing into Practice: Legal Responses to a Crisis [1:27:43]

2025 | Series — Digital Assets Entering our Courts: Building a Framework with the Experts

Date: September 25 - November 27, 2025
Location: Online

 

SERIES OVERVIEW | WEBINAR 1 | WEBINAR 2 | FEES | CONTACT

 

SERIES OVERVIEW

With the growth of digital assets as a form of investment and an everyday asset class, there is an increasing need for our judges and lawyers to have a greater awareness of what they are and how their unique character can impact court processes and dispositions.

It is not only a matter of digital asset fraud cases and injunctions (Marevas, Anton Pillers, Norwichs, Interim Possession/Custody orders, etc.), but also court cases where digital assets are simply an asset class that must be dealt with in every day court dispositions (tracing or accounting for them; specific performance on their disposition; interim custody and preservation; valuation and damages calculations on highly volatile assets, etc.).

It is increasingly important to de-mystify this asset class for our judiciary and bar and provide a practical ‘how to kit’ on approaching these cases. This series and its experts will help you recognize in what respects digital assets are meaningfully different from conventional assets/loss categories (and how/when they are not), and help you build a framework on how to identify the unique issues and questions that may arise from their involvement and disposition.

DATES

EVENTS

EXPERTS
Thursday, September 25, 2025 Webinar | Part One: De-Mystifying Digital Assets and Recognizing When Digital Asset Issues Arise

Benjamin Bathgate, WeirFoulds, Chair – Commercial Litigation; Co-Chair – Blockchain and Digital Assets

Amrit Dev, KPMG Forensic, Senior Manager – Digital Assets Forensics

Thursday,
27 November, 2025

Webinar | Part Two: Questions Every Adjudicator Should Ask About Digital Assets and Their Impact on Court Processes [For Judges Only]

Benjamin Bathgate, WeirFoulds, Chair – Commercial Litigation; Co-Chair – Blockchain and Digital Assets

Michael Fawcett, Crown Counsel and Provincial Coordinator for cybercrime within the Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario

TBC: Guest from the judiciary 

Bilingual program with simultaneous interpretation.
The webinars will be available on demand afterwards, at the same rate.

 

WEBINAR PART ONE | DE-MYSTIFYING DIGITAL ASSETS AND RECOGNIZING WHEN DIGITAL ASSET ISSUES ARISE

 

Topics:

  • What are we Talking About and Why Does it Matter?
    The basics on the blockchain, digital assets and why investment (and fraud and disputes) in Web3 will only grow, as will their impact on everyday court processes.

  • Where to Start in the Courts?
    When might digital assets become the subject matter of court cases and what issues and questions arise when they do; from injunctions to valuations and interim custody, and everything in between

  • What are Some Concrete Examples of Dispositions in the Courts?

    • Civil Cases: asset tracing, valuation, damages quantification, class action claims administration, interim custody and preservation;

    • Criminal Cases: warrant powers for investigative searches, dealing with laundered assets, asset recovery and assistance orders;

    • Bankruptcy and Insolvency Case: asset tracing, preservation and recovery from bankrupts, and business dissolution;

    • Family and Estates Cases: identification and tracing of digital assets, interim custody and division of ‘family digital assets’, equalization and support orders;

    • Intellectual Property Cases: IP and copyright infringement, valuation and damages quantification;

    • Corporate Law Cases: shareholder disputes, corporate governance and liability in decentralized organizations;

    • Regulatory Cases: compliance frameworks and enforcement, market conduct oversight including disclosures and market manipulation and asset freezing measures;

    • Tax Cases : dispositions of digital assets, treatments for tax purposes and consequences of trading (income rules on staking, trading)

Bilingual program with simultaneous interpretation.

 

Panelists:

Benjamin Bathgate, WeirFoulds, Chair – Commercial Litigation; Co-Chair – Blockchain and Digital Assets

Benjamin Bathgate is the Chair of WeirFoulds’ Commercial Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of its Blockchain and Digital Assets Practice Group. His practice focuses on complex, high stakes fraud, digital asset recovery and commercial litigation. Ben is widely recognized in the crypto industry as the go-to digital asset investigations and recovery lawyer in Canada. He is faculty for Osgoode Law School’s Web3, Blockchain and Metaverse Law certificate course, authors numerous relevant texts and articles and has interviewed with leading publications on digital asset matters, including with CoinDesk, CBC Fifth Estate, Globe and Mail, Canadian Lawyer, Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance.

→ View full biography

 

Amrit Dev, KPMG Forensic, Senior Manager – Digital Assets Forensics

Amrit Dev is a Senior Manager in KPMG’s Forensic practice in Toronto, specializing in digital asset investigations. With over nine years of experience in forensic mandates including fraud, money laundering, and asset tracing, she has developed deep expertise in blockchain analytics and cryptocurrency tracing. From 2021 to 2023, she worked in the Enforcement Division of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), investigating high-profile fraud cases involving digital assets. She now co-leads KPMG’s global forensic digital assets network and frequently presents to law firms and regulators on blockchain investigations.

→ View full biography

 

CPD Hours:
Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

  • Total: 1h
  • No EDI hours

 

WEBINAR PART TWO | QUESTIONS EVERY JUDGE SHOULD ASK ABOUT DIGITAL ASSETS AND THEIR IMPACT ON COURT PROCESSES

 

Topics:

  • What are examples of novel ways in which digital assets become a focal point in our courts?

  • Which court processes are potentially impacted by the appearance of digital assets and what challenges arise when they do?

  • What are the key questions every judge should ask lawyers about their digital assets’ case – views from the experts and the bench.

 

Panelists:

Benjamin Bathgate, WeirFoulds, Chair – Commercial Litigation; Co-Chair – Blockchain and Digital Assets

Benjamin Bathgate is the Chair of WeirFoulds’ Commercial Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of its Blockchain and Digital Assets Practice Group. His practice focuses on complex, high stakes fraud, digital asset recovery and commercial litigation. Ben is widely recognized in the crypto industry as the go-to digital asset investigations and recovery lawyer in Canada. He is faculty for Osgoode Law School’s Web3, Blockchain and Metaverse Law certificate course, authors numerous relevant texts and articles and has interviewed with leading publications on digital asset matters, including with CoinDesk, CBC Fifth Estate, Globe and Mail, Canadian Lawyer, Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance.

→ View full biography

 
 

Michael Fawcett, Crown Counsel and Provincial Coordinator for cybercrime within the Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario

Michael Fawcett works as Crown Counsel and is the provincial coordinator for cybercrime within the Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario. He also is Team Lead for the country’s first and only dedicated group of cybercrime Crowns. He provides legal assistance on various cyber and crypto-related law enforcement investigations, and also appears in court regularly on cybercrime, search and seizure, and digital-privacy related matters. Michael teaches cybercrime law at the University of Ottawa and Osgoode Hall Law School, and previously at Western University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 2008, Michael practiced law in Washington, D.C., and clerked for the United States Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit, before returning to Canada and joining the Attorney General’s Office.
 

The Honourable Justice Frederick L. Myers, Ontario Superior Court of Justice

 

 

FEES

Categories

Webinar 1

Webinar 2*

Full series*
CIAJ Members Free Free Free
Non-Members $50 $50 $50 (the 2nd webinar is free)
Students $10 Not applicable Not applicable

* Webinar 2 and full series: for judges only.

 

CONTACT

For further information, please contact Mihai Matache, Membership Services Coordinator:
Tel.: 514 731-2855

 

CONTACT US

 

Series | Digital Assets Entering our Courts: Building a Framework with the Experts

Webinar #1 | Part One: De-Mystifying Digital Assets and Recognizing When Digital Asset Issues Arise (1:28:17)

2025 | Roundtable: Artificial Intelligence and Administrative Law – Issues and Perspectives for Administrative Tribunals

Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools are transforming the work of administrative tribunals, from case management to evidence analysis and decision writing. This roundtable will provide administrative tribunal members with an opportunity to explore the benefits and limitations of these technologies, featuring a hands-on demonstration of selected tools.

Discussions will cover key issues such as accessibility and linguistic challenges in legal contexts, privacy and confidentiality concerns, the impact of AI on expert evidence assessment, and the ethical considerations of integrating AI into decision-making processes. An interactive workshop will allow participants to exchange best practices and precautions for adapting to these new realities.

This is the first national roundtable bringing together stakeholders from across the legal sector to discuss the evolving impact of artificial intelligence. Organized by the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ), this event marks the beginning of a broader series of roundtables aimed at giving all voices within the legal system a platform to share perspectives.

Join us to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI in justice—from innovation to ethical concerns—and help shape the future of legal practice in Canada.

See the roundtable program

 

CPD Hours

  • Total: 6h

For provinces where professional hours apply:

  • Total: 4h45
  • EDI hours: 1h15

 

FEES

CIAJ or CCAT members: $725
Non-members: $925
Students: $95

 

National Administrative Law Week (2025 Edition)

Roundtable | Artificial Intelligence and Administrative Law – Issues and Perspectives for Administrative Tribunals (5:20:57)

2025 | Webinar: Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice: A Miracle Solution?

Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW

Is artificial intelligence the key to unlocking true access to justice—or just another tech illusion? Join us for a thought-provoking webinar exploring how AI is reshaping the legal landscape. Will people turn to AI to seek justice or represent themselves? Can these tools truly empower individuals and streamline the work of courts and tribunals? Together, we’ll dive into the promises, pitfalls, and practical realities of AI in the justice system.

 

CPD Hours

  • Total: 1h30

 

SPEAKERS:

  • Erik Bornmann, Director of Guided Pathways at Community Legal Education Ontario (Toronto, ON)
  • James G. Kosa, Lawyer and Partner at WeirFoulds LLP, (Toronto, ON)
  • Jennifer Leitch, Executive Director at the National Self-Represented Litigant Project, Program Director at Trinity College, University of Toronto (Toronto, ON)

MODERATOR:

  • Christine O'Doherty, Lawyer and Executive Director of CIAJ (Montreal, QC)

 

FEES

CIAJ or CCAT members: $55
Non-members: $75
Student members: Free
Non-student members: $40

 

National Administrative Law Week (2025 Edition)

Webinar | Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice: A Miracle Solution? (1:31:39)

2024 | Webinar: The (Dis)Connect between Legislative Drafting and Statutory Interpretation: Perspectives from Three Branches of Government

Date

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

OVERVIEW

Legislative drafting is viewed as a specialized area of law that requires particular education, skills and experience. A legislative drafter’s legal opinion is that the text will have a certain legal effect when the relevant interpretative provisions are considered. To this end, professional legislative drafters follow specific drafting conventions, styles and practices.

However, drafting conventions are not well known by legal professionals outside of the specialized drafting community, nor are they commonly referenced by parties in court or in judicial reasons. This raises questions regarding their value in the statutory interpretation exercise, and what more could be done to increase familiarity with drafting conventions to those outside the professional legislative drafter community.

Further, principles of statutory interpretation have developed with reference to the way that drafters and drafting offices operate; however, contemporary realities may call reliance on some of these principles into question.

In this webinar, professionals from three branches of government discuss the theory and realities of drafting and statutory interpretation, and provide recommendations regarding how they can be better reconciled.

Panelists:

  • Gabriela Dedelli, Parliamentary Counsel, Legislative Assembly of Ontario
  • The Hounourable Justice Gareth Morley, Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Victoria
  • Christina Wasyliw, Deputy Legislative Counsel & General Counsel, MB Justice

Moderator: Jaimie Graham, Legal Counsel, Alberta Utilities Commission

RESOURCE: Legislative Drafting in Statutory Interpretation: A Plea for Recognition – Gabriela Dedelli

Fees
CIAJ Members: $40
Non-members: $55

Webinar | The (Dis)Connect between Legislative Drafting and Statutory Interpretation: Perspectives from Three Branches of Government

Webinar | The (Dis)Connect between Legislative Drafting and Statutory Interpretation: Perspectives from Three Branches of Government (1:29:10)

2024 | Webinar: Democracy at a Crossroads: Can We Still Save It?

Date

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Overview

The rule of law is a foundational principle of any civilized society. It creates an environment where democracy can thrive, ensuring that governance is just, transparent, and accountable without fear or favor, fostering public confidence. When this confidence erodes, so does the community’s willingness to engage with the legal system. The media serves as a crucial watchdog of democracy, holding power accountable and ensuring transparency in the justice system.

As public trust in democratic institutions wanes, our webinar aims to bring together justice system participants to critically examine the principles that support social stability and the rule of law.  Our goal is to deepen understanding of these essential principles and identify practical steps to enhance public trust in legal institutions, reinforcing this vital pillar of democracy. The webinar will also deal with the rise of global authoritarianism.

This program serves as a preview for our upcoming conference on Democracy, the Rule of Law, and Independence, taking place on November 18-19, 2025. Don’t miss it!

Panelists: 

  • The Honourable Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice of Canada
  • David Shribman, journalist Globe and Mail, member of the Max Bell Institute at McGill
  • Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada

Moderator: Miray Granovsky, Deputy Judge, Small Claims Court; General Counsel, Atlantic Coated Papers

Fees
CIAJ Members: $50
Non-members: $65

2024  I Webinar: Democracy at a Crossroads: Can We Still Save It?

Webinar | Democracy at a Crossroads: Can We Still Save It? (1:32:36)

2024 | Legislative Drafting Conference (2024 Edition)

Date: September 16-18, 2024
Location: Ottawa & Online

 

OVERVIEW

CIAJ’s biennial Legislative Drafting Conference tackles the most important challenges in modern legislation.

This 22nd Edition (in-person and online) continues a long tradition of exploring the many facets of legislative drafting with a particular focus on the Canadian context. The 2024 conference will bring together practitioners and academics to discuss various aspects of the work of preparing legislative texts. The conference will address a broad range of topics including practical challenges drafters face in their work, developments in statutory interpretation and questions of diversity and inclusion in statutes. The 2024 conference will also pay tribute to the late Ruth Sullivan who had a profound influence on the field of legislative drafting.

PROGRAM

 

GUEST SPEAKERS

Guest of Honor

The Honourable Justice David W. Stratas, from the Federal Court of Appeal, will be present at the reception at the Supreme Court of Canada, which will take place at the end of the first day (Monday, September 16, 2024).

The Honourable Justice David W. Stratas, Federal Court of Appeal

LL.B. (Queen’s University, 1984); B.C.L. (Oxford University, 1986); LL.D. (Queen’s University, 2012, honoris causa). Born in Toronto, Ontario. Law clerk to Justice Bertha Wilson of the Supreme Court of Canada (1986-1987). Called to the Bar of Ontario (1988). Litigation partner in firms in Toronto, Ontario. Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (2008). Appointed Special Advocate by the Minister of Justice (2008). Adjunct member, Faculty of Law, Queen's University (1994 to the present), winning multiple faculty teaching awards. Instructor and presenter at over 60 judicial education sessions across Canada, most frequently in the area of administrative law. Author of over 200 articles or conference papers on various legal topics, particularly in the areas of administrative law, constitutional law, and legal writing. Appointed Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court on December 11, 2009. Appointed Judge of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada, May 3, 2012. Acting Chief Justice from July to November 2023.

 

CPD Hours: 

  • Total: 11h30

For provinces where professional hours apply:

  • Total: 10h
  • EDI hours: 1h30

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

 

FEES

Per Day:

  • CIAJ Members: $200
  • Non-Members: $275
  • Students: $25

Full Conference:

  • CIAJ Members: $475
  • Non-Members: $625
  • Students: $75

 

Legislative Drafting Conference (2024 Edition)

Day 1 | 2024 Legislative Drafting Conference (3:25:02)
Day 2 | 2024 Legislative Drafting Conference (5:24:24)
Day 3 | 2024 Legislative Drafting Conference (3:59:22)

2024 | Roundtable: Law, Policy and the Public interest

Date: June 6, 2024
Location: Ottawa & Online

 

OVERVIEW 

Administrative agencies, Boards, and commissions (ABC) operate in the domain of public law, so have an overriding responsibility to act “in the public interest.” But what is this thing we call “the public interest?” Who is this public, and what are their “interests?” Is there a unified public or, as the SCC said in Berg, every service has its own public?

Should Boards, made up of experts and professionals in a particular field, presume to know the public’s interest, or should they seek out and entertain evidence of that interest? What should we do with the reality that most members of the public will not generally be organized or have the resources to participate on an equal footing with institutional participants. What responsibility do governments have to ensure that boards, tribunals, and commissions have the independence, resources and capacity to access, and properly assess this public interest?

For ABCs with regulatory and policy -making responsibilities, the public interest is even more important.

Regulatory decisions may have significant impacts that extend well beyond the parties to an application or appeals. They may cross geographical and jurisdictional boundaries. They can have significant direct or indirect impacts on social, economic, environmental, and other relations. The decisions can affect generations into the future. The task is polycentric. As the public appears to be increasingly uncertain about the capacity of our democratic institutions to address current important, even existential issues in an intelligible, coherent and non-partisan way, it falls to all of us to confront these conundrums.

This program is part of the second edition of the National Administrative Law Week*, organized jointly by CIAJ and the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals (CCAT).

Bilingual program with simultaneous interpretation.
Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

See the roundtable program

 

CPD Hours: 

  • Total: 5h45

For provinces where professional hours apply:

  • Total: 5h45
  • EDI hours: 45 minutes

 

FEES

CIAJ or CCAT members: $550
Non-members: $750
Students: $95

 

National Administrative Law Week (2024 Edition)

Roundtable | Law, Policy and the Public interest (5:02:41)

2024 | Lunch and Learn – Under the Hood: How AI Works, Is Being Used, and Current AI Law and Policy

Date: June 21, 2024
Location: Online

 

OVERVIEW

This online event will explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence in the activities of the judicial community and system in Canada, as well as the impact it may have on all aspects and persons. Through the expertise of members of the Federal Court’s AI Working Group, we will discuss a wide range of topics including:

  • How LLMs (Large Language Models) work from a concrete and technical perspective, including for predictive analytics;
  • Current and planned use of AI by the Department of Justice;
  • Current state of AI law and policy: a comparative discussion of Canada’s Bill C-27, European legislation (AI Act), along with the October 2023 White House Executive Order, and the March 2024 UN resolution on AI;
  • A discussion of recent jurisprudence in Canada and beyond.

 

CPD Hours: 

  • Total: 1h30

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

 

SPEAKERS

 

MODERATOR

 

FEES

‎Judges: Free
‎Lawyers: $25
‎Regular Price: $45

 

Lunch and Learn | Under the Hood: How AI Works, Is Being Used, and Current AI Law and Policy

Lunch and Learn | Under the Hood: How AI Works, Is Being Used, and Current AI Law and Policy (1:30:47)

2023 | Free Program: A Dialogue on Self-Representation

Program

Date

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Theme

This online seminar is open to all members of the legal profession, and to self-represented litigants.

The Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) and the National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) have partnered to present a dialogue event on self-representation in the Canadian legal system. The objective is to ensure that justice system stakeholders are better able to understand each other’s experiences and the implications for the system at large. The day-long conference will bring together self-represented litigants, members of the judiciary, practitioners, and academics for a series of conversations exploring the practical challenges presented by the growth of self-represented litigants within the Canadian justice system. The program was be held virtually on November 16, 2023.

Chair: Jennifer Leitch, Executive Director, the National Self-Represented Litigants Project

Fees
CIAJ Members: Free
Non-members: Free

2023  I  Free Program: A Dialogue on Self-Representation

2023 I A Dialogue on Self-Representation (4:23:00)

2023 | Symposium on Indigenous Courts

Program

Date

November 21-22, 2023

Theme

Further to its 45th Annual Conference on Indigenous Peoples and the Law, CIAJ continues to explore the current state and future of self-governance strategy for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Through this Symposium held in person in Ottawa and online from November 21-22, 2023, we aim to pursue our research on how Indigenous communities design their own legal institutions to create a justice system that reflects their values. We wish that this first edition of the Symposium will be followed by many more. Such an annual event would provide the space for dialogue and exchange among actors of the legal system.

Topics Overview:

  • The instruments for decision-making power
  • The scope of Indigenous jurisdictions
  • Strategies to create self-governance
  • Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
  • Decolonization of legal institutions
  • The enduring legacy of a colonial relationship

Guests Speakers:

  • The Honourable Murray Sinclair, CC, MSC, IPC, Former Senator; Chancellor, Queen’s University; General Counsel, Cochrane Saxberg, Winnipeg
  • The Honourable Justice Leonard Marchand, British Columbia Court of Appeal
  • Kory Wilson, Executive Director, Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships, BCIT; Chair, BC First Nations Justice Council

Planning committee

  • The Honourable Marion Buller, Chancellor, University of Victoria
  • Jennifer Cox, K.C., Staff Lawyer, Dalhousie Legal Aid Service, Dalhousie University
  • The Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Joanne Durant, Alberta Court of Justice
  • The Honourable Justice Tracy Engelking, Superior Court of Justice (Ontario)
  • Adam Letourneau, K.C., Founder and Managing Partner, Letourneau LLP
  • Bradford Morse, Professor, Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University
  • Scott Robertson, Senior Associate, Nahwegahbow, Corbiere
  • The Honourable Justice Colleen Suche, Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba; Past President, CIAJ
  • The Honourable Judge Margaret I. Wiebe, Provincial Court of Manitoba
  • Nathan Afilalo, Lawyer, Legal Researcher, CIAJ
  • Christine O’Doherty, Lawyer, Executive Director, CIAJ

Videos (scroll down to access the videos)

  • Day 1 (4:51:24)
  • Day 2 (4:58:11)

Fees:

Per Day
CIAJ Members: $225
Non-members: $300
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities): $10

Related PowerPoint presentations, documents and papers are available in the library under "documentation." (coming soon)

2023  I Symposium on Indigenous Courts

Day 1 − 2023 Symposium on Indigenous Courts (4:51:24)
Day 2 − 2023 Symposium on Indigenous Courts (4:58:11)

2023 | The Power of Languages and Stories in Drafting Indigenous Laws

Program

Date

Thursday, November 9, 2023

90-minute webinar

This program contains 1.5 CPD hours in all Canadian provinces

Theme

In this webinar, OKT Partner Maggie Wente and Professors Naiomi Metallic and Sarah Morales will explore the theory and practice of legislating Indigenous laws. The discussion will examine how linguistic diversity and meta-principles can be incorporated into legislation, as well as the use of oral stories and Indigenous languages in legislative development. Panellists will also recount their own experiences assisting Indigenous nations who are drafting legislation, with a focus on child welfare laws under An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and the lessons learned.

Speakers

Fees
CIAJ Members: Free
Non-members: $45

2023  I  Legislative Drafting Webinar on The Power of Languages and Stories in Drafting Indigenous Laws

Webinar I The Power of Languages and Stories in Drafting Indigenous Laws (1:33:56)

2023 | Annual Conference on The Law of Borders

Program

Date

October 25-27, 2023
In Ottawa, ON, & Online

Theme

CIAJ’s 47th Annual Conference will explore current issues related to the law of borders. It will open the door to discussion and challenge the definition of what a “border” is, including the very notion of national borders, taking into account indigenous perspectives.

For many people, moving across borders implies facing vulnerability and precarity. How can we provide better protection to migrants and refugees, extending our vision beyond individuals to include families? In a world experiencing the effects of climate change, is our legal definition of a refugee still accurate? Furthermore, economic frontiers are becoming increasingly blurred. In such a context, it is also important to address work issues from the perspective of the adequacy of protections available to migrant workers, the implications of working remotely across territories, and the challenges of studying abroad, and to join forces in creating a more just and inclusive world.

Honorary Chair

  • The Honourable Justice Mahmud Jamal, Supreme Court of Canada

Keynote Speaker

  • Her Excellency Yuliya Kovaliv, Ambassador of Ukraine, Canada

Fireside Chat

  • Ghizal Haress, Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Law and Massey College, University of Toronto; Former Ombudsperson, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Co-Chairs

  • The Honourable Justice P. Colleen Suche, Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba; CIAJ’s President
  • The Honourable Justice Julie Dutil, Court of Appeal of Quebec; CIAJ’s First Vice-President

Videos (scroll down to access the videos)

  • Day 1 (5:11:22)
  • Day 2 (6:30:22)
  • Day 3 (4:53:31)

Fees:

All days
CIAJ Members: $500
Non-members: $700
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities): $30

Per Day
CIAJ Members: $175
Non-members: $250
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities): $10

Related PowerPoint presentations, extra content, documents and papers are available in the library under "documentation."

2023  I  CIAJ’s 47th Annual Conference on The Law of Borders

Day 1 − 2023 Annual Conference on The Law of Borders (5:11:22)
Day 2 − 2023 Annual Conference on The Law of Borders (6:30:22)
Day 3 − 2023 Annual Conference on The Law of Borders (4:53:31)

2023 | National Roundtable on Administrative Law – Bias and Decision-Making: What’s Changed?

Program

Date

June 9, 2023
In person in Ottawa & Online

Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

Theme

This year’s National Roundtable on Administrative Law tackles bias and current administrative law issues. The program provides decision-makers with tools to recognize personal prejudices and cognitive biases in the decision-making process and avoid their effects on decisions.

This program is part of the first edition of the National Administrative Law Week*, organized jointly by CIAJ and the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals (CCAT).

Co-Chairs

  • Michael Gottheil, Accessibility Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission
  • Athanasios Hadjis, Vice-Chair, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
  • The Honourable James W. O’Reilly, Federal Court, CIAJ’s Past President

Speakers

  • Laurie E. Joe, Lawyer, Community Legal Services of Ottawa; Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court, Superior Court of Justice (Ontario)
  • Louis Legault, Director of Legal Services, Régie de l’Énergie du Québec
  • Melissa Luhtanen, Senior Legal Counsel, Office of the Chief of the Commission and Tribunals, Alberta Human Rights Commission
  • The Honourable Justice Sylvain Lussier, Superior Court of Québec
  • Ian R. Mackenzie, Adjudicator (full-time), Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board
  • Lauren J. Wihak, partner, McDougall Gauley LLP

Fees
CIAJ Members: $550
Non-members: $650
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities or at the Bar): $75

Related PowerPoint presentations and papers are available in the library under "documentation."

2023  I National Roundtable on Administrative Law – Bias and Decision-Making: What’s Changed?

National Roundtable on Administrative Law 2023 | Bias and Decision-Making: What’s Changed? (3:38:06)

2023 | Webinar Series on The Law of Borders

Program

Bilingual program with simultaneous interpretation
Participation in this program is accredited in provinces where CLE requirements for lawyers are mandatory.

This webinar series has been designed to initiate discussion and pave the way to CIAJ’s 47th Annual Conference on the Law of Borders to be held in Ottawa & online on October 25-27, 2023. The webinars aim to enrich the participants’ knowledge of the subjects that will be component parts of the larger issues examined at the conference, providing attendees with in-depth knowledge so as to enrich the discussions that will take place.

List of webinars (scroll down to access the videos)

  • 1st Webinar: June 21, 2023: Questing for Parentage: Surrogacy Across Borders

Speakers: Dr. Stefanie Carsley, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law − Common Law Section, University of Ottawa; Vanessa Gruben, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law − Common Law Section, University of Ottawa; Erin Nelson, Professor, Fellow and Member of the Advisory Board, Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta
Moderator: Angela Campbell, Full Professor & Associate Provost (Equity & Academic Policies), McGill University Faculty of Law

  • 2nd Webinar: August 22, 2023: Accountability and Regulation of Canadian Resource Extraction Corporations Abroad

Speakers: Sara Ghebremusse, Assistant Professor and Cassels Brock Chair in Mining Law and Finance, Faculty of Law, Western University; Shin Imai, Professor Emeritus, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
Moderator: Matt Eisenbrandt, Director of Transnational Investigations, Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP

 

Fees
CIAJ Members: Free
Non-members: $45

 

Webinar #1 I Questing for Parentage: Surrogacy Across Borders (1:26:22)
Webinar #2 I Accountability and Regulation of Canadian Resource Extraction Corporations Abroad (1:31:00)

2022 | Cosmetics Regulation and Product Labelling in Canada: The Challenges

Program

Date

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

90-minute webinar

This program contains 1.5 CPD hours in all Canadian provinces

Theme

What can we learn from histories of legislative drafting about the many ways that drafters shape the world? In this highly engaging presentation, Lara Tessaro will narrate the dramatic history of the 1953 revision to Canada’s Food and Drugs Act, focusing specifically on how legislative drafters and departmental solicitors grappled with cosmetics. Her historical research on Canadian cosmetics regulation has uncovered how these drafting and policy choices made 70 years ago continue to influence—if unintentionally and accidentally—how cosmetics are governed today, including their environmental and human health effects. As with much of Ms. Tessaro’s PhD research at the University of Kent, the central source for this historical account is a drafter’s file—notably, the file of well-known legislative counsel Elmer A. Driedger. As such, this presentation will also provide an opportunity for legislative counsel to reflect on the ways that modern-day filing, documenting, and archiving practices, all changing rapidly in response to electronic and remote work, will give form to important “future histories” written about the present.

Speaker

Lara Tessaro is a socio-legal researcher and historian of law, gender, and toxicity in twentieth-century Canada. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in law at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, funded by a Vice Chancellor’s research scholarship and a SSHRC doctoral fellowship. Her thesis explores histories of Canadian cosmetic regulation, with particular focus on the legal practices, ideas, and events that have given shape to cosmetic product labelling. In 2018, she attained a research-based LL.M. degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, which nominated her thesis for the York University thesis prize. From 2004 to 2017, Lara practiced law in BC and Ontario, primarily in environmental and administrative law. For much of that period, she worked as a staff counsel at Ecojustice Canada (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund), where she developed and advanced test case litigation on behalf of environmental organizations, First Nations, and scientists. She has also served as junior commission counsel to two federal public inquiries, the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar (the Arar Inquiry), and the Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River (the Cohen Inquiry).

Moderator

  • Pauline Rosenbaum, Legislative Counsel, Ontario’s Office of Legislative Counsel

Pauline attended law school at the University of Toronto and articled as a judicial research clerk at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. She joined Ontario’s Office of Legislative Counsel in 2010. Before joining OLC, Pauline worked as counsel at the Ontario Human Rights Commission, at the Office of the Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and at a speciality legal aid clinic serving low-income seniors. Pauline also has experience working in the heath regulatory sector at the Ontario College of Pharmacists and the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.

Fees
CIAJ Members: Free
Non-members: $40

2022  I  Legislative Drafting Webinar on Cosmetics Regulation and Product Labelling in Canada: The Challenges

Legislative Drafting Webinar I Cosmetics Regulation and Product Labelling in Canada: The Challenges (1:21:55)

2022 | Annual Conference on The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law

Program

Date

October 26-28, 2022
In Halifax, NS, & Online

Theme

CIAJ’s 46th Annual Conference, entitled “The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law,” will discuss dignity as a fundamental human right. The conference will cover the many facets of the concept of dignity, from moral and philosophical notions to its uses as a legal norm. Discussion of the topic will be grounded in eminently pertinent issues such as the role of dignity in gender identity and reproductive rights, as well as medical assistance in dying, elder care, disability, and equality rights. The role of dignity will also be discussed in the context of the Canadian criminal justice and carceral systems, particularly with regards to Indigenous Peoples, restorative justice, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and reconciliation.

Honorary Chair

  • The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada

Co-Chairs

  • The Honourable Justice Julie Dutil, Court of Appeal of Quebec; First Vice-President, CIAJ
  • The Honourable Justice P. Colleen Suche, Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba; President, CIAJ

Keynote Speaker

  • R. Maria Shepherd, Principal, Sr. Paralegal & Notary Public, Shepherd Advocacy & Litigation; Co-Director, Innocence Canada

Videos (scroll down to access the videos)

  • Day 1 (4:37:37)
  • Day 2 (3:43:45)
  • Day 3 (5:02:54)
  • "The Systemic Ableism Within the Context of COVID-19 and Medical Assistance in Dying" Panel Five (1:10:30) – Free (Full Transcript - Download)
  • "Trust and Dignity: What Do Citizens Want and Need in a Modern Justice System?" Special Session Presented by PwC Canada (59:21) – Free
  • "Indigenous Dignity in the Quebec Health Care System" 2022 Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship (in French) (19:04) – Free

Fees:

All days
CIAJ Members: $650
Non-members: $850
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities): $50

Per Day
CIAJ Members: $250
Non-members: $300
Students (enrolled full-time at Canadian universities): $15

Related PowerPoint presentations, extra content, documents and papers are available in the library under "documentation."

2022  I  CIAJ’s 46th Annual Conference on The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law

Day 1 − 2022 Annual Conference on The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law (4:37:37)
Day 2 − 2022 Annual Conference on The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law (3:43:45)
Day 3 − 2022 Annual Conference on The Right to Dignity in Canadian Law (5:02:54)
Day 2 I Panel 5: The Systemic Ableism Within the Context of COVID-19 and Medical Assistance in Dying (1:10:30)
Day 3 I Trust and Dignity: What Do Citizens Want and Need in a Modern Justice System? Special Session Presented by PwC Canada (59:21)
Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship I 2022 Recipient: Lauren Cavallier Video Presentation, in French (19:04)