Podcasts

#105 | Episode 1: In the Blind Spot of International Criminal Justice – At the Crossroads of Geopolitical Challenges (in French)

– Jun 2025

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Episode 1 | In the Blind Spot of International Criminal Justice – At the Crossroads of Geopolitical Challenges (in French)
Broadcast Date: June 26, 2025

EPISODE SUMMARY | SERIES OVERVIEW | BIOGRAPHIES | PREVIOUS SERIES

EPISODE SUMMARY

Justice Simon Ruel speaks with lawyer Philippe Larochelle, President of the Bar Association before the International Criminal Court (ICCBA), to take a look at the International Criminal Court (ICC) more than 20 years after its establishment. Arrest warrants against heads of state, accusations of politicization, sovereignty issues, the role of victims, defence challenges, ecocide, and digital evidence: this episode explores the strengths, limitations, and tensions of a unique system of justice, confronted with a rapidly changing world.

This episode is available in French only.

Guest

Philippe Larochelle, Lawyer and President of the Bar Association before the International Criminal Court (ABCPI), Larochelle Avocats

Host

The Honourable Justice Simon Ruel, Court of Appeal of Quebec

SERIES OVERVIEW

In the Blind Spot
A podcast series from CIAJ’s In All Fairness channel

At a time when major legal issues extend far beyond the courtroom, In the Blind Spot dives into the tensions, transitions, and transformations shaping contemporary law and the justice system. Hosted by Justice Simon Ruel, the series features conversations with lawyers, judges, academics and experts on systemic challenges such as judicial independence, artificial intelligence and the justice system, strategic litigation and climate litigation, and social media.

Each 45–50 minute episode blends lived experience, theoretical insight, and social concern in a bilingual format that is both accessible and intellectually rigorous. Together, we shine a light on the blind spots of the law — those overlooked areas where the future of our legal and democratic systems is taking shape.

Episode 1 | In the Blind Spot of International Criminal Justice – At the Crossroads of Geopolitical Challenges (Guest: Philippe Larochelle)

BIOGRAPHIES

Philippe Larochelle

Mr Larochelle is one of the founding partners of Larochelle Avocats, a firm specializing in litigation based in Montreal, Canada. (www.larochelleavocats.com)

Since 1998, Mr Larochelle has developed a private practice focusing on civil and criminal law before the Superior Courts, Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Since 2001, he has also practiced in international criminal law, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (Tanzania), the International Criminal Court (The Netherlands) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (The Netherlands).

Mr Larochelle has extensive experience in civil, criminal and aboriginal law, both before Canadian and international courts, including the following cases:

Acquittal before the Supreme Court of Canada in 2006 (Déry v. The Queen).
Representing the interests of the Algonquin Makwanini First Nation since 2008.
Acquittal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2011 (The Prosecutor v. Bicamumpaka).
Condemnation of Canada by the Committee against Torture in 2012 (Régent Boily v. Canada).
Confirmation of the decision not to confirm the charges before the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court in 2012 (The Prosecutor v. Mbarushimana).
Acquittal in R. v. Mungwarere, genocide trial before Canadian courts in 2013.
Conviction of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Cooperatives by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2014 (Prosecutor v. Nzabonimana).
Member of Narcisse Arido Defence team before the International Criminal Court in 2015.
Defence Counsel for the interests of Hussein Hassan Oneissi before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon 2014-2016.
Revision case for Éliezer Niyitegeka before the IRMCT in 2015-2017.
Condemnation of Canada by the Committee against torture in 2018 (Mugesera c. Canada).
Defence of Jean-de-Dieu Ndagijimana, facing contempt charges before the IRMCT 2019-2021
Condemnation of Rwanda before the African Court on Human and Peoples Right in November 2020 (Mugesera c. Rwanda).
Release of Maxime Mokom before the confirmation of charges before the International Criminal Court since 2023.

Mr Larochelle participated as a panelist in conferences on international criminal law in Canada, The Netherlands and France. He has also published articles on the subject in both French and English.

The Honourable Simon Ruel

The Honourable Simon Ruel was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Quebec on June 21, 2017, after having sat on the Quebec Superior Court from 2014 to 2017. Justice Ruel studied law at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and has completed a certificate in Russian studies at Université Laval’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

As a lawyer, Justice Ruel practised mainly in public and administrative law and in government affairs. He was a member of the Quebec Bar (1995) and of the Law Society of Ontario (2007). After beginning his career with the firm of Grey Casgrain in Montreal, he subsequently became a litigator and counsel to the federal Department of Justice, the Privy Council Office, and the federal Department of Finance in Ottawa. Before his appointment to the Superior Court, he was a partner at the firm of BCF Business Law in Quebec City and, prior to that, at the national Canadian firm Heenan Blaikie

Justice Ruel participated as counsel in numerous federal and provincial public inquiries and investigations. These included the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, the Cornwall Public Inquiry, and the Commission of Inquiry on the Process for Appointing Judges presided by the Honourable Michel Bastarache. He also appeared before the Manitoba Court of Appeal to represent the Manitoba Commission of Inquiry into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Phoenix Sinclair.

In addition to practising law, Justice Ruel taught public and administrative law at the Quebec Bar School and lectured on civil and commercial evidence at the University of Ottawa. He has authored or co-authored numerous legal publications, articles, and commentaries on public and administrative law and on inquiries. He has also participated as a speaker, host, or moderator in a number of legal events on topics covering judicial ethics, public and administrative law, public inquiries and investigations, criminal and penal law, the use of technology in the justice system, and judgment writing. Justice Ruel has served as chair of the Quebec Judicial Committee on Information Security (“COMSI”) and chair of the Judges Section of the Canadian Bar Association.

He is currently a puisne member of the Judicial Independence Committee of the Canadian Judicial Council and co-chair of the Council’s social media subcommittee. As counsel, he advised the Council on reforms to the disciplinary process for federally appointed judges and, subsequently, as a member of the Council’s Judicial Independence Committee, he participated in revising the Ethical Principles for Judges, which were updated in 2021, and in the drafting of the Guidelines on the Use of Social Media by Federally Appointed Judges, which were released in October 2024.

Justice Ruel also has an interest in international law. In 2014, in preparation for the review of Haiti’s implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, he participated, on behalf of Transparency International/Haiti, in an international mission to assess anti-corruption measures taken by the Republic of Haiti.

Over the course of his study leave during the 2023-2024 judicial year, Justice Ruel focused on the law of war, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. He was a visiting professor at Université Laval’s Faculty of Law in Quebec City and took part in a number of teaching activities and seminars on these topics. He collaborated with the Faculty’s International Criminal and Humanitarian Law Clinic and with Lawyers Without Borders, including on issues relating to the prevention of corruption. He also made three visits to the International Criminal Court in The Hague as a visiting professional to observe all facets of international criminal justice in an active case involving the Central African Republic.

PREVIOUS SERIES

“Under Fire” is a series of french podcasts produced by the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice and hosted by the Honorable Judge Simon Ruel of the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2024. The interviews feature experts in international law, the law of war, humanitarian law, and international criminal law. The series aims to examine and understand the rules and legal consequences arising from international conflicts.

The right to wage war (jus ad bellum) and international humanitarian law (jus in bello) concern, respectively, the right of states to use armed force against other states and the regulation of armed conflict once it has begun, with the aim, in particular, of limiting suffering and protecting civilian populations. International criminal law deals with the individual criminal responsibility of actors in armed conflicts for crimes constituting serious violations of humanitarian law, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The International Criminal Court is a permanent international criminal court with universal jurisdiction and a mandate to rule on the responsibility of such actors. In addition, certain issues relating to armed conflict may also be brought before the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, particularly with regard to the use of force in international law and the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The “Under Fire” podcast series explores these topics with experts in an accessible and educational manner, with the aim of demystifying these important concepts for the Canadian legal community and enabling it to better understand the current global flashpoints and their consequences.

List of episodes (in French):

In All Fairness is a Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice podcast channel welcoming representatives from the legal community and exploring how we can all contribute to improving the administration of justice in Canada. Legal professionals will benefit from informed discussions on key issues, essential knowledge and insights to strengthen their practice.

Visit the upcoming programs section of our website or the online library, or contact us if you want to learn more and expand your skills. Numerous programs are available, including customized training.