2026 Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship
Restorative Justice
Each year, CIAJ supports research on a fundamental issue related to its annual conference. In 2026, the $9,000 Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship will focus on the theme of “Restorative Justice,” echoing the theme of our 50th annual conference.
Open to faculty and graduate students at Canadian universities, the fellowship is designed to encourage innovative research that will shed light on the links between justice and contemporary environmental challenges.
Why should you apply?
- Contribute to an essential reflection on environmental crises, legal implications, and human rights.
- Take part in a national discussion that will bring together researchers, judges, lawyers, decision-makers and civil society players.
- Present your results in a recognized academic setting and publish your work in a specialized journal.
How to apply
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Deadline: [Coming soon]
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Fill in this form [Coming soon] and e-mail it to ciaj@ciaj-icaj.ca.
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The recipient will be informed at the end of September and will have to submit his/her report by the end of October 2026.
Notes :
- The recipient of the Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship is encouraged to seek publication of the paper in a reputable scholarly publication and to indicate, in an introductory note, that financial support for the research was provided by CIAJ.
- In addition to submission of a completed research report, CIAJ expects to receive a complete account of expenditures.
About the $9,000 Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship
CIAJ provides funds for the Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship, named in honour of the late Mr. Justice Charles D. Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada, a former President of CIAJ. The $9,000 Fellowship was created in 2001 and supports research in relation to the topic of the annual conference.
Each conference focuses on a specific aspect of CIAJ’s themes:
- Justice as a humanistic and social value
- Justice as a public service
- Justice in a global economy and interdependent world
Administration of Funds
The funds are administered by CIAJ on behalf of the successful applicant and are available to support research assistance or other out-of-pocket expenses, but may not be used as an honorarium. It is expected that the completed research will be presented at CIAJ’s 48th Annual conference in October 2024 (Winnipeg, MB).
The maximum amount of the Fellowship is $9,000. The selection of the project for the research fellowship will be made by a committee composed of the President of the CIAJ (or his/her nominee), one of the Co-Chairs of the Education and Research Planning Committee, and one other person selected by the Executive Committee.
Past Recipients & Research papers: /en/research/research-papers/
2025 Recipient
CIAJ’s 2025 Charles D. Gonthier Research Fellowship of $9,000 was given to Pascale Cornut St-Pierre (Associate Professor and Vice-Dean, Research at the Civil Law Section of the Faculty of Law of University of Ottawa), for her project entitled “Sustainable Finance in Canada: A Regulatory Roadmap” [coming soon] in the context of CIAJ’s 49th Annual Conference on “Environment and the Law: Protect or Develop—Is There a Choice?,” which took place in person in Vancouver (BC) & Online on October 28-30, 2025.
About Pascale Cornut St-Pierre
Pascale Cornut St-Pierre is associate professor and Vice-Dean, Research at the Civil Law Section of the Faculty of Law of University of Ottawa. Her research focuses on the ways in which business communities perceive, mobilize and develop the law in the course of their activities. Her works deal mainly with corporate and financial law, but draw heavily on research from the social sciences. She is a member of the Observatoire pluridisciplinaire sur le devenir du droit privé of the Civil Law Section of the University of Ottawa, an Associate Member of the Perelman Centre for Legal Philosophy and an Affiliated Research Scholar to the Canadian Climate Law Initiative.
Full bio: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/civil-law/people/Cornut-St-Pierre-Pascale