UPDATE: This seminar occurred in the past, and the seminar materials are now available.
- LESA Library subscribers can already access course materials through the LESA Library.
- Alternatively you can purchase course materials a la carte (search constitutional law symposium).
- You can also view the list of upcoming seminars to discover live programs that are available now.
Every year LESA works with the Centre for Constitutional Studies to host the Constitutional Law Symposium, where members of the bar and academics across western Canada gather together to discuss recent Supreme Court of Canada constitutional decisions, analyze trends emerging from the Court, and review helpful litigation strategies.
This year’s program promises to be exciting and informative, with panel discussions focusing on some of the most current topics of the day – the Khadr case, Trinity Western University, freedom of association, the Saguenay case, and more. As program chair Patricia Paradis pointed out, this program is particularly timely. Just last week, Edmonton’s city council decided that it would no longer say a prayer before it’s meetings as a result of the decision in the Saguenay case.
To help give you an idea of what to expect from this program, we asked Patricia a few questions about the why you are going to want to attend.
What are attendees going to gain?
“First of all they’re going to hear from first-rate practitioners who have been involved in some of the significant cases that have been decided by the Supreme Court of Canada, and they will also hear from academics who can provide more of an analysis of the decisions, from a different perspective. In one particular case, we have a practitioner coming from Toronto, Ranjan Agarwal, who’s been involved in some of the significant cases that were decided by the Supreme Court of Canada this year, for example, the Saguenay case. He’ll be able to talk about some litigation strategies, … so there’s the practical element. There’s also a more theoretical element. Overall, they’ll get a very good taste, over the course of the day, about what’s happened this year in the courts with respect to constitutional issues.”
What types of practitioners will find this program beneficial?
“Practitioners whose practice areas intersect with constitutional issues, … for example labour lawyers, anyone who does employment law, people who work on division of powers issues, … and generally people who do constitutional litigation and who might want some tips.”
Could you talk a little about the format and content of the program?
“The day is divided into 4 distinct sections. These are all panels, so there will be 2–3 people speaking on a panel on a particular subject. We have a section that deals with the section 2(d) of the Charter – freedom of association. We have one on federalism, division of powers. Another one we’re calling God and the State. And then there will be a panel on looking, generally speaking, at the year in review. There are also a couple of special talks being given that day. … Professor Donna Greschner from UVic will discuss the evolution of section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as it is 30 years old this year.. … An interesting highlight of the day will be our keynote speaker Nate Whitling; he was counsel on the Khadr case and is going to be giving us an inside look at that case from his perspective. … So there’s a little bit of something for everyone, and there will be some very challenging presentations made, for example, in the panel on God and the State, because there are some controversial issues out there, for example, Trinity Western University.”
What do people like most about the Constitutional Law Symposium?
When we asked Patricia what she liked most about this program, she highlighted the fact that it brings together a variety of academics and practitioners from across British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. As she says, “It’s a western-based opportunity for interactions and synergies to be created between the bar and the academy. “
We also spoke with past attendee Lee Cutforth QC about why he likes to attend and what he’s looking forward to about the program this year. He explained that, while there are a lot of continuing legal education options, this program serves him well because it covers a lot of ground with its structure as an overview and its focus on examining general principles.
I enjoyed it last year and found it worthwhile. It was a well run seminar … that I could glean a lot from.”
Register Online
Whatever it is you are most looking forward – the general review, like Lee – the networking opportunity, like Patricia – or maybe a particular speaker or topic – this program is sure to offer you plenty of insights, information, and helpful strategies to use in your own practice.
You can register online now to attend the program in Edmonton (October 23); just make sure you register online by September 22 to take advantage of the early bird savings.
