CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice

Latest Episodes:

#125 | Dans l'angle mort — Épisode 7 : Justice réparatrice : regards sur l'expérience albertaine Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Comment répondre au préjudice causé par un crime? En complément du processus criminel traditionnel, la justice réparatrice propose une approche centrée sur les personnes touchées, leurs besoins et la réparation des torts.

Dans cet épisode de la série « Dans l'angle mort », l'honorable juge Simon Ruel, de la Cour d'appel du Québec, s'entretient avec l'honorable juge Anna Loparco, de la Cour du Banc du Roi de l'Alberta. Forte de son expérience à la tête du Comité de justice réparatrice de l'Alberta, qu'elle a cofondé, et de son enseignement sur le sujet, la juge Loparco explore avec lui le concept de justice réparatrice et sa place dans le système de justice criminelle au Canada, notamment depuis les récentes modifications au Code criminel. Ils abordent aussi ses avantages, ses limites et les mythes qui l'entourent, ainsi que le rôle des juges, des procureurs et des avocats de la défense.

Cet épisode est la version française de l'épisode 6 de la série « Dans l'angle mort » : La justice réparatrice au Canada : les leçons de l'Alberta (en anglais).

#124 | An Apology as a Restorative Remedy Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

The justice system is confusing for most individuals brought before it. From applications to adjournments to delays, an individual's life is on hold while they endure overly long proceedings. And what happens when the decision is wrong? What can the court do to address a breach of an individual's right to security of the person and psychological integrity?

In this episode, host Sarah Rowe is joined by Julie-Ann Kirkpatrick, retired defence lawyer and Doctoral Candidate at Carleton University, to discuss the use of apologies by courts to repair or achieve justice. The discussion focuses on Julie's doctoral research, namely, when and how an apology could be given as a restorative remedy under s. 24(1) of the Charter.

RELATED DOCUMENTATION: https://ciaj-icaj.ca/en/podcasts/an-apology-as-a-restorative-remedy/

#123 | In the Blind Spot – Episode 6: Restorative Justice in Canada: Lessons from Alberta Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

The traditional model of Canadian criminal law is a state-centred adversarial process designed to punish, deter, or rehabilitate. But once the trial is over and the sentence is imposed, has justice truly addressed the harm caused by crime? Restorative justice approaches ask different questions: Who has been harmed? What do they need? And who is responsible for addressing those needs, repairing the harm, or restoring relationships?

In this 6th episode of the series "In the Blind Spot," the Honourable Justice Simon Ruel, of the Court of Appeal of Quebec, speaks with the Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Joanne Durant and the Honourable Justice Michelle Christopher, both of the Alberta Court of Justice, and the Honourable Justice Anna Loparco, of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta. Together, they discuss the principles and benefits of restorative approaches in the legal system, the myths surrounding them, and the roles of judges, prosecutors, and defence counsel. The three guests also share what they have learned from Alberta's Restorative Justice Project, launched in 2022.

Guest

The Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Joanne Durant, Alberta Court of Justice
The Honourable Justice Michelle Christopher, Alberta Court of Justice
The Honourable Justice Anna Loparco, Court of King's Bench of Alberta

Host

The Honourable Justice Simon Ruel, Court of Appeal of Quebec

#122 | Restorative Justice in Practice: Lessons from the Okanagan Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Can a community-led program change the course of a young person's life — before the justice system ever has to?

In this episode, Host Laken Tucker (CIAJ's 2026 Summer Law Student Intern) speaks with Christina Harper (Program Coordinator, Restorative Justice Program, BGC Okanagan) about how the program supports youth ages 12 to 24 through a collaborative model involving the RCMP, local schools, community business partners, and victims. Christina shares how the program came to be, how it's grown, and the outcomes it's producing on the ground — from volunteer training to participant feedback and reoffending trends.

This conversation offers a grounded look at how restorative justice functions in practice — and a hopeful case study for communities of any size looking to build something similar.

Guest

Christina Harper, Program Coordinator, Restorative Justice Program, BGC Okanagan

Host

Laken Tucker, CIAJ 2026 Summer Law Intern; JD Candidate, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

#121 | In the Blind Spot – Episode 5: Safeguarding Judicial Independence Under Pressure Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Judicial independence is essential to democracy and the rule of law. But how can judges and lawyers remain independent when they face political pressure, intimidation, or attacks on their legitimacy?

In this 5th episode of the series "In the Blind Spot," the Honourable Justice Simon Ruel speaks with Margaret L. Satterthwaite, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, about the threats facing justice systems worldwide and the safeguards needed to protect them.

Their conversation highlights why judicial independence is not only a concern for legal professionals, but a fundamental protection for everyone.

Guest

Margaret L. Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, United Nations Special Procedures; Professor of Law, Director, Legal Empowerment and Judicial Independence Clinic, Faculty Director, Robert & Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, Co-Director, Center for Human Rights & Global Justice, New York University School of Law

Host

The Honourable Justice Simon Ruel, Court of Appeal of Quebec

#120 | Magical and disappearing laws? Exploring "Unenactment" Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Why might a legislature pretend that it never passed a law? How might this be done? Host Lerissa Thaver speaks with Charlie Feldman about an uncommon technique in legislative drafting: deeming provisions "never to have been enacted." When has this "unenactment" occurred and why? This episode shines a light on this unusual way to draft and challenging situations legislative drafters sometimes face.

Guest

Charlie Feldman, Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice Canada (Ottawa, ON)

Host

Lerissa Thaver, Legislative Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Government of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

#119 | Rédaction législative : comprendre l'inflation normative Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

L'inflation normative peut être définie comme la croissance disproportionnée du nombre et de la longueur des lois et règlements. Me Elena Bosi (Cabinet du procureur général du Nouveau-Brunswick) et Me Jean-Félix Robitaille (Ministère de la Justice du Québec) échangent sur ce phénomène en évoquant certaines expériences vécues dans leur pratique ainsi que certaines expériences vécues ailleurs au Canada et dans le monde. Une discussion qui permet de parcourir l'évolution du phénomène au Canada et d'entrevoir son avenir.

Invité

Jean-Félix Robitaille, avocat-légiste, Sous-ministériat des affaires juridiques, ministère de la Justice du Québec (Québec, Qc)

Animatrice

Elena Bosi, sous-procureure générale adjointe, Cabinet du procureur général – ministère de la Justice et de la Sécurité publique, Nouveau-Brunswick (Fredericton, N.‑B.)

Conférence sur la rédaction législative (23e édition) 9-11 septembre 2026 ● Ottawa (Ont.) — et en ligne

Cette conférence biennale réunit des rédacteurs législatifs, des juristes, des universitaires et d'autres personnes afin d'explorer les enjeux les plus pressants de la rédaction législative moderne, en mettant un accent particulier sur le contexte canadien.

Le programme de 2026 propose des discussions stimulantes sur le processus d'élaboration des textes législatifs, ainsi que des réflexions sur les développements récents qui façonnent le domaine. Les thèmes abordés comprennent les réalités pratiques auxquelles les rédacteurs sont confrontés, les nouvelles initiatives en IA, le co-développement des lois avec les peuples autochtones et la correction des textes législatifs. Des approches comparatives, des considérations éthiques et des séances interactives viendront compléter un programme riche et engageant.

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#118 | The TAP Project: A Canadian Judge's Experience in Armenia Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

What happens when Canadian judges travel abroad to share their expertise — and what do they bring back?

In this episode, Christine O'Doherty (Lawyer & CIAJ's Executive Director) welcomes The Honourable Justice Carole A. Beaton (Nova Scotia Court of Appeal), to discuss her involvement in the Technical Assistance Partnership Project – Federal Judicial Affairs Canada (TAP-FJA). The two sat down together in Armenia in May 2026, on the sidelines of the mission, to record this conversation. Drawing from her exchanges with local judges and court officials, Justice Beaton reflects on the importance of judicial independence, the value of cross-jurisdictional dialogue, and Canada's role in supporting justice reform abroad. She also shares what motivates her participation in these missions and how this experience has shaped her perspective on international judicial cooperation.

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation at the intersection of judicial expertise and international cooperation.

This project is part of the Technical Assistance Partnership supported by Global Affairs Canada.

Guest

The Honourable Justice Carole A. Beaton, Nova Scotia Court of Appeal

Host

Christine O'Doherty, Lawyer & Executive Director, CIAJ

#117 | Série Justice sans obstacles - Le langage clair : un levier d'accessibilité Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Ne pas connaître ses droits revient souvent à en être privé. Et ne pas les comprendre, c'est, au fond, se retrouver dans la même situation. Alors entre le droit et les personnes qu'il est censé protéger, une question demeure : comment rendre cette information réellement accessible?

Parmi les réponses possibles, le langage clair s'impose comme un levier d'accessibilité.

Dans cet épisode, Me Christine O'Doherty, directrice générale de l'ICAJ, s'entretient avec Élisabeth Routhier, Ph. D., directrice des projets spéciaux à l'ICAJ et experte du langage clair, pour explorer un enjeu à la croisée du social, du politique et du juridique.

Ensemble, elles décortiquent ce que signifie concrètement écrire en langage clair, la manière dont cette approche — enseignée à l'ICAJ — peut transformer les communications juridiques, ainsi que les résistances et préjugés qui persistent encore dans le milieu.

Une réflexion sur une responsabilité partagée : celle de rendre le droit réellement compréhensible et accessible à toutes et tous.

Invitée

Élisabeth Routhier, Ph. D., directrice des projets spéciaux et experte du langage clair, ICAJ

Animatrice

Me Christine O'Doherty, directrice générale, ICAJ

#116 | Justice Without Barriers Series - Disability, Accessibility, and the Courts Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Universal accessibility should be the norm — so why does it remain the exception?

In this episode, Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel at CIAJ, speaks with the Honourable Justice Joshua B. Hawkes of the Court of Appeal of Alberta about the lived realities of people with disabilities within the justice system and the legal profession.

Drawing on his own experience as a person living with a disability, Justice Hawkes reflects on the biases, institutional barriers, and day-to-day challenges faced in environments rarely designed with all realities in mind.

Together, they explore what accessibility truly means — not only in theory, but in practice — and consider how lived experience can reshape our understanding of inclusion, equity, and the role of institutions.

Guest

The Honourable Justice Joshua B. Hawkes, Court of Appeal of Alberta

Host

Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel, CIAJ

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