11 April 2013

The McGill Law Journal has received the following book for review:

Vincent-Joël Proulx, Transnational Terrorism and State Accountability. A New Theory of Prevention (Hart Publishing, 2012).

If you are interested in writing a book review, please contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca.

10 April 2013

2013-2014 Executive Board, Volume 59

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to present the Executive Board for the 2013-2014 academic year:

Olga Redko, Editor-in-Chief

Nancy Zagbayou, Managing Editor

Miriam Clouthier, English Executive Editor

Jean Teboul, French Executive Editor

Julie Wilson, Coordinating Editor

Alexander Max Jarvie, Cite Guide Editor

Congratulations to the new executive team!

3 April 2013

The McGill Law Journal has received the following book for review:

Louise Fines, Les crimes invisibles. Délits contemporains, dénonciation et temps de réactions (Liber, 2013).

If you are interested in writing a book review, please contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca.

28 March 2013

Authors: Antoine Champagne, Lawrence David, Laura Rhodes and Andréa Suurland, of the McGill Law Journal

Dans le cadre de son 60^ème anniversaire, la Revue de droit de McGill organisait, le 18 mars dernier, un colloque qui a permis aux participants de s’interroger sur les aspirations et l’impact de la recherche universitaire en droit. Les présentations ont porté sur des thèmes tels que la place de la doctrine en common law et en droit civil, son influence sur les décisions judiciaires ainsi que son utilité pour les praticiens. Le Doyen de la Faculté de droit, Daniel Jutras, a ouvert le colloque par un mot de bienvenue, en rappelant aux participants le rôle de premier plan que joue la Revue de droit de McGill en tant que point de rassemblement intellectuel pour la communauté juridique internationale, nationale et locale.

La présentation du professeur Finn Makela (Université de Sherbrooke) a mis l’emphase sur deux points principaux, soit l’apport de la recherche pour les universités et l’utilité de la recherche pour le droit. À travers sa présentation, le professeur Makela a fait état de la tension opposant une conception de la faculté de droit comme lieu de recherche, d’un côté, et comme lieu de formation professionnelle où la recherche se fait de manière périphérique, de l’autre. Le conférencier a relevé que les tentatives de comprendre la nature de la discipline d’un point de vue interne ou fondamental, plutôt que d’une perspective multidisciplinaire, ont eu tendance à exacerber le malaise auquel les professeurs de droit sont déjà prédisposés en raison de la relation historique entre la profession et les universités.

Le professeur Makela a ensuite encouragé les participants du colloque à s’interroger sur l’utilité de la recherche universitaire à l’extérieur des facultés de droit. Dans cette veine, le conférencier a avancé que la tendance est d’employer le nombre de citations par les juges comme critère d’utilité de la recherche universitaire. On cite plusieurs auteurs, dont l’étude critique de Henry Edwards (1992), pour établir que le locus classicus aux États-Unis est de situer la recherche abstraite, interdisciplinaire et théorique dans une perspective de doctrine juridique ne servant aucune fin pratique. Le professeur Makela rejette ce point de vue, remettant en cause le lien traditionnel entre « utilité de la recherche juridique » et « citation judiciaire » et relevant la diversité d’interprétations à laquelle le critère d’utilité peut être assujetti. Le professeur est donc fermement d’avis que les chercheurs doivent se méfier des affirmations voulant que leur recherche soit de plus en plus déconnectée de la pratique du droit, en concluant qu’aucun critère objectif en soi ne permet d’évaluer l’utilité de la doctrine juridique.

La professeure Julie Paquin (Université d’Ottawa) a commenté les propos du professeur Makela. Elle a exprimé son accord avec lui pour ce qui est de la « double contrainte » à laquelle sont confrontés les chercheurs universitaires. En effet, ils subissent la pression de se tourner vers l’interdisciplinarité, de s’extérioriser du droit pour attirer une variété de publics, tout en étant fidèles à leur discipline interne et à leur rôle de savant juridique. À titre de solution partielle, elle appelle à davantage de recherche sur la pratique juridique en tant que telle : d’après elle, cette recherche permettra à la recherche en droit de conserver un sujet « juridique » tout en effaçant l’impression « d’imposteur » ressentie par grand nombre de juristes qui effectuent de la recherche qui recoupe avec des domaines connexes. De la sorte, la recherche en droit deviendrait nécessairement plus « utile », peu importe le critère d’évaluation emprunté.

La session d’après-midi fut toute aussi stimulante. Accompagné de la doctorante Alexandra Popovici (qui est aussi sa fille), et du professeur Sylvio Normand, l’illustre académicien Adrian Popovici (Université de Montréal, Université McGill) présenta à la foule sa vision de la recherche universitaire en droit civil.

Le professeur Popovici a d’abord définit la recherche comme l’ensemble des activités reliées à la poursuite de la connaissance. Citant le philosophe Friedrich Holderlin, le professeur remarqua que le/la chercheur(e) n’est « rien », c’est ce qu’il/elle cherche qui est « tout ».

Selon le professeur Popovici, les aspirations et l’impact de la recherche universitaire doivent être compris en fonction de ses différents utilisateurs, et des fonctions variées qu’ils lui consacrent. En premier lieu se trouvent les praticiens du droit. Communément identifiés comme juristes, les praticiens ont, pour le professeur Popovici, une conception utilitaire de la recherche juridique.

En deuxième lieu se trouvent les légistes, qui s’occupent principalement de légiférer et d’améliorer les lois et les politiques publiques. La recherche est très utile pour cette classe d’acteurs juridiques : le législateur bénéficie d’une riche réserve de recherches académiques subventionnées par l’État. Cette dernière influe donc le législateur dans la rédaction de nouveaux textes de loi et dans l’amélioration de loi ancienne élucidée par la doctrine académique.

La troisième classe d’acteurs juridiques identifiée par le professeur Popovici est bien sûr l’académie. Cette dernière joue un double rôle dans le façonnement des aspirations et de l’impact de la recherche universitaire. En premier lieu vient son rôle créateur – les universités agissent comme véritable giron de recherche juridique, principalement de type doctrinal. Il faut différencier entre la recherche simplement analytique de celle de type critique et qui cherche à faire évoluer le droit. Cette dernière envisage la recherche comme véhicule de justice sociale, tandis que son homologue analytique se contente de résumer le droit simpliciter. Le professeur Popovici y voit une perspective positiviste, qui cherche à légitimer l’ordre juridique.

The comments of Professor Sylvio Normand (Université Laval) emphasized the habitus enacted through the legal literature. In this, he drew from Patrice Bonnewitz’ interpretation of Bourdieu, concerning how one becomes a social being through the gradual internalization of the activities and experiences of everyday life, to develop unconscious principles for action, perception, and reflection. This notion of habitus is also explored by Desmond Manderson and Sarah Turner, in their must-read article “Coffee House: Habitus and Performance Among Law Students”. 

For Professor Normand, the body of legal literature has many authors, including judges, lawyers, and professors, and includes cases, articles, and commentary that together function as “required reading” for everyone who undertakes a legal education. The legal literature has among its goals the attainment of homogeneity, and so repeats accepted values, for example, the liberal values of the legal community in Quebec. Therefore, it produces a certain recognizable type of jurist. And, most importantly, it legitimates the existing legal order, emphasizing its neutrality and autonomous role within society.

Yet Professor Normand is most concerned with the particularities of legal doctrine that function to exclude its cross-pollination with other domains of research. He mentioned several such characteristics, including the technique of exegesis (as perhaps shared with theology), and the doctrine’s precise style, structured presentation, and explicit methodology, as well as its reverence for certain sources, notably jurisprudence. Professor Normand also stressed that members of the legal community have a unique way of reading (legal) literature, preferring to consult specific indexed parts over the integrated and continuous reading of entire texts. Thus, the fragmentation of its literature is a peculiarity of the legal domain. 

Overall, Professor Normand is concerned that these characteristics of legal literature may produce an “isolated research” that does not interact well with other research domains and fails to either reach or draw from non-jurists.

Le colloque s’est terminé par une présentation de l’Honorable Michel Bastarache. En tant qu’actuel avocat-conseil et qu’ancien professeur, doyen et juge à la Cour suprême du Canada, sa perspective sur la recherche juridique promettait d’être fort intéressante. Me Bastarache s’est d’abord prononcé favorable à tout type de recherche, qu’elle soit utile ou non aux décisions des tribunaux. Cette opinion s’explique par le rôle assez large qu’il attribue à la Cour suprême; pour lui, elle n’a pas uniquement pour objectif et finalité de trancher des litiges, mais également de prendre des décisions importantes pour le développement du droit canadien, avec toutes les implications politiques, sociales, économiques et morales qui en découlent.

Comme le professeur Makela, Me Bastarache a souligné qu’il fallait se méfier d’associer l’utilité d’une doctrine aux citations de ladite doctrine dans les décisions judiciaires. Il a admis que les juges lisaient et considéraient fréquemment certaines pièces de doctrine sans nécessairement les citer. En revanche, Me Bastarache a souligné l’importance de la préservation de l’autorité du juge. Pour lui, le juge doit être à l’abri des tendances doctrinales et éviter d’être trop influencé par les chercheurs en droit. Cette opinion a fait réagir l’auditoire et a suscité de nombreuses interventions lors de la période de questions.

La Revue de droit de McGill souhaite remercier tous les présentateurs et participants qui ont rendu ce colloque très intéressant. À l’année prochaine!

12 March 2013

The following books for review have recently been received by the McGill Law Journal: 

• Elizabeth A. Sheehy, ed, Sexual Assault in Canada. Law, Legal Practice and Women's Activism (University of Ottawa Press, 2012);
• Maurice Tancelin, Le droit malade de l'argent (BouquinPlus, 2013);
• Stephen Gardbaum, The New Commonwealth Model of Constitutionalism. Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2013);
• Francine Saillant et Karoline Truchon, Droits et cultures en mouvements (PUL, 2013).

Please write to us at journal.law@mcgill.ca should you be interested in writing a book review for one of these publications.

21 February 2013

McGill Law Journal applications are available at the Student Affairs Office! Drop by during SAO office hours to get your editorial (French or English) or management package!

Once completed, you must deliver the above materials to the SAO offices no later than ten days after receipt of the application package. Please note that the SAO is closed on Saturday and Sundays. Plan for your 10 days to finish on a weekday. Should your 10 days fall on a Saturday or Sunday, you must hand in your application package on the preceding Friday.

Please note that all submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. on March 11th, 2013. Those who begin the application process less than 10 days before the deadline will have less time to complete their application.

We encourage you to fill out your application package as soon as possible.

9 January 2013

The following books for review have recently been received by the McGill Law Journal: 

• Paul Martel, Ad. E., La société par actions au Québec : les aspects juridiques (Wilson et Lafleur, 2012);
• San Persand, Discover Law Through Art. Connecting Art, Science and Law to Stimulate Creativity (Legal Art Media, 2012).
• Lei Chen & C.H. (Remco) van Rhee, eds, Towards a Chinese Civil Code. Comparative and Historial Perspectives (Martinus Nijhoff / Brill Academic, 2012).
• Felix Hoehn, Reconciling Sovereignties: Aboriginal Nations and Canada (Native Law Centre, 2012).

Please write to us at journal.law@mcgill.ca should you be interested in writing a book review for one of these publications.

23 November 2012

The McGill Law Journal has received the following book for review:

Mauro Bussani et Ugo Mattei, eds, The Cambridge Companion to Comparative Law (Cambridge University Press, 2012).

Are you interested in writing a review of this book? You are invited to contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca for more information.

23 November 2012

The McGill Law Journal is proud to announce that Volume 58:1 is now available. Please refer to the website Home Page for a list of the articles with links to their respective abstracts.

5 November 2012

The McGill Law Journal has received the following book for review (in electronic format only):

• Louise Fines, L'organisation des crimes en col blanc, Harmattan, 2012.

Are you interested in writing a review of this book? You are invited to contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca for more information.

1 November 2012

The McGill Law Journal has received the following books for review:

• Jacqueline D. Krikorian, International Trade Law and Domestic Policy. Canada, The United States, and the WTO (UBC Press, 2012);

• Laurence Dubin, dir, La légalité de la lutte contre l'immigration irrégulière par l'Union européenne (Bruylant, 2012);

• Bogdan Iancu, Legislative Delegation: The Erosion of Normative Limits in Modern Constitutionalism (Springer, 2012);

• André Emond, Introduction au droit canadien (Wilson & Lafleur, 2012);

• Ernest J. Weinrib, The Idea of Private Law (Oxford University Press, 2012);

• Stephen C. Neff, ed, Hugo Grotius On the Law of War and Peace (Cambridge University Press, 2012)

Please write to us at journal.law@mcgill.ca should you be interested in writing a book review for any one of these publications.

26 October 2012

The McGill Law Journal thanks Les Délices de Dawn for sponsoring the Homecoming Kickoff Coffeehouse on October 11th.  Many thanks to Gavin Grant of Délices de Dawn, for supporting this event and for providing us with a wonderful  array of desserts that were enjoyed by all.

25 October 2012

"One autumn day, 60 years ago, a student at the Faculty of Law of McGill noted that there was no scientific publication in the country that did  legal research. This student was Jacques-Yvan Morin (BCL'52), who would later serve as both a minister under the Parti Québécois, and Vice-Premier of Quebec. Thus the McGill Law Journal (the Journal) was born and now the Journal is a flagship publication and one of the oldest Canadian legal periodicals managed by students." [our translation]

Read about the McGill Law Journal's 60th anniversary by going to Focus online.

17 October 2012

World Mental Health Day, celebrated last week, aims to raise awareness about mental health issues. On this special occasion, the McGill Law Journal invites you to explore the relationship between law and mental health by reading an article recently published in volume 57:2: 

In "Jurisdiction of Mental Health Tribunals to Provide Positive Remedies: Application, Challenges, and Prospects", professor Joaquin Zuckerberg reviews recent Canadian jurisprudence in order to assess Mental Health Tribunals (MHT) as possible forums in which the mentally ill can raise constitutional and quasi-constitutional challenges to obtain adequate medical care. As administrative tribunals, should MHT have a wider role than the traditional one of ensuring that the autonomy of the mentally ill is limited only according to the substantive and procedural requirements established by law?

9 October 2012

Last week, the World celebrated World Temperance Day. This day calls for a moment of sobriety as the world reflects on the possible dangers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. On this special occasion, The McGill Law Journal invites you to reread an article recently published in volume 57:1: 

In "The Effect of Alcohol on the Canadian Constitution... Seriously", the Honourable Justice Fish of the Supreme Court of Canada looks at the effect of intoxicating beverages on the Canadian constitution. More specifically, he addresses the question of how disputes over the sale, licensing, and prohibition of alcohol have triggered a large body of foundational federalism cases of the late 19th and the 20th centuries. The main questions raised by these cases were (1) which level of government—federal or provincial—had jurisdiction to regulate the sale, consumption and, production of alcohol; and (2) whether any distinction should be drawn between the power to regulate alcohol and the power to prohibit it entirely? As Justice Fish highlights, alcohol is also at the heart of the most famous liquor case of all, the 1959 decision Roncarelli v. Duplessis, which defined the rule of law as it is interpreted in Canada.

26 September 2012

National Tree Day celebrates environmental protection. On this special occasion, the McGill Law Journal invites you to reread an article recently published in volume 57:2: http://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/documents/57.2.art1.

“Les droits environnementaux dans la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne du Québec : Pistes de réflexion” [“Environmental rights in theQuebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms: Reflections”], written by Sophie Thériault and David Robitaille, explains the role and the essence of section 46.1 of the Charter, which gives the every individual the right to live in a healthful environment in which biodiversity is preserved. The authors examine the importance of section 46.1, assessing its place in Quebec, Canadian, and international law. In an era where sustainable development is fashionable, is the right to a healthful environment elevated to the status of fundamental right? Or, rather, is it a public policy matter? To what extent does environmental harm have an impact on other rights and freedoms protected by the Charter? We welcome you to share your thoughts online, on Facebook and Twitter.

To learn more about National Tree Day, please consult the following website: http://www.treecanada.ca/national-tree-day/pages.php?lang=en&page=home.

14 September 2012

The theme of this year’s International Day of Democracy is education. In addressing the UN General Assembly recently, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "In marking this year’s International Day of Democracy, let us ... work to bring democracy education to all, and in particular, to those societies in transition that need it most." To commemorate this year’s International Day of Democracy, we have chosen an article from the archives that explores the meaning of democracy in Canadian society. The article is entitled “Démocratie et libertés: quelques propos sur le contrôle de constitutionnalité et l'hétéronomie du droit” and is written by Université de Montréal law professor Karim Benyekhlef.

In his article, Professor Benyekhlef highlights that both supporters and detractors of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms reduce the notion of democracy to its narrow electoral sense, while ignoring the true ideal of democracy.  The author goes on to examine the scope, origin and meaning of fundamental freedoms and to situate those within a natural law approach.  While recognizing the challenges of identifying natural rights, Professor Benyekhlef suggests that a natural law approach should embrace the polycentric conception of democracy to enable a public forum that enables communication and debate.  The author concludes by arguing that fundamental freedoms, such as those enshrined in the Charter, are essential components of democracy because they provide a tool for mediation between institutions and thus ensure an adequate balance of power. 

Embracing Professor Benyekhlef's championing of communication in the public forum, we invite you to celebrate this education-themed Democracy Day by reflecting together about what democracy means to us.

29 June 2012

The following two books for review have recently been received by the McGill Law Journal: 

• Antoine Leduc, Mondialisation et harmonisation du droit des sûretés, Les Éditions Thémis, 2012;
• Vincent Gautrais, Neutralité technologique. Rédaction et interprétation des lois face aux changements technologiques, Les Éditions Thémis, 2012.

Please write to us at journal.law@mcgill.ca should you be interested in writing a book review for one of these publications.

12 June 2012

The McGill Law Journal has received the following books for review:

Conférence des arbitres du Québec, Mes amis facebook, moi et mon emploi : l'arbitrage de grief à l'ère des réseaux sociaux (Wilson & Lafleur, 2012);

Richard K. Sherwin, Visualizing Law in the Age of the Digital Baroque -  Arabesques and Entanglements (Routledge, 2011);

Jeremy Waldron, “Partly Laws Common to All Mankind” Foreign Law in American Courts (Yale University Press, 2012).

If you are interested in writing a book review, please contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca.

30 May 2012

The McGill Law Journal has recently received the following books for review: 

• François Tanguay-Renaud & James Stribopoulos, eds, Rethinking Criminal Law Theory: New Canadian Perspectives in the Philosophy of Domestic, Transnational, and International Criminal Law (Hart Publishing, 2012);
• Karim Benyekhlef, Les cultures du droit (Thémis, 2012);
• Alain Roy, Conférences Roger-Comtois: avant-projet de loi sur l’adoption, les écueils d’une réforme annoncée (Thémis, 2012);
• Paul Martel, La société par actions au Québec : les aspects juridiques (Wilson & Lafleur / Martel Ltée, 2012);
• Marc Lemieux, Le droit bancaire en 2011 : nouveautés et tendances (Thémis, 2012);
• Denis Le May (with Hélène Héroux), Guide juridique du travail social (Wilson & Lafleur, 2012);
• Philippe Bouvier, Alter Ego — Loi sur les accidents du travail et les maladies professionnelles (Wilson & Lafleur, 2012);
• Mario Prost, The Concept of Unity in Public International Law (Hart Publishing, 2012).
• Michael Trebilcock, Anthony Duggan and Lorne Sossin, eds, Middle Income Access to Justice (University of Toronto Press, 2012).

Please write to us at journal.law@mcgill.ca should you be interested in writing a book review for one of these recent publications!

19 April 2012

The McGill Law Journal is very pleased to announce that it has joined forces with iTunes U. Now you can download interviews with renowned legal scholars, Supreme Court justices, and even listen to our annual lectures, all completely free of charge. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find when you look us up on iTunes U:

Professor Emeritus Pierre-Gabriel Jobin examines the traditional and emerging civil and common law positions on so-called Good Samaritan laws;

Mary Dawson, C.M., Q.C., speaker at the McGill Law Journal 2012 Annual Lecture, shares her experiences as one of the final drafters of the Constitution Act, 1982 and as the principal legal advisor for the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords;

The Honourable Justice Ian Binnie (most recently with the Supreme Court of Canada), discusses corporate accountability and looks at why victims of corporate complicity in violations of international law, continue to face very serious legal hurdles in adjudicating their claims;

Professor Roderick Macdonald explores the impact of information technology on law, legal scholarship, litigation, and access to justice in the twenty-first century.

30 March 2012

March 30^th is Land Day, an annual day of commemoration for the six Arabs who, in 1976, marched in protest against Israel’s plan to expropriate land for security and settlement purposes.  The following article, published in 2005 by the McGill Law Journal, provides a fascinating focus on the relationship between cartography and the law and the implications arising thereof to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  In Prolegomenon to a Pedestrian Cartography of Mixed Legal Jurisdictions:  The Case of Israel / Palestine, Susan Drummond argues that maps are inextricably linked to specific conceptions of governance, society, and control.  Consequently, maps are literally a reflection of the power that created them.  The example of the renaming of Arab towns along the 1947 partition line is representative of this power.  Due to the ability that modern cartography has to obliterate representation of places and people, Drummond cautions against an overreliance on official maps which can accelerate a departure from the middle ground of mutual understanding which previously existed amongst people.  The author suggests that by referencing both official and alternative maps, a middle ground can again be achieved between those people with the power to create official maps and those without such power.

22 March 2012

“Racism continues to cause suffering for millions of people around the world.... I look to all people to join the United Nations in our drive to eliminate racism. We must, individually and collectively, stamp out racism, stigma and prejudice.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Message for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2012

This year’s theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is “Racism and Conflict.”   Racism and discrimination are often at the root of deadly conflicts, a problem explored by William A. Schabas in his article, “Hate Speech in Rwanda: The Road to Genocide.”  In the article, Schabas traces the importance of hate speech disseminated by print and radio in preparing masses of Rwandans to execute their fellow citizens.

The author also examines international instruments contemplated for persecuting incitement to genocide, such as the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.  Schabas traces the history of the convention and highlights its blind spots to argue that action ought to have been taken much sooner than it was to prevent the genocide in Rwanda.  He reminds us that hateful propaganda directed against a targeted group is one of the early stages of the planning of genocide and suggests that therein lies the key to prevention. 

Schabas concludes by applauding Canada’s decision to revoke Leon Mugesera’s permanent resident status in Canada.  Mugesera, who has been charged with inciting genocide in Rwanda in 1992, lived in Quebec for over a decade.  He was finally deported on January 23^rd, 2012.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination let us all remember our collective responsibility for promoting and protecting the ideal enshrined in the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

19 March 2012

Does the environment and Earth have rights? Should the environment be guaranteed equal status with other rights-bearing entities?

These questions are at the heart of an on-going controversial environmental debate. In “Law Reform or World Re-form: The Problem of Environmental Rights”, Cynthia Giagnocavo and Howard Goldstein argue that the environmental movement in Canada has been diverted from its original goals by the application of traditional legal solutions to the very un-legal problems of environmental degradation. Rather than law reform, they support the notion of rightness, a notion directed at world reform through the development of the perspective of the interrelatedness of humankind and nature.

Ivor Elrifi offers a different perspective on environmental rights. In “Protection of the Ozone Layer: A Comment on the Montreal Protocol”, he discusses the problem of the international attempt at environmental regulation and addresses how factors inherent in existing legal and economic systems have inhibited attempts to address the global problem of ozone depletion and suggests solutions applicable to numerous environmental concerns faced by our society today.

The McGill Law Journal invites you to celebrate Earth Day by participating in Earth Hour 2012. Switch off your lights and electronics for at least an hour, and discuss environmental rights with friends and peers, on Saturday March 31 at 8:30 p.m. (and as often as you can)!

12 March 2012

The McGill Law Journal would like to thank everyone who participated in our annual Coffee House event which took place on February 16th.  The event was attended by approximately 200 students as well as several professors from the McGill Law Faculty.  The fundraising raffle made it possible for us to raise over $1,800 for the Mile End Legal Clinic – a record for any McGill Law Journal fundraising event.

The Mile End Legal Clinic stands apart in that it does not simply dispense legal information but also helps clients navigate their way through the complexities of our legal system. The services they provide are of great importance to people who could otherwise not afford the help of a lawyer. Thanks to everyone for their support which will enable the clinic to continue to offer a wide range of services to those in need.

Again, your generosity is greatly appreciated!

5 March 2012

2012-2013 Executive Board for Volume 58

 The McGill Law Journal is pleased to present the Executive Board for the 2012-2013 academic year:

Marie-Eve Goulet, Editor-in-Chief

Laure Prévost, Managing Editor

Emily Grant, English Executive Editor

Marc-André Roy, French Executive Editor

Anne-Claire Gayet, Coordinating Editor

Montano Cabezas, Cite Guide Editor

Congratulations to the new executive team!

29 February 2012

The McGill Law Journal has received the following books for review:

Kent Roach, The 9/11 Effect: Comparative Counter-Terrorism (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011).

Randy D Gordon, Rehumanizing Law: A Theory of Law and Democracy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011).

Code Civil du Québec Annoté, 14 ed, tome 1, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Code Civil du Québec Annoté, 14 ed, tome 2, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Yves Papineau, Les charges de propriété et leur recouvrement, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Guy Durand, La culture religieuse n’est pas la foi : Identité du Québec et laïcité, Montréal, Éditions des oliviers, 2011.

Charles Caza, Loi sur les normes du travail, 11 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Hubert Reid & Claire Carrier, Code de procédure civile du Québec, 27 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Hélène Ouimet, Code du travail du Québec, 20 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Philip Girard, Lawyers and Legal Culture in British North America:  Beamish Murdoch of Halifax (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011).

Hélène Ouimet, Travail Plus : le travail et vos droits, 7ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Claude Emanuelli, Droit international privé québécois, 3 ^e éd, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Henri Brun, Pierre Brun & Fannie Lafontaine, Chartes des droits de la personne : législation, jurisprudence, doctrine, 24 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Jacques Deslauriers, La faillite et l’insolvabilité au Québec, 2 ^e éd, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Michel Perreault, Le droit des sociétés par actions et des personnes morales au Québec, 3 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Paul Martel, Les conventions entre actionnaires : une approche pratique, 10 ^e éd, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Marie-Christine Lemerise, La banque d’investissement : sans conflit, sans intérêt ?, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2011.

Guy Durand, La culture religieuse n’est pas la foi : identité du Québec et laïcité, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Yves Papineau, La charges de copropriété et leur recouvrement, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Peter Aucoin, Mark D Jarvic & Lori Turnbull, Democratizing the Constitution (Toronto: Edmond Montgomery, 2011).

Hugues Parent et Julie Desrosiers, La peine traité de droit criminel, t 3, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2012.

Sous la direction de Marc Lemieux, Le droit bancaire en 2011 : nouveautés et tendances, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2012.

Jean-Louis Baudouin, Droit et vérité, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2011.

Martine Valois, L’indépendance judiciaire : la justice entre droit et gouvernement, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2011.

Jimena Andino Dorato, Jean-Frédérick Ménard et Lionel Smith, Le droit civil et ses codes : parcours à travers les Amériques, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2011.

Vincent Karim, Contrats d’entreprise (ouvrages mobiliers et immobiliers : construction et renovation) : contrat de prestation de services et l’hypothèque légale, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Gilles Létourneau, Code de procédure pénale du Québec, 9^e éd, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Rachel Grondin, L’enfant et le droit pénal, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Paul Martel, La société par actions au Québec : les aspects juridiques, Montréal, Les Éditions Thémis, 2011.

21 February 2012

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to invite you to its 2012 Annual Lecture, featuring Ms. Mary Dawson, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Ms. Dawson will share her experiences as one of the final drafters of the Constitution Act, 1982 and as the principal legal advisor for the Meech Lake Accord, the Charlottetown Accords and as the head of the legal team for the Government of Canada on the Quebec Secession Reference.

The event will be held on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in the Moot Court of the Faculty of Law, McGill University. If you would like to attend, please make sure to arrive early as seating is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.

Following the lecture, there will be a reception in the Atrium that is generously provided by Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.

13 February 2012

On Thursday February 16th the McGill Law Journal will host a Coffee House to raise funds for the Mile End Legal Clinic.  The theme of the event is “A wintry afternoon at the cabane à sucre” and we’ll have a traditional cabane à sucre on site to serve fresh maple syrup, hot chocolate, tea (from David’s Tea), hot apple cider and fresh baked goods.  The first one hundred beers will be free.  We will also hold a raffle with great prizes including front section hockey tickets to a Canadiens v. Islanders game donated by Woods LLP, a one night hotel stay, lift passes and buffet breakfast to Chantecler ski resort in the Laurentians, free swing lessons, gift certificates for local restaurants and many more.  Raffle tickets can be bought for $2 for 1, or $5 for 3 in the atrium the week of the event, and at the MLJ Office.  The coffee house will also be a good opportunity for those applying to the Journal to meet current journal members and ask questions before the recruitment deadline.

23 January 2012

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to invite you to attend, on Friday February 3, 2012 at 1:30 pm, a constitutional debate which brings together distinguished scholars Benoît Pelletier (University of Ottawa), Daniel Turp (University of Montreal) and Serge Rousselle (University of Moncton).

As the 30th anniversary of the repatriation of the Constitution approaches, the Journal wishes to take advantage of the recent political situation -- namely the results of the last federal election, the recent crisis within the Quebec sovereignty movement, the recent Harris-Decima poll which suggests that most Canadians are now willing to reopen the Constitution, etc.. -- to broach various themes linked to the Constitution as well as Quebec and Canadian politics.

While some commentators predict the end of the "grille Meech" followed by profound changes to constitutional discourse of the last few decades, the Journal believes that it is worthwhile to again broach the subject of Quebec's possible ratification of the Constitution act, the reform or abolition of the Senate as well as other modifications which could be brought to Canada's electoral system.

We believe that this debate will give rise to an invigorating and interesting discussion and, as we anticipate a great number of attendees, we encourage you R.S.V.P. before February 1, 2012 at journal.law@mcgill.ca. The debate will begin at 1:30 pm in Room 100 (Moot Court) of New Chancellor Day Hall (3644 Peel Street) at McGill's Faculty of Law. The debate will be followed by a reception.      

23 January 2012

What is a religion?  When is a religious belief afforded protection under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  These two interrelated questions have, on numerous occasions, bewildered the Canadian judiciary.    In order to mark World Religion Day, the McGill Law Journal recommends an article by Louis-Philippe Lampron, Pour que la tempête ne s'étende jamais hors du verre d'eau:  Réflexions sur la protection des convictions religieuses au Canada (Vol. 55:4). This article explores the judiciary's struggles in satisfactorily defining these elusive terms.  Professor Lampron argues that the subjective definition of religion advanced by the Supreme Court of Canada has failed to provide criteria upon which either the judiciary or civil society can properly evaluate the scope of protections afforded by Section 2 of the Charter.  According to the author, this subjective approach to defining this fundamental concept contributed greatly to Quebec's Reasonable Accommodation Crisis in 2006-2007.    

13 January 2012

Working at the McGill Law Journal provides you with a unique opportunity to obtain practical legal experience while simultaneously sharpening your legal research skills.  Whether considering a clerkship, post-graduate studies or an articling position with either a local or global law firm, the practical skills acquired as a member of this internationally respected legal publication will prove invaluable in your future career.

La possibilité de travailler pour une revue bilingue de renommée internationale vous intéresse? Si c’est le cas, nous vous encourageons à postuler pour devenir membre de la Revue de droit de McGill. Chaque année, la Revue accepte des candidatures pour remplir les dix-sept postes de son comité adjoint.  Quatorze ou quinze de ces postes sont réservés au comité de rédaction anglais (11-13) ou français (3-4) et deux ou trois de ces postes sont réservés au comité de gestion.

The assignment is available for pick-up at the SAO until February 17, 2012.  When collecting your application package, please specify to which of the following boards you would like to apply: (1) English Editorial Board, (2) French Editorial Board or (3) Management Board. You will have ten days to complete and return your application to the SAO. The last possible day to submit your application is February 27, 2012.

Please visit our website at http://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/faq.php for a list of frequently asked questions. Pour toute autre question n’hésitez pas à nous contacter par courriel (journal.law@mcgill.ca).

We look forward to receiving your applications and wish you the best of luck in this upcoming semester.

30 November 2011

As World Aids Day approaches, the Journal recommends the following article, which contemplates the legal risks of failing to disclose an HIV-positive status to a sexual partner on the one hand, and the scientific risks of HIV transmission on the other. In “Rethinking Risk: The Relevance of Condoms and Viral Load in HIV Nondisclosure Prosecutions”, Isabel Grant compares and contrasts the relevance of protected and unprotected sex in non-disclosure cases, and offers recommendations with regards to basing culpability on the viral load of the accused (published in Volume 54:2). 

Hungry for more? Dive into William Flanagan’s “Equality Rights for People with AIDS: Mandatory Reporting of HIV Infection and Contact Tracing.” (Volume 53:3)

15 November 2011

Applying to Become a Member?

November 23, 2011 @ 12:30 pm in Room 201

The McGill Law Journal will be holding an information session on Wednesday, November 23rd at 12:30 pm in room 201. Cette séance d’information aura pour but de discuter le cycle de recrutement annuel de la Revue qui débutera dès le 9 janvier 2012.

We will discuss editorial as well as managerial positions, along with the creditstructure of this two year program. Si vous êtes intéressés, joignez-vous à nous le mercredi 23 novembre !

8 November 2011

During this Remembrance Day week we remember the casualties of war by turning our minds to peace and contemplating the underpinnings of peaceful relations between states. The article "The Meaning of Neutrality Law" by Dr. Wilhelm Wengler explores the meaning of the word neutrality and the rights and obligations of neutral states under international law.  By doing so, the article asks the questions, what is the significance in international law of the duty to neutrality in peacetime, and is it in 1964, legally possible to establish such a neutrality in peacetime as an institution of international law? 

2 November 2011

Last week was Disarmament Week, which highlights the danger of the arms race and encourages disarmament.  The Journal is pleased to have published extensively on this matter and encourage you to see especially Toward a Legal Regime for Nuclear Weapons by Richard Falk which was published in Volume 28:3, a special issue of the Journal dedicated entirely to disarmament.

25 October 2011

The McGill Law Journal is proud to announce that Volume 57:1 will be available soon! Please refer to the website Home Page for a list of the articles with links to their respective abstracts

19 October 2011

The McGill Law Journal mourns the loss of Alexandra Dodger, a valued alumnus of the Journal who was tragically struck and killed in a pedestrian accident in Ottawa on Saturday, October 15, 2011.  A tribute page from students, alumni and professors has been published on the SAO site.

3 October 2011

The McGill Law Journal has received the following books for review:

Randy D. Gordon, Rehumanizing Law: A Theory of Law and Democracy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011).

Code Civil du Québec Annoté, 14 ed, tome 1, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Code Civil du Québec Annoté, 14 ed, tome 2, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Yves Papineau, Les charges de propriété et leur recouvrement, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Guy Durand, La culture religieuse n’est pas la foi : Identité du Québec et laïcité, Montréal, Éditions des oliviers, 2011.

Charles Caza, Alter Ego : Loi sur les normes du travail, 11 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Hubert Reid & Claire Carrier, Alter Ego : Code de procédure civile du Québec, 27 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Hélène Ouimet,  Alter Ego : Code du travail du Québec, 20 ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

Philip Girard, Lawyers and Legal Culture in British North America:  Beamish Murdoch of Halifax (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2011).

Kent Roach, The 9/11 Effect: Comparative Counter-Terrorism (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011).

Hélène Ouimet, Travail Plus : le travail et vos droits, 7ed, Montréal, Wilson & Lafleur, 2011.

James A.R. Nafziger, Robert Kirkwood Paterson & Alison Dundes Renteln, Cultural Law: International, Comparative, and Indigenous (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010).

12 September 2011

Come and learn more about us in the Faculty Atrium on September 14, 2011 during McGill Law Clubs Day. 

Click here to view to the Brochure

10 June 2011

Earlier this month, CanLii announced that they would be adopting the ‘no period’ approach to legal citation introduced in Canada by the 7^th edition of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation. Referring to the 7^th edition as an example of the “modernizing trend” that “minimize[s] useless punctuation”, CanLii announced their belief that other legal organizations will also make the change. CanLii users can still use periods in their search queries as the search engine will remain ‘period neutral’.

For more information, please see CanLii’s announcement by clicking here

7 June 2011

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to announce that Marie-Eve Sylvestre “Rethinking Criminal Responsibility for Poor Offenders: Choice, Monstrosity, and the Logic of Practice” 55:4 McGill LJ 771 is the recipient of the 2011 Canadian Association of Law Teachers Scholarly Paper Award. Congratulations to Professor Sylvestre!

11 February 2011

2011-2012 Executive Board for Volume 57

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to present the Executive Board for the 2011-2012 academic year:

Will Colish, Editor-in-Chief

Pascal Mayer, Managing Editor

Katherine Webber, English Executive Editor

Julien Adant, French Executive Editor

Mary Opolko, Coordinating Editor

Ilana Ludwin, Cite Guide Editor

Waleed Bishouty, Electronics Editor

Congratulations to the new executive team!

7 January 2011

The McGill Law Journal held its Hollywood-inspired Coffeehouse this past Thursday, January 6^th. Thank you to all of those who attended and helped to make it a great success!

21 September 2010

On September 20^th, the McGill Law Journal was pleased to host a round table on the state of bilingualism at the Faculty of Law. The panel, composed of professor Geneviève Saumier, Dean Daniel Jutras, Christopher Porter (English Executive Editor of the Journal), Émilie Forgues-Bundock (French senior editor of the Journal)  and mediated by Sara Ross (Editor-in-Chief of the Journal) discussed the extent to which the Law Faculty is truly a bilingual institution. This unique event which combined both faculty and student opinions on the subject drew a large crowd to room 312. The students in attendance were able to participate in the lively debate by asking questions and giving their opinions.

Thank you to all of those who participated and who helped to ensure that this second event in the Journal’s Round Table series was a great success!

1 September 2010

We are proud to announce that the 7^th edition of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation is now available! This edition features vital changes to make it more comprehensive and user friendly. The Guide is available for purchase online at:

http://www.carswell.com/search_result.asp?txtSearch=mcgill+citation&selSearch=keyword 

9 March 2010

2010-2011 Executive Board

The McGill Law Journal is pleased to present the Executive Board for the 2010-2011 academic year:

Sara Ross, Editor in Chief

Cassandra Marcotte, Managing Editor

Amélie Gouin, Executive Editor

Wm. Christopher Porter, Executive Editor

Kate Searle, Coordinating Editor

Congratulations to the new executive team!

4 January 2010

The Honourable Madam Justice Rosalie Abella

Annual Lecture

"International Law and Human Rights: The Power and the Pity"

18h00, Tuesday January 26, 2010 

Moot Court (room 100), New Chancellor Day Hall 

Faculty of Law, McGill University 

The McGill Law Journal is excited to present the Honourable Madam Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella of the Supreme Court of Canada as the keynote speaker for this year’s Annual Lecture. Her presentation entitled “International Law and Human Rights: The Power and the Pity” will take place on Tuesday, 26 January 2010 at 18h in the New Chancellor Day Hall’s Moot Court (room 100) of McGill’s Faculty of Law.

Every year, the McGill Law Journal invites a distinguished speaker to deliver a scholarly address of significant contemporary interest to members of the McGill community, the Bar, the judiciary and the general public. This annual event has attracted notable speakers in years past, including members of the judiciary, dignitaries, and legal scholars of international repute. This year, we have the privilege of welcoming a particularly prominent figure in Canada’s legal community.

Justice Abella’s personal story is nothing short of remarkable. Born in a displaced persons camp at the end of the Second World War, she worked her way through university and eventually became a litigator. When first appointed to the Ontario Family Court in 1976, Justice Abella was the youngest and first pregnant judge in Canadian history. She was appointed to Ontario’s Court of Appeal in 1992, and finally to the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004. Justice Abella is considered one of Canada's foremost experts in human rights law, and has also served as Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Ontario Law Reform Commission, as well as a board member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Furthermore, she chaired the Ontario Study into Access to Legal Services by the Disabled. Justice Abella was the sole Commissioner of the 1984 federal Royal Commission on Equality in Employment, where she coined the term “employment equity” as part of a strategy for reducing barriers in employment faced by women, visible minorities, people with disabilities, and Aboriginal peoples in Canada. She also taught at McGill's Faculty of Law for a number of years as Boulton Visiting Professor. She has been the recipient of 27 honourary degrees.

Following the lecture, there will be a reception in the Atrium that will be generously provided by Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. The 2010 Annual Lecture is also being sponsored by the Students’ Society of McGill University and the Office of the Dean of Students. For directions and more information about this event, please visit contact us at journal.law@mcgill.ca.

1 January 2010

MLJ Coffeehouse

Are you wondering why you're back in school in the dead of winter?
Are you already dreaming of a sunny beach vacation?
Do you want to start off the new year with a fully sponsored coffeehouse?
Are you ALSO thinking about applying to become an editor or manager for the McGill Law Journal?

Then come escape to Hawaii with the McGill Luau Journal's Sponsored Coffeehouse!
Start the new semester off with a tropical party on Thursday January 7, 2010 where you can fill up on free maitais and delicious Hawaiian-inspired snacks as well as learn more about the McGill Law Journal and our application process which opens as of January 4, 2010.

We encourage you to come dressed for the event and be ready for a sizzling good time!

12 November 2009

Round Table on Reproductive Rights: Will Saletan, Abby Lippman, Angela Campbell

Click here to Listen to the complete Round Table

The McGill Law Journal would like to announce an exciting event taking place Tuesday, November 17^th  at 5:30 in Room 316 of NCDH. Slate columnist Will Saletan, Abby Lippman, and Professor Campbell will take part in a round table discussion entitled “Reproductive Rights: Exploring the Political and Legal War Over Abortion, Surrogate Motherhood, and Embryonic Life”. The goal is to push the parameters of the debate surrounding reproductive rights beyond the traditional pro-life/pro-choice binary. The event is particularly timely, given the importance of abortion in the ongoing US health care debate.  Saletan has written on the topic of privacy and public funding for abortions in the past, in his book Bearing Right: How Conservatives Won the Abortion War. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to journal.law@mcgill.ca.

The McGill Law Journal will be hosting Roundtable lectures throughout the year on a number of topics.

9 November 2009

The McGill Law Journal would like to remind you that we will be holding an information session on November 11 at 1:30 in Room 316 of New Chancellor Day Hall. You will have an opportunity to learn more about the application process, and the Journal itself. The Executive Board will be on hand to answer questions . The recruitment period for the 2010-2011/2011-2012 team begins this January, so do not miss your opportunity to participate in one of the faculty’s most enduring institutions.

23 July 2009

We are currently revising the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation for the publication of the 7th Edition in August 2010.

Please send any comments or suggestions regarding the format or content of the Guide to the Editor, Svetlana Samochkine (journal.law@mcgill.ca). Your input will help us harmonize the Guide to our users' needs and to current legal practices.

11 March 2009

It is with excitement that we announce the upcoming 7th Edition of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation. This edition will feature vital changes to make it more comprehensive and user friendly. As we are in the initial stages of this endeavour, we welcome and encourage your valued input in suggesting changes that will help the Guide to better serve your needs. 

Please take a few moments to complete the online survey provided in the link below. Don't forget to press "SUBMIT" at the end of the survey. We greatly appreciate your time and continued support. In order to ensure that everyone’s opinion is recorded, please spread the word about this survey to fellow users of the Guide.

Thank you.

13 January 2009

The McGill Law Journal recently welcomed leading Canadian philosopher John Ralston Saul to the Faculty of Law,  where he delivered the McGill Law Journal Annual Lecture.

This lecture asked the Canadian legal community to look beyond the standard historical viewpoint which roots Canadian law in the British common law and French civil law traditions. Beginning with the earliest interactions between First Nations and Europeans, Mr. Saul discussed the historical foundations of Canadian law in a uniquely Canadian context. Drawing from the research outlined in his recent book, A Fair Country, Mr. Saul challenged his audience to think of Canadian law as far more than the local implementation of foreign legal traditions. While Canada has freely borrowed from various legal traditions, the application of law in Canada has been a unique process intimately tied to Canadian history. Mr. Saul called on us to recognize a distinctly Canadian legal tradition which has grown out of Aboriginal law and subsequent local experience while being influenced by, but by no means limited to, Common Law or Civil Law traditions.

The Roots of Canadian Law in Canada

The McGill Law Journal Annual Lecture

Delivered by John Ralston Saul

The lecture was delivered on February 3, 2009 in English and French to over 300 attendees including students, alumni, faculty from all disciplines and the public. A reception, generously provided by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, followed. A video recording of the lecture is available online at: http://media2.campus.mcgill.ca/misc/saul.wmv

15 October 2008

We are pleased to announce that the McGill Law Journal has adopted an open-access policy.  Over the coming year, all the content from our back issues will be made available online in pdf format, free of charge.  Recent content will be available two years after publication, meaning that we will not release pdfs for our eight most recent issues.  If you have trouble accessing any of the content from back issues, please contact us by phone or email.  We hope you enjoy this new feature of our site!

8 June 2008

On March 31st, the Honorable Pierre J. Dalphond, judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec, gave the Journal's Annual Lecture. His presentation, entitled "La doctrine a-t-elle un avenir au Québec?", discussed the state of legal scholarship in Quebec and the form it presently espouses. In principle, the notion of "doctrine" is predominant in Quebec, but the nature of legal scholarship in the province seems to be shifting. Justice Dalphond commented on the value of doctrine and on its importance not only within academic circles but also in legal practice. A revised version of the lecture is scheduled to be published in Issue 3 of Volume 53.