We would like to invite all members of the Canadian Section of the International Commission of Jurists to an exciting conference, which will be held March 29-30, 2016 in Ottawa:

"Canada in Global Affairs: New challenges, new ways"

For this international conference, we are collaborating with the University of Ottawa, The Hague Institute for Global Justice, the Centre for International Policy Studies, and the Human Rights Research and Education Centre.

It will bring together leading national and international experts in security and state fragility, global community and just society, and reform of global institutions. They will share their perspectives on current and future challenges, and possible solutions for Canada.

Speakers include:

• The Honourable Louise Arbour, C.C., G.O.Q., Counsel, Borden, Ladner Gervais LLP; Chair, President’s International Advisory Board of the University of Ottawa
• Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Chancellor, St. Paul’s University College, former President of the University of Winnipeg
• Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
• Adama Dieng, United Nations Under-Secretary-General; Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide
• The Honourable Stéphane Dion, P.C., M.P. Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Huguette Labelle, C.C., Emeritus Governor, University of Ottawa; member, President’s International Advisory Board of the University of Ottawa; former Deputy Minister, Canadian International Development Agency
• Abiodun Williams, President, The Hague Institute for Global Justice
• The Honourable Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia
• James Steinberg, Dean of the Maxwell School of Public Policy and former Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America and member of the President’s International Advisory Board
All registrations include a dinner at the Chateau Laurier with a talk by The Right Honourable Paul Martin, former Prime Minister of Canada.

Click here to view the full conference program.

Space is limited - register online today!

Congratulations to our 2005 Tarnopolsky Award winner Marcia Kran, who has been nominated by the Government of Canada for the honour of sitting on the UN Human Rights Committee. Read Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion's statement at the 31st Session of the Human Rights Council, here.

ICJ Canada wishes Ms. Kran the best of luck in the international elections, to take place on June 23, 2016.

Would you like to know what we were up to in 2015? Read on...

Exciting Projects Underway

The rule of law and judicial independence have been at the heart of ICJ’s mission since its inception. We are researching best practices on judicial appointment processes in Canada and internationally in light of international norms, with a view to making concrete recommendations for improvements both in Canada and through the headquarters of ICJ in Geneva in other interested countries with ICJ Chapters around the world.

ICJC’s Quebec branch has partnered with the University of Montreal Centre for Research in Public Law to launch a new online resource, the “Observatory on national security measures”. It is a web-based resource that stores documents and follows developments related to national security measures. As it continues to grow, it will be a hub for discussion –in both of Canada’s official languages- on the risks and challenges in this area.

ICJC participated in round table discussions on the inclusion of access to justice and the rule of law in the new post-2015 sustainable development agenda, co-authored a written submission to the Minister of International Development, and hosted a panel at a Canadian Council for International Co-operation conference. With the adoption of the new and transformative 2030 Agenda this fall, ICJC looks forward to continued work in this area.

Finally, we are in the exploratory stage of developing a multi-stakeholder process of engagement to ensure Canadian corporations respect human rights in their operations abroad.

Events Across Canada

Celebrating the Magna Carta

The year 2015 was an important one, not only for ICJC as an organization, but for jurists everywhere, as it marked the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta, which remains a revered document for its embodiment of the rule of law. Its legacy endures today, and it is often considered the foundation of modern democratic societies. ICJC members had the opportunity to attend two different events celebrating the Magna Carta.

First, members were invited to a private reception and viewing of the Magna Carta at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, QC, featuring special guests Julia Nolan, Head of Foreign Policy of the British High Commission; the Honourable Paul Crampton, Chief Justice of the Federal Court; and Nathalie des Rosiers, Dean of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. The event was attended by over 80 judges, lawyers, and members of the general public.

Second, ICJC’s Quebec chapter hosted a professional development conference, held at the Quebec Court of Appeal in Montreal, on the impact of the Magna Carta today. An impressive list of speakers dealt with topics such as women’s rights, fundamental liberties, and jury trials, tying in the historic provisions of the Magna Carta with today’s pressing issues. Presenters included Chief Justice of Quebec Nicole Duval-Hesler, Senator Serge Joyal, criminal law lawyer Jean-Claude Hébert, and President of the Quebec Human Rights Commission Jacques Frémont.

Honouring the 2015 Tarnopolsky Award Winner: Louise Arbour

On November 5th, 2015, the ICJC recognized the Honourable Louise Arbour, C.C., G.O.Q. as this year’s recipient of the Walter S. Tarnopolsky award. The award ceremony took place in the intimate setting of the judges’ conference room of the Quebec Court of Appeal in Montréal. ICJC President Errol Mendes praised Madam Arbour as being a person who needs no introduction for most Canadians, given her outstanding contributions to justice and human rights in Canada and around the world. Attendees were privileged to listen to Madam Arbour candidly share her reflections on the state of human rights today and new approaches to global challenges.

Speaker events

ICJC co-hosted several speaker events this year, working with other organizations to host captivating talks. Our special guests were:

• OSCE advisor Marwan Muhammad, on tackling Islamophobia
• Justice Richard Mosley of the Federal Court, speaking on national security
• Former diplomat Robert Fowler, relating the lessons he learned from being held captive by Al Qaeda
• Ontario Court Justice Brent Knazan and lawyer Heather Neun, presenting a report on the risks faced by human rights defenders in Colombia
• Patricia Kosseim and Daniel Caron of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, discussing the implementation of national security legislation and implications for privacy

Fundraising Dinner Featuring New York Times bestseller Bill Browder

ICJC hosted Bill Browder at a sold-out dinner event in Toronto attended by over 100 guests. His acclaimed book, “Red Notice” tells the story of his experience as an international investor in Russia, where he encountered corruption and cronyism firsthand; his lawyer was murdered for exposing corruption. Ever since, Browder has been an outspoken critic of authoritarianism in Russia, and an advocate for the rule of law and human rights. His compelling presentation was followed by a thought-provoking discussion moderated by ICJC Board member, the Hon. Ian Binnie.

Building the ICJ Canada network and ensuring sustainability

The exciting activities and events we’ve undertaken over the past year have been made possible through huge amounts of largely volunteer effort. We are focused on ensuring our organization remains active and sustainable in the long term, and are prioritizing fundraising.

We are also enthusiastic about involving the next generation of jurists in our work. We have identified representatives from law faculties across the country, and look forward to growing an engaged student network.

ICJC, along with the Human Rights Research and Education Centre, and the Centre for International Policy Studies, presents François Crépeau. His talk is entitled "Facilitating Mobility, Fostering Diversity: Lessons from the Global North’s Response to Migration Challenges".

Event Date: January 18, 2016 - 11:30am - 1pm
Location: Fauteux Hall, 57 Louis-PasteurPvt., room 147B
Free. In English and French. Registration is required. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. RSVP at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

François Crépeau is Full Professor at McGill University, where he holds the Hans & Tamar Oppenheimer Chair in Public International Law, and is Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism. He is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants (2011-2017): he has conducted official visits to Albania, Tunisia, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and Malta, and has produced thematic reports on the detention of migrants, the protection of migrants’ rights at the external borders of the European Union, climate change and migration, global migration governance, labour exploitation of migrants, and the recruitment practices of foreign labour. Guest professor at the Université catholique de Louvain (2010-2019), he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, was a Fellow 2008-2011 of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, and is an Advocatus Emeritus of the Quebec Bar Association. He has given many conferences, has published numerous articles, has written, edited or coedited ten books, and is a member of the editorial board of several learned journals.