2015-2016 Working Groups
Environmental Law Working Group This group, in partnership with UTEA, (the University of Toronto Environmental Action Group), is researching and developing charter arguments targeted at government actions or inactions that exacerbate the problem of climate change. In first semester, students delved into the Charter, and tried to identify what the components of a successful claim in the environmental context would look like. Next semester, the group will be looking to take that knowledge and apply it to the most promising issues it can identify.
2014-2015 Working Groups
Bedford Working Group This group focuses on Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which the Federal Government implemented to replace the laws struck down in AG v Bedford. The Group spent their first semester collecting information, and writing legal memoranda about Bill C-36. The memoranda included a discussion of Bill C-36 in international and comparative context and an examination of the parliamentary debates surrounding the bill, as well as an examination of its actual contents. Going forward, the group is continuing to work on creating public legal education materials for use by people working on the front lines.
2013-2014 Working Groups
Refugee and Immigration Law Working Group: This group focuses on the new legislation and policies put in place that created designated countries and foreign nationals in the refugee determination system; reduced health benefits for refugee claimants; and created new barriers for citizenship. The group works with Professor Audrey Macklin and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) writing legal memoranda and exploring public education options. Building on the work that was done in previous years, this group will also be creating a data base of memoranda and case summaries of current refugee law of strategic or precedential value for CARL lawyers.
Privacy Working Group: This group investigates the ways in which Section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, protects individuals’ privacy interests associated with new and changing technologies. Of particular interest this year will be proposed lawful access legislation in addition to follow up from the work of last year’s group. The group works with Professor Lisa Austin and will also be consulting with Professor Hamish Stewart.
2012-2013 Working Groups
Refugee and Immigration Law Working Group: This group focused on the new legislation and policies put in place that created designated countries and foreign nationals in the refugee determination system; reduced health benefits for refugee claimants; and created new barriers for citizenship. The group worked with Professor Audrey Macklin and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) writing legal memoranda and exploring public education options.
Privacy Working Group: This group investigated the ways in which Section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, protects individuals’ privacy interests associated with new and changing technologies. The group worked with Professor Lisa Austin.
2011-2012 Working Groups
Response to Proposed Crime Bills: Students researched the legal issues arising from the proposed crime legislation being put forward by the federal government. Of concern were provisions relating to mandatory minimum sentences as well as detention. Faculty consultant was Kent Roach. Student leader was Arina Joanisse. Read the brief they drafted.
Asper Centre Outlook: Assisted our 3 student editors create content for the Centre’s twice yearly newsletter. Student editors were Esther Oh, Megan Strachan and Rebekah Lauks.
Equality Rights and Assisted Human Reproduction: Worked with our partner organization, LEAF (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund) to analyze the equality rights issues arising out of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act and other relevant provincial legislation. The Asper Centre also organized a conference with the Health Law Group on this issue with the help of this working group. Student leader was Tatiana Lazdins.
Bill C-4 Amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: This working group provided some background research on the impact of Bill C-4. However, before a brief could be drafted, the government withdrew this Bill and put forward Bill C-31 that eventually passed. Professor Audrey Macklin utilized the research conducted by the students in her presentation before a Senate Committee on behalf of the Asper Centre.Read a summary of their submissions.
2010-2011 Working Groups
Project G20 Working Group: The G20 summit that took place in Toronto this June resulted in the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. This significant event should not pass without considerable public dialogue and scrutiny. An Asper Centre working group allowed law students at the University of Toronto to participate in, and contribute to the discourse addressing the interaction between Charter rights and political demonstration within the specific context of the G20 arrests. Project G20 organized several workshops with guest speakers, prepared research memoranda for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and organized a provocative session for the high school conference, Global Citizens. Faculty Advisors: Professor Sujit Choudhry, Professor David Schneiderman
Working Group on International Prisoner Transfers: The International Transfer of Offenders Act (the Act), which came into force on October 29, 2004, is a modernization of the Transfer of Offenders Act, which was proclaimed in 1978. The legislated purpose of the Actis “to contribute to the administration of justice and the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community by enabling offenders to serve their sentences in the country of which they are citizens or nationals.” Bill C-5 proposes an increase in discretionary power to the Public Safety Minister to refuse to accept the return of Canadian citizens to serve their sentences in Canada. The modifications to the act, if passed, have the potential to undermine public safety and to violate the rights of Canadians under ss. 6 and 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The primary objective of a working group was to produce a brief on the issues raised by Bill C-5 that could be presented to the Public Safety Committee by the Executive director and our Faculty advisor. Faculty: Professor Audrey Macklin
Asper Centre Newsletter Group: Four students volunteered to be the editors of the Asper Centre newsletters. They published a mid-term e-newsletter and 2 end of term longer format newsletters. Students volunteering had the opportunity to comment on leading constitutional cases, conferences and workshops. This is a standing Working Group of the Asper Centre and requires volunteers each year. Faculty Support: Cheryl Milne