CONSTITUTIONAL ROUNDTABLE Co-sponsored by Out in Law Speakers: R. Douglas Elliott, Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Robert Keel Monday, November 28, 2011 12:30 – 2:00 Bennett Lecture Hall, Flavelle House 78 Queen’s Park Recently, gay students within Ontario's Catholic school system have encountered problems that raise legal and constitutional concerns. When students at a high school in the Dufferin-Peel school board district in Mississauga tried to start a gay-straight alliance (GSA) in their high school, their principal prohibited it. At the nearby…

Reference re. Assisted Human Reproduction Act Implications of the Supreme Court’s Decision The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in the Reference re. the Assisted Human Reproduction Act this past spring, striking down some sections and leaving others intact on constitutional grounds. What does this mean for future practice and regulation in this area? What are the regulatory implications for other areas of law that have federal and provincial impacts? What does this mean for reproductive and privacy rights…

Implications of the Supreme Court’s Decision November 4-5, 2011 Bennett Lecture Hall Faculty of Law University of Toronto 78 Queen’s Park Cres, Toronto, ON The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in the Reference re. the Assisted Human Reproduction Act this past spring, striking down some sections and leaving others intact on constitutional grounds. What does this mean for future practice and regulation in this area? What are the regulatory implications for other areas of law that have federal…

Call for Conference Papers Charter Litigation and the Use of Social Science Evidence: After thirty years what have we learned? What could we do better? University of Toronto, St. George Campus – March 23& 24, 2012 The David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights invites papers for its upcoming conference. This multi-disciplinary event will create opportunities for dialogue between social scientists, academics, students, and litigators on the use of social science evidence in Charter litigation. The Centre invites papers that stimulate…

Constitutional Roundtable presents The Canadian Judicial Appointment Process: Where Are We? Where Are We Going? Peter H. Russell, University Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto Jacob Ziegel, University of Toronto Faculty of Law 12:30 – 2:00 Thursday, September 15, 2011 Classroom A – Flavelle House 78 Queen’s Park Peter H. Russell has published widely in the fields of constitutional, aboriginal and judicial politics. Recent focus has been on minority government and constitutional conventions relating to parliamentary democracy. Recent publications include, Recognizing…

Event date: Monday, September 12, 2011, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM Location: Bennett Lecture Hall All U of T law students wishing to participate in this year's working groups must come to this information session. The possible working groups include the following: Response to Proposed Crime Bills: Students will be researching the legal issues arising from the proposed crime legislation being put forward by the federal government. Of concern are provisions relating to mandatory minimum sentences as well as…

The Asper Centre working groups aim to provide U of T students with an opportunity to conduct legal research and assist in advocacy on Canadian constitutional rights issues (often in partnership with an external organization). The Asper Centre requires all potential working groups (including existing working groups) to submit a written proposal for consideration by the Asper Centre Working Groups Selection Committee (“the Committee”). The Committee will select the most competitive proposals to form the Asper Centre Working Groups for…

Event date: Thursday, June 23, 2011, at 6:30 PM Location: Bennett Lecture Hall, Flavelle House, Faculty of Law CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVE WEBCAST

CLINICAL LEGAL EDUCATION: DAVID ASPER CENTRE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS (LAW391H1F) University of Toronto, Faculty of Law students wishing to apply for this course must email a 1-2 page statement of interest to Cheryl Milne, cheryl.milne@utoronto.ca by June 20, 2011. Please indicate the following: (a) previous upper-year courses in constitutional law or human rights law or experience that you consider to be equivalent; (b) indicators of academic, analytical and research and writing ability, which may include grades in related classes; (c)…

Event date: Tuesday, April 05, 2011, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM Location: Room FLB, Flavelle House Meet the Program Directors and find out how to apply for the Asper Clinic as well as the International Human Rights Program clinic and Downtown Legal Services for the next academic year. A light lunch will be provided.

Marlys Edwardh   Friday, April 1, 2011 4:30 p.m. (Reception to follow) Bennett Lecture Hall Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Reflecting on a distinguished career in law involving some of the most significant court cases in the country, Marlys Edwardh will address the challenges of funding important test case litigation. Her lecture caps off the afternoon’s symposium organized by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights – Funding the Charter Challenge – and will challenge us to be creative…

Event date: Friday, April 01, 2011, from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM Location: Bennet Lecture Hall, Flavelle House, Faculty of Law, Universtity of Toronto Legal experts in practice and the academy provide information and commentary on the availability of funding for some of the most significant litigation in the country. How can you obtain advanced costs? Are class actions feasible in Charter claims? What are the reasonable and ethical limits of pro bono? Does the legal aid system adequately fund…

Is Coalition Government in Britain here to stay? Professor Robert Hazell University College London   Thursday, February 3, 2011 4:00-5:30 p.m. Bennett Lecture Hall, Flavelle House, Faculty of Law   Prof Robert Hazell is Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, the UK’s leading research centre on constitutional reform. He was originally a barrister and then a senior civil servant, and still works closely with Whitehall. In 2009 he produced a report on minority Parliaments and the challenges…