Canadian Constitutional Law

By Lucianna Ciccocioppo / Photo by Alexandra Wong, 2L

The Asper Centre has a new Constitutional-Litigator-in-Residence for the fall 2014: Mary Eberts.

Eberts, a Toronto-based constitutional lawyer and a former faculty member of this law school, will be teaching constitutional advocacy, drawing upon her extensive experience from her public law litigation practice, and from advocating for the Charter rights of her clients. She will also provide mentoring support to clinic students on their case files.

By Alexandra Wong, 2L

What brings you to the position of Constitutional-Litigator-in-Residence at the Asper Centre?

Prof. Yasmin Dawood has co-authored, with several other academics from across Canada, an open letter to the Government of Canada about the Fair Elections Act that calls on the government to withdraw the bill. This open letter follows an earlier one co-authored by Prof. Dawood that expressed concerns about the Act and was signed by 160 professors from across Canada in various relevant disciplines. The second letter has been signed by an even larger number of professors.

‘Repercussions beyond Canada’s borders’ if the Act passes

By Sandra Bartlett

The proposed Fair Elections Act is flawed legislation that will weaken democracy in Canada.  

In a commentary in The Globe and Mail, Prof. Brenda Cossman looks at the potential consequences of the Supreme Court of Canada's decision striking down three laws relating to sex work ("What if Ottawa now criminalizes prostitution?", December 20, 2013).

Read the full commentary on The Globe and Mail website, or below.

In a commentary in The Globe and Mail, SJD student Kyle Kirkup looks at the upcoming the Supreme Court of Canada decision on Canada's prostitution laws, arguing that the court should strike down the three provisions currently restricting sex work ("With sex-work ruling, Supreme Court can be on the right side of history," December 17, 2013).

By Vito Cupoli

“Constitutional rights seem like an obscure subject for most Canadians, until their own rights are adversely affected,” said alumnus David Asper, LLM 2007. Five years later, a clear picture emerged on Nov. 8, 2013 of the influence of the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights on the definition of rights in Canada. 

Prof. David Schneiderman and second-year JD student Matthew Burns have written a commentary in the National Post looking at the potential impact of the Supreme Court of Canada's upcoming decision on the constitutional requirements to reform the Senate ("A recipe for deadlock," November 13, 2013).

Read the full commentary on the National Post website, or below.