On February 4, 2017, law students across Canada will unite in response to Trump's executive order banning nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries. This is the first time that Canadian law students have coordinated an effort of this magnitude.
"We currently have 36 U of T law students and alumni participating, as well as support from the library and Professors Stacey and Macklin. All 22 law schools across the country are participating, with a total of over 600 students," said Simon Gooding-Townsend, JD/Master of Public Policy Candidate 2017.
The "research-a-thon” will gather information for a legal challenge to the Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires certain refugees to be turned away at our border. The event will also raise funds for any resultant litigation pursued by the Canadian Council for Refugees.
“We are mobilizing law students across the country to guarantee that American xenophobia does not compromise refugees' right to a fair consideration of applications for asylum," explains Adil Abdulla, a first-year student at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
In less than 24 hours, the project went from a local initiative at the McGill Faculty of Law to a nationwide mobilization with simultaneous events confirmed at 22 Canadian law schools. A coordinated effort by law students from coast to coast has never previously been attempted.
“We want to come together as a united front, with a message that the next generation of lawyers will not accept laws which needlessly put already-disadvantaged individuals at further risk," says Adil.
Photo: Fibonacci Blue, Creative Commons
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Watch a CTV news story about the event
For background information, view this page: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rhRJ2uN4oLsyxL5Nx5oE0xA-kak3SgO2nbn3...
To Donate, view this Canada Helps page here.
Media Contact: Adil Abdulla / (416) 985-9901 / adil.abdulla@mail.utoronto.ca
