Justice and a Common Future in a Divided World
How can rule of law, access to justice and good governance contribute to sustainable development in Canada and our world, in the face of rising intolerance and populism?
The Conference
The Gonthier Memorial Lecture Series was initiated to celebrate and honour the legacy of Supreme Court Justice Charles D. Gonthier, recognizing the importance of his work for several generations of Canadian and international jurists in promoting responsibility, sustainability and justice. Internationally renowned speakers, selected by a committee of experts, are invited to provide a distinguished lecture every two years, highlighting matters of international, civil and constitutional law related to justice and sustainable development.
The theme of the 2017 lecture is "Justice and a Common Future in a Divided World" and considers 鈥淗ow can rule of law, access to justice and good governance contribute to sustainable development in Canada and our world, in the face of rising Intolerance and populism.鈥澛� This biennial year, we have the pleasure of welcoming Ms. Irene Khan, Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), and the Hon Justice Guy Canivet, former President of the Cour de Cassation of France, Vice-Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission, and former member of the French Constitutional Court of France.
The opening address will be given by the Honourable Nicole Duval Hesler, Chief Justice, Quebec Court of Appeal. The closing remarks will be provided by the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice, Government of Canada.
For registration and tickets, visit our .
The event will be preceded by "International Justice and Sustainable Development: A Symposium and Book Launch."
About the Speakers:
Irene Khan is an extremely distinguished international jurist, and the Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO). The first woman to ever hold this office, she was elected by Member Parties on November 17, 2011. Ms. Khan was born in Bangladesh, and she studied law at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School. She is an international thought leader on human rights, gender and social justice issues. She served as Secretary General of Amnesty International from 2001 - 2009. Prior to this, she served the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 21 years from its headquarters and various field operations. She was a Visiting Professor at the State University of New York Law School (Buffalo) in 2011, and sits on the boards of several international human rights and development organizations. She is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and prestigious awards, including the City of Sydney Peace Prize in 2006 for her work to end violence against women and girls. Her book, The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights, has been translated into seven languages.
Guy Canivet est vice-pr茅sident de la Commission d'茅thique du CIO, ancien membre de la Cour constitutionnelle fran莽aise et pr茅sident de la Cour de cassation fran莽aise. Le juge Canivet a une longue et distingu茅e carri猫re en droit en tant que juriste, professeur et 茅rudit. Le juge Canivet a d茅but茅 sa carri猫re en tant qu'auditeur de justice, devenant plus tard juge d'instruction et a acquis, tout au long de sa carri猫re, une vaste exp茅rience de la promotion de la justice et du d茅veloppement du droit. Le juge Canivet a jou茅 un r么le cl茅 en exprimant l'importance du devoir, de l'ind茅pendance judiciaire et de l'茅galit茅, d'abord, comme membre de la Cour d'appel, puis comme Premier Pr茅sident de la Cour d'appel et, plus tard, comme Premier Pr茅sident de la Cour de cassation. Il est professeur 脿 l 'Universit茅 Paris V - Ren茅 Descartes et 脿 la Sorbonne et vice-pr茅sident du Comit茅 d'茅thique du CIO. Aujourd鈥檋ui, et comme il l'a fait tout au long de sa carri猫re, le juge Canivet continue de jouer un r么le important dans l'茅largissement de l'茅galit茅 et de la justice, tant dans la magistrature fran莽aise que sur la sc猫ne internationale.
Additional information
The event will be preceded, from 5pm to 6:30pm, by a Welcome Reception hosted by leading Canadian law faculties, firms and associations. The Welcome Reception is included in the Memorial Lecture registration fee. The Memorial Lecture will be immediately followed by a Banquet Dinner at the McGill Faculty Club, for which are available. All proceeds will go to support the Hon Justice CD Gonthier Endowment, and charitable tax receipts will be provided for Banquet Dinner registrants and sponsors.
If you cannot participate in the Lecture or Banquet this year, please consider sponsoring a table or a leading law student to benefit from the events in memory of Judge Gonthier鈥檚 work, or making a donation to the Gonthier Memorial Lecture. Charitable tax receipts will be provided to all donors.
Deepest gratitude is due to ILA Canada, Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, Canadian Environmental Law Association, the Centre for International Governance Innovation, the Philippe Kirsch Institute, key collaborators in this event.聽聽