Can Solitary Confinement in Canada Be Reformed or Abolished?
The McGill Faculty of Law is delighted to invite you to its campus for the 2022 Proulx Roundtable on听April 5, which will focus on an important and timely issue. Two leading experts will discuss their prominent reports on ongoing legal reforms to abolish or reform solitary confinement in Canada. This practice is increasingly recognized as a human rights violation and form of torture, especially if inflicted for long periods in violation of the U.N. Nelson Mandela Rules on prisoners鈥� rights. Even though the treatment of prisoners is a benchmark of human dignity, solitary confinement remains commonplace in the prisons of Canada and numerous democratic societies.
Our distinguished speakers will be听Anthony Doob, Professor Emeritus of Criminology, University of Toronto, and听Jane Sprott, Professor of Criminology, Ryerson University. Their research on solitary confinement听听from scholars, practitioners,听听听, given its profound implications for Canadian criminal justice. Professors Doob and Sprott will describe their findings on the state of solitary confinement, from immobilism to prospects for change.
The event will be on听Tuesday, April 5, 2022, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.听in the Moot Court Room at 3644 Peel Street in Montreal. Consistently with public-health regulations, attendees will need to present proof of vaccination and wear a procedural mask (available at our entrances).听Please听.
Following a long winter, this year鈥檚 Proulx Roundtable marks the beginning of spring and the return to diverse campus activities.听The Roundtable is named after the听Honourable听Michel听Proulx听(1939-2007), who devoted his life to the improvement of the criminal justice system and to the advancement of human rights in Canada. Called to the Quebec Bar in 1963, he quickly became known as one of the finest criminal lawyers nationwide. In 1989, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Quebec. In 2006, he was awarded the Prix de la Justice du Qu茅bec in light of his devotion to the improvement of justice in Quebec.听Michel听Proulx听equally taught Criminal Procedure and Evidence in Criminal Matters for over twenty years as an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law of McGill, besides supporting our international human rights programs. His commitment to the Faculty of Law was constant and devoted, providing counsel and encouragement to students, teachers, and deans. The Faculty of Law hosts the听Michel听Proulx听Roundtable Conferences in Criminal Law to honour his memory.听The McGill community is grateful to the Proulx family for making this event possible.
The event is organized and hosted by听Professor Mugambi Jouet of the McGill Faculty of Law. Please feel free to reach him at听mugambi.jouet [at] mcgill.ca听with questions about the program.
