The Durham Public Legal Education Committee (PLEC) held its annual Law Day event for grade 5 students on Thursday May 6th by Zoom. Always a popular event with local schools, this year’s virtual program was no exception. In fact, this years’ event was such a success that the committee is planning to expand the program to accommodate a greater number of participants in 2022.
Committee Co-Chair, Justice Mary Teresa Devlin, describes the Durham committee’s popular Law Day event:
Durham Hosts Virtual Law Day Event
Law Day is a national event every April that celebrates the signing of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It provides an occasion for the public to learn about the law, the legal profession and the legal institutions that form the cornerstones of Canadian democracy.
Since 2010, the Durham Public Legal Education Committee (PLEC) has organized an annual Law Day Program at the Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse in Oshawa (formerly the Durham Courthouse), for Grade 5 students. It includes a fun-filled and informative program that provides an overview of the court system, a mock trial, a Q&A with lawyers, a police officer, and judges, and a very popular game – Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
This year we offered the program virtually, due to the pandemic. Normally when the event is held in-person we can accommodate 300 students, divided into a morning and afternoon session. This year, 75 schools registered, and more than 2,000 students participated! Overall, it was a tremendous success. Our goal for 2022 is to return to the in-person format with a live-streaming option to increase participation. We also hope to offer a bilingual session.
Justice Mary Teresa Devlin