“Topical, current, informative”
“I’m already thinking about what I’m going to use to breathe life into my classroom.”
“I learned about a number of resources that I had not known, that I plan to incorporate in my classes.”
Teachers from as far away as Windsor in the south and Dryden in the north met in Toronto for the Summer Law Institute on August 27 and 28. The two-day conference brought educators together with legal professionals and academics to learn about a range of issues currently facing the justice system. Topics included:
- Digital Privacy,
- 2SLGBTQI+ Issues and the Law,
- Education Advocacy at the Toronto North West Justice Centre,
- The Gladue Court and Indigenous Learning Centre: Tour and Discussion,
- Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID),
- In Conversation with Nader Hasan,
- The Top Five Cases of 2023,
- and a preview of new resources from OJEN and Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust, (CCLET).
In addition to attending workshop sessions, teachers received new classroom resources, participated in an educator’s roundtable discussion and celebrated the 2024 recipient of the Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award.
Although participants gave positive feedback on all of the sessions, the one that was almost unanimously cited as a favourite was, “In Conversation with Nader Hasan: His Life, His Career and the Umar Zameer Trial”. Mr. Hasan, a lawyer from Stockwoods LLP, spoke about the role of a defence lawyer and discussed his recent case defending Umar Zameer against first degree-murder charges. His candid responses to questions from both the moderator and audience provided participants with valuable insights into the criminal justice system, drawn from his extensive years of practice.
Thanks to McCarthy Tétrault for sponsoring lunch on Tuesday!