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Training that never stops

For the sake of transparency, since 2018, the Council annually publishes a list of courses and seminars available during the previous fiscal year. The following is a list of courses, seminars and other learning activities attended by federally appointed judges to continue their learning and enhance their knowledge.

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Programs (41)
  • March 12 2024 - April 18 2024

    Northern Courts Education Seminar

    Led by experienced judges and leading academics, this seminar used a combination of lectures, discussions and an off-site visit as means for judges to increase knowledge in substantive criminal and family law matters, to enhance judgment writing skills, and to explore and learn more about the social context of northern indigenous communities. Participants were provided with an in depth overview of recent developments in Canadian law on sexual offences, including the law related to third party records applications and records in the possession of the accused; other sessions examined the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and the challenges associated with electronic evidence in court, and social media evidence in particular. Judges were provided guidance about crafting concise, sufficient, and accessible reasons, and a multi-disciplinary panel guided participants through the multiple normative orders of the Canadian legal landscape, with specific reference to Indigenous legal orders in the northern territories. The seminar concluded with a visit to a local wellness camp for a session led by local Indigenous elders.

    View more - Northern Courts Education Seminar
  • December 6 2023 - December 8 2023

    Judicial Faculty Development Seminar

    This course focused on challenges and opportunities for judicial education in the aftermath of the pandemic and considering the realities faced by today's judiciary. Through a mix of presentations, practical problems and interactive exercises, participants learned about: best practices in adult education and experiential learning as they apply to the judiciary; overarching objectives judicial education should pursue in light of current judicial needs; the integration of digital resources and blended learning techniques into educational programming; judicial education relating to Indigenous laws and legal orders; and pedagogical tips and tricks to ensure that judges get the most out of in person education. Throughout the program, participants were given the opportunity to discuss and apply what they learned in small group workshops.

    View more - Judicial Faculty Development Seminar
  • November 28 2023 - November 30 2023

    Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan Education Seminar

    Drawing on the expertise of experienced judges, academics, and other professionals, this seminar considered issues relating to judicial wellness and intimate partner violence, with a focus on family violence and how it impacts children. Experienced academics, a judge and a probation officer shared best practices around the use of pre-sentence reports, reliance on Gladue factors and the application of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments. A legal academic discussed three emerging themes: self-government, non-discrimination, and access to justice, in an Indigenous context. The seminar concluded with a session on binding pre-trials.

    View more - Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan Education Seminar
  • November 15 2023 - November 16 2023

    Appellate Courts Seminar

    This national seminar focused on issues of substantive law, judge-craft and social context that were relevant to the work of appellate court judges. It addressed the following topics: online misinformation and the role of judges; the erosion of democratic norms internationally and the implications for judicial independence and the rule of law; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples; Indigenous governance and self-government; corporate and commercial law issues involving Indigenous peoples; the development of best practices when it comes to appellate court processes relating to chambers practice, chairing panels, and pre- and post-hearing work; a survey of notable case-law at the provincial appellate court level; and emerging issues at the Supreme Court of Canada.

    View more - Appellate Courts Seminar
  • November 15 2023 - November 16 2023

    Appellate Courts Seminar

    This national seminar focused on issues of substantive law, judge-craft and social context that were relevant to the work of appellate court judges. It addressed the following topics: online misinformation and the role of judges; the erosion of democratic norms internationally and the implications for judicial independence and the rule of law; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples; Indigenous governance and self-government; corporate and commercial law issues involving Indigenous peoples; the development of best practices when it comes to appellate court processes relating to chambers practice, chairing panels, and pre- and post-hearing work; a survey of notable case-law at the provincial appellate court level; and emerging issues at the Supreme Court of Canada.

    View more - Appellate Courts Seminar
  • November 8 2023 - November 10 2023

    British Columbia All Courts Education Seminar

    This seminar was led by experienced local, national, and international judges, academics, and researchers. The program began with a keynote address on what access to justice means for judges, and then moved to explore ways in which self-represented litigants are engaging with technology, including Artificial Intelligence, as they navigate the justice system. There was an Artificial Intelligence forecast for the judiciary, which included a demonstration and discussion of the regulation of use of AI by the courts and the legal profession. There were also sessions on use of social media by judges and the courts, and the law on the admissibility of digital evidence. The second day of the seminar focused, initially, on reconciliation and the path forward. This included an opening keynote from an Indigenous Elder with a message of unity and of the importance of meeting face-to-face to learn and take steps along the path of reconciliation. This was followed by a presentation by a panel of judges exploring the initiatives their courts have undertaken to advance reconciliation, and to offer a comparative perspective from the High Court of New Zealand on the relationship between the courts and Maori people and on the recognition of Tikanga (customary Maori law) in by courts in New Zealand. A panel of academics then explored the concept of legal pluralism and how Indigenous laws may come to be considered and recognized by the courts. The program also addressed recent cases of interest in civil, criminal and family law. The day ended with a session presented by members of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia on the ins and outs of appellate review.

    View more - British Columbia All Courts Education Seminar
  • October 23 2023 - November 3 2023

    Seminar for New Federally Appointed Judges: Joint CIAJ and NJI Spring and Fall Programs (Common Law and Civil Law)

    The seminars were led by experienced judges, with the assistance of seasoned lawyers and academics. Several learning methods—including lectures, courtroom role-playing videos, and small group discussions—were used to impart the knowledge and develop the skills judges need to perform their new duties effectively. Some of the sessions were designed for all judges, while others were specifically for common law or civil law judges, or for judges sitting on the Federal Court or Federal Court of Appeal. All participants jointly attended sessions on judicial independence, conduct and ethics, judgment writing, civility and effective communication in the courtroom, unconscious bias, strategies to ensure equal access to justice for persons with disabilities, and the relationship between the judge’s role and the social context, with particular emphasis on sexual assault law, racial discrimination, and cases involving Indigenous people. Judges from all jurisdictions also participated in sessions on family law, injunctive relief, oral judgments, judicial review of administrative actions, evidence law, civil procedure, self-represented litigants, courtroom management and case management. A series of sessions for common law judges focused on criminal law topics, from jury selection to sentencing to specific issues in sexual assault trials. Civil law judges, meanwhile, worked on issues of statutory criminal law, applications for care, and the practical aspects of being a judge. Finally, Federal Court judges attended separate sessions on the scope of the Federal Court’s jurisdiction, citizenship, immigration and refugee law, Indigenous law, and intellectual property.

    View more - Seminar for New Federally Appointed Judges: Joint CIAJ and NJI Spring and Fall Programs (Common Law and Civil Law)