Skip to menu Skip to main content
Show search field
fr
  1. Home
  2. What We Do
  3. Professional Development
  4. Programs

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.

Tags

Tags
Programs (542)
  • 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
  • December 4 2023 - December 4 2023

    Superior Court of Québec: Division of Family Property - Family Patrimony

    This family-law program dealt exclusively wQuebeith family patrimony. The course began by reviewing the origins of the family patrimony and the basic principles that govern it. The instructor then discussed its composition, deductions, and how to determine its net value. The family patrimony was then examined from a case management perspective. The day ended with a practical exercise in calculating and partitioning the family patrimony, enabling participants to apply what they had learned.

    View more - Superior Court of Québec: Division of Family Property - Family Patrimony
  • November 29 2023 - December 1 2023

    Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Education Seminar

    Led by experienced judges and legal academics, this program used a combination of lectures, discussion, and interactive elements. Sessions included a "primer" on hearsay including a review of the traditional exceptions and the “principled approach” for admissibility; an interactive discussion on issues arising in domestic contracts; a session on estate litigation including how estate law intersects with family law; and practical sessions designed to increase judicial skills in managing jury trials and conducting bail review hearings. The program also included a presentation on the intersection of coercive control and human trafficking, in which participants heard from a survivor, a representative of law enforcement and academic faculty.

    View more - Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Education Seminar
  • November 29 2023 - December 1 2023

    Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Education Seminar

    Led by experienced judges and legal academics, this program used a combination of lectures, discussion, and interactive elements. Sessions included a "primer" on hearsay including a review of the traditional exceptions and the “principled approach” for admissibility; an interactive discussion on issues arising in domestic contracts; a session on estate litigation including how estate law intersects with family law; and practical sessions designed to increase judicial skills in managing jury trials and conducting bail review hearings. The program also included a presentation on the intersection of coercive control and human trafficking, in which participants heard from a survivor, a representative of law enforcement and academic faculty.

    View more - Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Education 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 23 2023 - November 23 2023

    WRITING REASONS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

    An inquiry into the history of sexual assault cases in the Canadian criminal justice system points to a system wrought with biases, stereotypes and prejudices. Only in the last few decades did the law begin to swiftly progress. Because of this progression, courts across Canada have identified many stereotypes that live in the minds of decision-makers, including judges and juries, which are now prohibited from relying on when making decisions. As the law has developed protections against stereotypes, the social climate has adjusted so that blatant and common stereotypes are less and less common. CIAJ has been teaching Judgment Writing for 40 years now (a four day functionally bilingual seminar for judges who wish to improve their understanding of the principles of effective judgment writing and their ability to put them into practice). Throughout the years various challenges have arisen in the courtrooms. The assessment of credibility in sexual assault cases is one that is often stated as one of the most difficult one to tackle. Given CIAJ and its experts’ vast experience in judgment writing, CIAJ has decided to develop a one-day seminar to address this particular issue. The program, intended for judges, includes plenary sessions, small-group workshops and time devoted to drafting reasons. 6 Members of the judiciary will benefit from this seminar by learning and improving their writing skills when writing such reasons. They will receive expert feedback from the speakers and the experienced judges working with us. This seminar is conceived by CIAJ faculty to help judges improve their writing skills and their reasons in complex cases. After the first iteration of the program, the curriculum will be evaluated to improve it and make it accurate to today’s judicial needs and changes.

    View more - WRITING REASONS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
  • November 21 2023 - November 22 2023

    SYMPOSIUM ON INDIGENOUS COURTS

    Further to its 45th Annual Conference on Indigenous Peoples and the Law, CIAJ continues to explore the current state and future of self-governance strategy for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Through this symposium held in person in Ottawa and online from November 21 to 22, 2023, we aim to pursue our research on how Indigenous communities design their own legal institutions to create a justice system that reflects their values. We hope that this first edition of the Symposium will be followed by many more. Such an annual event would provide the space for dialogue and exchange among actors of the legal system.

    View more - SYMPOSIUM ON INDIGENOUS COURTS