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 (63)
  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • November 7 2023 - November 9 2023

    Superior Court of Justice (Ontario) Fall Education Seminar

    Led by experienced judicial faculty, and using brief lectures, panel discussions and interactive elements, this program considered a wide variety of issues related to all stages of the trial process. The three-day in-person program included a panel discussion with retired judges who provided their observations on and experiences with trial management over the course of their judicial careers. The program also provided case law updates in all areas of the court’s responsibility and a French language rights update.

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  • November 7 2023 - November 9 2023

    Superior Court of Justice (Ontario) Fall Education Seminar

    Led by experienced judicial faculty, and using brief lectures, panel discussions and interactive elements, this program considered a wide variety of issues related to all stages of the trial process. The three-day in-person program included a panel discussion with retired judges who provided their observations on and experiences with trial management over the course of their judicial careers. The program also provided case law updates in all areas of the court’s responsibility and a French language rights update.

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  • November 6 2023 - November 6 2023

    Superior Court of Justice (Ontario) Family Court Branch Heidi S. Levenson Polowin Education Seminar

    Featuring sessions combining lectures, panel discussions and interactions with participants, this one-day seminar considered the interplay between the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA) through the Cross-Over Youth Project; the interplay between An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit & Metis children, youth and families and the CYFSA; and the impact of the CYFSA on parenting orders made under the Divorce Act. It also explored a variety of practical issues related to the daily work of Family Court judges. Participants heard from leading experts and academics and experienced judges on these issues.

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  • May 18 2023 - May 19 2023

    Supreme Courts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Education Seminar

    The seminar began by exploring the phenomenon of intergenerational trauma from the standpoints of neuroscience, the experiences of Black and Indigenous Nova Scotian communities, and that of two judges. Two concurrent sessions then dealt respectively with techniques for distinguishing credible science from junk science, and with natural justice and proportionality issues. A further panel provided guidance on how to effectively conduct credibility assessments and draw inferences in criminal, family, and civil proceedings. The program continued with a presentation on judgement writing, focusing specifically on the issue-driven format and point-first writing. Concurrent sessions followed on private international law, private records in sexual assault cases, and a review of the year’s family law jurisprudence. The seminar ended with a plenary session which explored resilience and improving judicial responses to stress-laden work environment.

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