Superior Court of Québec: Divisional Meeting (Montréal) - Summer 2022

Overview

This meeting allowed the participants to explore a broad range of subjects relevant to the performance of their duties. Some of the topics were intended for all judges of the Court, while others were specifically aimed at judges sitting in civil matters or judges sitting in criminal matters. 

Objectives

Throughout the one and a half-day training session, which featured various learning methods (lectures, clicker questions, small group discussions), participants acquired not only new knowledge of various subjects but also new competencies and tools they can apply in their daily practice. They were also made aware of the social context surrounding some of these subjects.

Summary

This divisional meeting focused on the three dimensions of judicial training, namely acquiring knowledge, developing skills and competencies, and gaining awareness of the social context surrounding various law and justice issues. The first day featured concurrent sessions. Judges hearing civil cases thus attended sessions on the Act to amend the Civil Code, the Code of Civil Procedure, the Public Curator Act and various provisions as regards the protection of persons, the designation of a lawyer for examinations in domestic violence contexts, and treatment authorizations. In addition, short modules addressed today’s intimate relationship models, tri-parenting and tri-parenthood, and the new lexicon of genders, identities and sexualities. Judges hearing criminal cases examined systemic racism and criminal justice, the use of written statements during examinations and cross-examinations, virtual hearings in criminal matters, and the situation in Ukraine in light of international criminal law. The following day, all the judges attended sessions on sexual diversity, inclusive writing and Indigenous realities.