QUID NOVI
Vol 43 No 3 02 Nov 2021
NCDH 305 - 3644 Peel Montréal, Québec H2A 1X1
quid.law@mcgill.ca @quidnovi.mcgill
McGill University Faculty of Law Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RÉDACTEUR EN CHEF Christopher Ciafro ART DIRECTOR DIRECTRICE ARTISTIQUE Hanna Rioseco LAYOUT EDITOR ÉDITRICE DE MISE EN PAGE Jamey Irwin COPY EDITORS SECRÉTAIRES DE RÉDACTION Marie-Ève Ouellet Muna Tojiboeva Raina Young COLOUMNISTS CHRONIQUEURES ET CHRONIQUEUSES Preksha Mehta Gary Preteau Sofia Watt Sjöström CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE COLLABORATEURS ET COLLABORATRICES Veronica Ashenhurst, Robert Hu, Garima Karia, Dean Robert Leckey, Niamh Leonard, Emma Lodge, Cassandra Morris, Sarah Nixon, Corrine Tansowny Special thanks to Prairie Koo for designing the layout.
~ The Quid Novi is published weekly by the students of the Faculty of Law at McGill University. Production is made possible through the direct support of students. All contents copyright © 2021 Quid Novi.
Les opinions exprimées sont propres aux auteurs et ne réflètent pas nécessairement celles de l’équipe du Quid Novi. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the McGill Law Students’ Association or of McGill University. Envoyez vos commentaires ou articles avant jeudi 17h00 à quid.law@mcgill.ca. Toute contribution doit indiquer le nom de l’auteur, son année d’étude ainsi qu’un titre et un sous -titre pour l’article. Les images doivent être soumises séparément. L’article ne sera publié qu’à la discrétion du comité de rédaction, qui basera sa décision sur la politique de rédaction disponible sur notre Facebook @quidnovi.mcgill.
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QUID NOVI
CETTE SEMAINE...
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Vol 43 No 3 02 Nov 2021
INSIGHTS
COMMUNAUTÉ
7 | TEXAS’ ABORTION BAN
2 | LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 6 | CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY
9 | STEPPING UP: KYLE
3 | UN MOT DU DOYEN
Seeing the Life Behind the Law
BEACH’S BRAVERY AMIDST A SEA OF WRONGDOING Why the former Blackhawks prospect’s story can change hockey
10 | VIVANT HYBRIDE
La faculté de droit à l’ère du Zoom
In Defence of Hating Law School
4 | FROM THE GELBER
Noting Up Cases in WestlawNext Canada, WestlawEdge Canada and Lexis Advance Quicklaw
EVENTS REVOLUTION Film Screening and Panel Discussion
8 | POVERTY AND THE LAW:
EXPANDING PERSPECTIVES Online Course Offered by the Justice Sector Constellation
5 | HIPPOCRATES’ STAFF 10 | PEDALING JUSTICE Reflections from the Christie Bike Ride 11 | CANADIAN PSYCHO
A portrait of an ideal law student
12 | WRITING AWARD
PROGRAM 2021-2022 L’institut d’insolvabilité du Canada
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Vol 43 ● No 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR In Defence of Hating Law School Christopher Ciafro | 3L
If you know me, you’ve probably heard my various grievances about law school. The extreme work loads, the social pressure to constantly take on more projects when we’re already overextended, and the stuffy cultural conventions surrounding the profession combined can make law school an alienating, instead of rewarding, experience. In response to these concerns, I often receive the same piece of advice from family and friends: “just drop out!” But three years in, I’m still here. If you have ever felt the same way, you are not alone. Over the last year, many of us have come to the same conclusions about law school. The pandemic did not on its own make the institution worse, but rather worsened the cracks that were already there. Returning to school in person, many of us have struggled to readjust to a world that has been far too keen on going back to “business as usual.” If you were already questioning your belonging in law school, this has likely made your choice to stick around all the more difficult. But, if you’re reading this, you’ve likely chosen to persevere too.
QUID FAQS
If you’re on the fence about your place here, remember that you came to law school for a reason. Whether it be to serve your community or advance a particular social cause, your goals are bigger than just yourself. Find motivation in your empathy for the people you are here to serve. Never lose sight of the individual in case law, and resist the tendency of the legal profession to reduce people to theoretical abstractions. Find like-minded friends. Listen to alternative legal media (I would suggest 5-4 Pod: A Podcast About How Much the Supreme Court Sucks). On campus, around the city and online, there are communities of like-minded students and lawyers to find strength in. And remember that above all, the law is defined by the powers and peoples that know how to use it as a tool best. It’s okay to hate law school, but never lose sight of what brought you here. And never forget that these institutions belong to us: ours to use, remake, and if necessary, tear down. form of poems, articles, short stories, cartoons, announcements, lyrics, photographs, and the list goes on. Whether you want your submission to be serious, controversial, or comical – the freedom lies with you!
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What is the Quid? Do you still accept “overheards”? Founded at the Faculty of Law in 1981, the Quid Novi We do! Did you overhear something funny or bizarre is a weekly journal that is run by the students and for on campus? Did your professor say something funny the students. The Quid is meant to serve as a plat- that’s too good to keep to yourself? Do you have form and creative outlet for all law students to artic- an interesting anecdote? Share it with the Quid! ulate their ideas, comments, and opinions – legal and non-legal alike. How do I submit an article? You can send your submissions to quid.law@mcgill.ca Can I send in a submission if I’m not a columnist? by 5:00 p.m. every Thursday in order to be featured in the following week’s issue. Absolutely! The success of the Quid relies on you, the student body, sharing your thoughts. I’d strongly encourage each one of you to submit at least one piece to the Where can I find the latest Quid issue? A new issue is released every week, on Tuesday morning. Quid before you leave the Faculty. You can follow us on our Facebook page Quid Novi – Droit McGill Law to stay up to date with the latest Quid What types of submissions do you accept? One of the most unique things about the Quid is that it Novi issue or keep an eye out for the Quid in the LSA’s does not have specific criteria for the style or content of The Brief email that is sent out each week. We will also submissions. In the past, we’ve had submissions in the be launching an Instagram account in the coming weeks.
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UN MOT DU DOYEN Dean Robert Leckey
I am delighted to see the Quid Novi up and running and with some great content. As you likely know, it’s a decades-old institution. While Facebook and other media have undoubtedly come along and provided effective ways for law students to communicate with one another, I remain attached to a weekly periodical dedicated to the Faculty of Law community. * * *
de l’AÉD que le président de la Graduate Law Students’ Association continuent à rencontrer une des vice-doyennes ou moi-même, selon le cas, sur une base régulière. De plus, mes moments sans rendezvous, durant lesquels je suis à la disposition des personnes qui suivent mon cours de Family Property Law ainsi qu’à celle de tout autre membre du corps étudiant, se poursuivent de façon bimodale. Les mardis, de 12 h 15 à 12 h 45, je serai soit à l’extérieur de Old Chancellor Day Hall — jusqu’à récemment, en tout cas, j’ai pu profiter du beau temps —, soit à l’Atrium. Les jeudis, de 12 h 15 à 12 h 45, j’appellerai, sur Teams, les personnes qui inscriront préalablement leurs coordonnées sur ce document Word. Si ces moments ne vous conviennent pas, vous pourrez envoyer votre numéro de téléphone à mon adjointe, Madame Jenni Scissons (dean.law@mcgill. ca), et je vous appellerai.
J’espère que vous avez trouvé votre rythme depuis le retour aux activités en présentiel. J’ai dépoussiéré mes chaussures et mes costumes. Je ne suis plus étonné de croiser des membres de la communauté étudiante aux entrées des bâtiments ou dans l’Atrium. Ce dernier est redevenu un espace vivant, théâtre de parties de ping-pong, de récitals au piano ou même des deux simultanément. La vaste majorité de la cohorte de deuxième année a participé à l’un des dîners d’accueil que la vice-doyenne Jukier a * * * organisés avec les coprésidentes, Samar-Balkiss Benaskeur et Audrey After Thanksgiving, I took part in Poulin. J’ai assisté au Coffeehouse two panels that mirrored my main qui s’est tenu près du Monument scholarly interests in family law and George-Étienne Cartier, et je salue constitutional law. One was Threadles efforts de l’AÉD et des autres ing Equality through the Law: The associations étudiantes qui ont fait Legacy of Justice Rosalie Abella, preuve de créativité en s’adaptant presented by the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) Women Lawyers aux conditions actuelles. Forum. I was joined by Robynne Il demeure crucial que vous nous Kazina of Taylor McCaffrey LLP in communiquiez vos commentaires et, Winnipeg and the Hon. Eva Petras, le cas échéant, vos préoccupations. BCL & LLB’80, associate chief Le Ad hoc Committee on Delivery justice of the Superior Court of of Courses during COVID-19 mène Quebec. As a panellist I spoke about ses consultations; le tout petit comité Justice Abella’s contributions to the de réponse rapide, constitué de la division of matrimonial property, the vice-doyenne Jukier et du doyen-ad- courts’ review of agreements about joint Brian Peebles reste à l’écoute, spousal support, and the impact on tous les lundis; et tant la présidente unmarried couples of the equality et la vice-présidente (académique) guarantee in the Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms. I confess it was a bit daunting to speak about her work in her (virtual) presence. For her part, Justice Petras’ remarks touched on the impact in the Quebec courts of Bruker v. Marcovitz, 2007 SCC 54, [2007] 3 SCR 607. Some of you likely studied this appeal in Contractual Obligations or another course. In the context of a husband’s undertaking to grant his wife a get (Jewish divorce), the majority held that claims to religious freedom must be balanced and reconciled with countervailing rights, values, and harm, including their compatibility with Canada’s fundamental values. The other panel, Bill 96 and Language Policy, was presented by the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada and the Faculty of Law. I was honoured to moderate a discussion among Professor Pierre Foucher of the University of Ottawa; Julius Grey, BA’70, BCL’71, MA’73, of Grey Casgrain; Marion Sandilands, BCL/LLB’14, of Conway Litigation; Yves Boisvert of La Presse; and Richard Kistabish, an Algonquin from the First Nation community of Abitibiwinni and member of UNESCO’s Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages. I learned from all of them but probably most from Kistabish, who advocated forcefully for the need to recognize Indigenous languages and dedicate substantial resources to their sustenance, he contrasted his people’s presence of some 16,000 years with the four centuries of the settlers from France. I was delighted for the Faculty of Law to offer a platform for a bilingual conversation that considered issues relating to constitutional law and language in this province and elsewhere in the federation. 3
Vol 43 ● No 3
FROM THE GELBER
Noting Up Cases in WestlawNext Canada, WestlawEdge Canada and Lexis Advance Quicklaw Corrine Tansowny | Student Reference Assistant
This week’s tip from the Gelber aims to help you efficiently find related case law and ensure that you avoid the embarrassment of citing a case that has been overturned. Commonly referred to as “noting up” a case, this means searching all decisions citing a decision used in your argument. Your goal with this process is to make sure the holding of your case has not been disrupted, nuanced, expanded, or subject to a pesky dissent which could be taken up on appeal. You might be asked to do this as a summer student at a law firm, but it is also helpful as you complete research for term papers and moots. The noting up tools available through Westlaw and Quicklaw not only help you ensure the decision is still valid law, but the many filters, combined with searching through the results, also help you find interesting cases on the same issue. Let’s take a look, using two cases, Singh v Attorney General of Canada and Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v Vavilov, as examples.
QUID NOVI • 02 NOV 2021
A Note of Caution: KeyCite and QuickCITE are useful but imperfect tools. For example, the SCC decided a case a year after Singh that might have led to a different decision had it come first (Chagnon v Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec, 2018 SCC 39). Singh is not cited in Chagnon, so it does not appear in the KeyCite or QuickCITE results. Make sure you never rely on one means to ensure that your case has not been nuanced by subsequent decisions. A general search of recent decisions on parliamentary privilege reveals Chagnon. I searched “parliamentary privilege” on CanLII and filtered for results from the SCC. Chagnon appeared fourth in the results. WestlawNext Canada: KeyCite 1. To note up a case in Westlaw, type “kc:” followed by the style of cause or citation into the search bar. Using the citation is best, as it will take you directly to the note up of your case. Alternatively, click “Find and KeyCite by Name,” enter the case name and select the jurisdiction, and, in the results, click on the symbol next to the case name. It is often a flag denoting negative (red) or cautionary (yellow) treatment of the case, or, in this case, an “H” indicating that the KeyCite history is available. 4
2. Click on the tab labeled “Citing References” and then, on the left side, you can filter for different types of citing sources. For our purposes, we will click on “Cases and Decisions.” The number next to the label indicates the number of results. For this example, we only get two results, but often you will end up with an overwhelming number. For example, noting up Vavilov pulls 2,878 cases. The filters help whittle down this number. 3. Filters: a. Treatment Type: When noting up, you are concerned with negative treatment, so filter by “Distinguished in” or “Considered in a minority or dissenting opinion.” Note that cases categorized under “Considered in” will have greater discussion of the case than “Referred to.” Be aware of the “Recently added” category, as those cases have not yet been designated; you will have to check their treatment of the case manually. b. Depth of Treatment: This filter indicates how often the decision is mentioned in the citing case. It is unlikely that you will need to look closely at the cases with the lowest depth of treatment, as they mention your case only once or twice. c. Search Within Results: Use this box to search for keywords within the citing cases. All the regular Boolean connectors used by Westlaw still work in this search function. 4. Once you are reading a case, quickly move through mentions of the case cited using the green arrows next to “Search term” on the top bar. This will pick up ibids as well! 5. Don’t forget to check the History tab to ensure there is no appeal pending.
WestlawEdge: KeyCite WestlawEdge is a new version of WestlawNext. The link to access it is directly below the link to WestlawNext on the Law Library page under “Key resources.” When WestlawEdge asks for a session ID, simply put in “0.” You need to submit a library consent form to get access to WestlawEdge (the same one needed for CAIJ access). Noting up works the same on WestlawEdge as on WestlawNext except for a new feature called “KeyCite Overruling Risk.” A case is flagged with an orange triangle if it has been implicitly undermined. There is no direct citation pointing towards its invalidity, but it relies on an overruled or otherwise invalid prior decision. However, noting up Singh on WestlawEdge returns the same results as WestlawNext; this feature does not replace your own judgment and eye for nuance. Quicklaw: QuickCITE Always cross-reference the results in Quicklaw to ensure Westlaw is not missing a case. 1. To access QuickCITE, type “cit:” into the search bar followed by the citation or style of cause. Style of cause will take you directly to the QuickCITE page for the case. Scroll down to the “Citing Cases” section. Here, we find the same results for Singh as found in Westlaw.
2. On the left, you will see fewer filter options than in Westlaw. Under Citator Treatment, Negative and Cautionary treatment will be most useful. As with Westlaw, there is an option to search within the citing cases. Caution: Quicklaw awkwardly divides the QuickCITE report into parts. For Vavilov, given the number of results, there are seven parts, and you have to search/ filter each individually.
3. Quicklaw has one interesting tool Westlaw does not—you can view the results in List View or Graphical View, ideal for those who appreciate a visual.Graphical View breaks down the results by type of treatment and court, year, or jurisdiction. 4. Quicklaw does not maintain your search terms once you enter a citing case. You will have to CTRL-F for the case name. If you have any questions, please drop by the Gelber’s reference desk. There is always a Librarian or Student Reference Assistant happy to help you. We can also be reached via email at law.library@mcgill.ca.
HIPPOCRATES’ STAFF Submitted by Dean Leckey.
Veronica Ashenhurst | LLB McGill 1998–99
“But I shall let the little I have learnt go forth into the day in order that someone better than I may guess the truth, and in his work may prove and rebuke my error. At this I shall rejoice that I was yet a means whereby this truth has come to light.” —Albrecht Dürer, c. 1513* Tarnished idol, whom I sought to revere: awed by your steady surgeon’s knife, the blood and breath that you bequeathed me. Yet still I chafe under your checkered past. Once, you avowed women’s wombs moved about, or might fall out, if we ran wild. We were smaller, shriller men, you held, but procreant, and too much like the milk-filled moon. You favoured male cell lines, male mice; blithely sent us home with stopping hearts, and peeling myelin sheaths. We were, you claimed, just hurt by careless love or mired in sulk. So certain were you that this hamstrung life— dreams shipwrecked, stripped of rigging, in my depths— was trifling, girlish neurasthenia: Paxil and pure thoughts could will me back. Medicine, will you reprove your faults? I might still honour you, if I trusted your variegated history was yet a means whereby the truth could finally come to light. *The opening quotation of Introduction, Conjectures and refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge by Karl Popper (1963). 5
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Vol 43 ● No 3
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TEXAS’ ABORTION BAN Seeing the Life Behind the Law Sofia Watt Sjöström | 1L
As a law student, it can be easy to simply accept the law. To assert, “The Law says this.” To get wrapped up in the ins and outs of that doctrine, quite enthralled by this mathematical philosophy, while forgetting that these rules have implications for real human beings. We are not just philosophizing in an abstract void. The law has a human dimension, and we must not overlook it. The law that comes to mind is Texas’ effective ban on abortions. I have been thinking about it a lot. This law does not just exist as an abstract fodder for debate – its impact is real and devastating. Surely, you and I have a duty to recognize that, and to take the time to understand what it means. Let’s imagine that you are in Texas right now. You are a young woman, a university student. Maybe you are studying Law. You have to work long hours in order to pay tuition. It is hard to find time to cook and clean for yourself, let alone notice that your period did nott come last week. You are burning the candle at every end. Regardless, periods could be sporadic. The whole “monthly” bit is kind of a sham. If you are not on the pill, it is probable that your period is way more irregular and infrequent than that. So, you are not too worried when your period does not come after 4 weeks. It is kind of a relief not to have to drop by the pharmacy for period products. And it is always nice not to worry about blood on your pants. By the time you start to worry, chances are that 6 weeks have already passed. Unfortunately, so has your eligibility for an abortion in Texas. Perhaps you were especially cautious and took a pregnancy test after 5 weeks. That gives you 7 days to locate an abortion clinic and book an appointment. 7 long, busy days for a working student. And it is especially difficult when you feel you can not tell anyone about it. You imagine their judgement and it frightens you. You can not even find a clinic within driving range… You are beginning to wonder if it might just be easier to let things take their course. After the 6 weeks have elapsed, it is still possible for you to get an abortion if you leave Texas. But you do not have a car, or the money for gas, and you hate drawing attention to yourself. You are a first-year student, with no time or resources to spare, but it looks like you are going to become a mother. You can not sleep at night. You are overwhelmed with shame, fear, and uncertainty. The future has never seemed so unknown. How on earth will you cope?
If you reduce your course load, maybe you could make some more money to support yourself. But you risk losing your scholarship by going part-time. And, sooner or later, you know you will lose your job. In a few months, it will be difficult to stay on your feet all day. Sooner or later, it will be too much to deal with on your own. You know you will end up back home with your parents. Even if their judgement is palpable. Even if it feels like you are throwing your life away – your independence, your ambitions, your sense of direction. What will become of you? Maybe there is no sense in going back to school. The debt is racking up. You do not know if you can face the stigma. And what will become of the child? You only just became an adult yourself. Nobody prepared you to take this on. You are not sure you have the emotional maturity, let alone the financial means! If you were doing Law School at McGill, subsidized daycare would be available. In Texas, childcare is prohibitively expensive. Maybe you could rely on your parents, but you fear you will end up resenting them. Most likely, you will have to drop out of school… If you do keep the baby, you will be poor. Will the baby grow up resenting you for not being able to buy them new toys or clothes? Will they think you do not love them? And how will you ever afford to send them to university? If they could choose, would they prefer it if you gave them away? You will never know. You are not even sure that you can bear this pregnancy to term only to give the baby up to strangers. Will your child hate you for abandoning them? Or will they be happy, perhaps blissfully ignorant, in an adoptive home? You can not know what the circumstances of that adoption would be. You can not even know if the baby will get adopted right off the bat, or end up in foster care… What will become of them? You are torn apart by all the uncertainty. Just thinking about it makes you twist and turn until the early morning hours. You are responsible for this life now, but you only have so much control over its outcome. Every possibility is terrifying, but sooner or later, you are going to have to choose. And the choices are limited. More so than ever, in Texas, today… The issue of abortion is ultimately personal to me, as it is to many women. It grants opportunities – bodily autonomy, freedom to have sex without fear – that are automatically granted to men. I do not believe there can be true sexual equality without it. I think that disregards both the person giving birth, and the baby itself. Just because there is a heartbeat, does not mean a life is ready to be lived. Texas’ law is unjust, but not only on principle. It is unjust because it is doing, and will do, real harm. It is unjust because of its impact on human lives. 7
Vol 43 ● No 3
Poverty and the Law: Expanding Perspectives An online course offered by the Justice Sector Constellation Poverty and the Law: Expanding Perspectives is a free, interactive online module provided by the Justice Sector Constellation. The Module describes: - the context of poverty in Canada, including who is most likely to live in poverty; - the causes of poverty, including individual attributes, social connection, life stage, systemic factors and disruptive events; - the impacts of poverty, including food security, health, housing, relationship and social/ political impacts; and - how being vulnerable to poverty can contribute to vulnerability to legal issues, and how having legal issues can contribute to vulnerability to poverty. The Module will equip you to better serve your clients and communities through an understanding of the issues that arise at the intersection of poverty and the legal system. The Module includes learning outcomes, discussion questions, a Reflective Journal to encourage interaction with the Module, and a Knowledge Check. You may print out a Certificate of Completion once you have successfully passed the Knowledge Check (70% correct required). The Module takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours to read, excluding time you may spend with the Reflective Journal. QUID NOVI • 02 NOV 2021
The Module may also be used in an educational or group setting. To support those efforts, an Instructor’s Resource, found at Poverty and the Law: Expanding Perspectives - Instructor’s Resource, includes additional activities that can be used to encourage engagement with the content of the Module. Both the Module and the Instructor’s Resource are free to you, thanks to funding from the Catalyst Fund of Enough for All, Calgary’s poverty reduction strategy. For other resources and more information about the Justice Sector Constellation, please visit https://justicesectorconstellation.ca/.
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STEPPING UP: KYLE BEACH’S BRAVERY AMIDST A SEA OF WRONGDOING Why the former Blackhawks prospect’s story can change hockey Gary Preteau | 2L
The first draft of this article was very different from the one you are about to read. It was still about the Chicago Blackhawks scandal but focused on the wrongdoings of the team and National Hockey League (NHL). I tried to stay level-headed, but it did veer into a bit of angry venting about their failure to protect players and hold people accountable. I still do believe the things I wrote but have since deleted. However, considering the story’s John Doe recently identified himself, it felt silly to vent about the Blackhawks and the NHL when I had just watched one of the most courageous acts in hockey history. Instead, I wrote about that man and how important his courage can be to the game of hockey. The Blackhawks Scandal First, I want to give a brief background on the Blackhawks scandal itself. On October 26th, the law firm Jenner & Block released a report on their investigation into the alleged 2010 sexual assault of a former player (referred to as John Doe in the report) by former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich, and the Blackhawks’ lackluster response to the alleged incident. A few key takeaways from the report are the following: Aldrich leveraged his position of power against Doe in the alleged assault; the organization’s executive team chose to withhold the allegation from human resources until after the playoffs to avoid disrupting team chemistry; in the time between the executive learning of the allegation and reporting it, Aldrich made an unwanted sexual advance on a team intern; following the assault, John Doe was harassed and called homophobic slurs by teammates; the organization allowed Aldrich to resign without investigating the allegation or reporting it to the police.1 Aldrich went on to coach at the university and high school level until he was arrested and pled guilty to criminal sexual conduct involving a minor in 2013.2 These takeaways only cover a portion of the report’s content. The full 107-page report is available on Jenner & Block’s website. I want to alert readers that it describes sexual violence and can be upsetting to read. John Doe becomes Kyle Beach On October 27th, Kyle Beach appeared on TSN’s SportsCentre and told a national television audience that he was the report’s John Doe and that he had been assaulted by Aldrich. Over the course of 26 minutes, Beach discussed his experience with the team after the assault, the actions he’d like to see from the league. No summation can do justice to his words, so I encourage you to watch it in full. It is available on TSN.ca.
To say Beach’s statement is courageous is to undersell it. It is undeniable that there is stigma around a man admitting to being sexually assaulted. Despite at least 1 in 6 men being victims of sexual abuse or assault,3 harmful rhetoric about male victims persists. Myths about men being unable to be sexually assaulted, that it’s less harmful for men, or that male victims are “less of a man” still linger. Having grown up playing and loving hockey, I know that the hockey world is not an easy place to be vulnerable. Perceived weakness is open to mocking on and off the ice from opponents, teammates, and parents. Homophobia, racism, and sexism are all tools I’ve heard used to get into another player’s head. I can’t imagine players become more polite at higher levels of hockey, where thousands of dollars and the pursuit of a dream are on the line. Fans can be even crueler, as to some, buying a ticket is carte blanche to say whatever you choose. For example, a fan recently taunted Columbus Blue Jacket goaltender Elvis Merzlikins about the July death of his friend and Blue Jackets teammate Matiss Kivlenieks.4 Despite so many reasons to remain anonymous, Beach showed up. In doing so, he becomes an example for men and the sport of hockey to follow. The idea that men can’t be victims or are “less of a man” if victimized seems even more asinine when you see the 6’3 forward who plays a physical game that meets any standard of toughness, sharing his story. His experience also exposes how the power dynamic in a coach-athlete relationship is ripe for exploitation and abuse. Despite being cynical about the NHL doing the right thing, I do have hope this spotlight will help fix the broken system exposed by the Jenner & Block report. The massive spotlight on this dynamic should cause hockey organizations of all levels to investigate and improve the existing tools for protecting players and reporting malfeasance. This also serves as a reminder that hockey players, and all pro athletes and public figures, are still people like you and me. When talking about players and their performance, it’s easy to forget that a human being is on the receiving end of this commentary. Knowing his story, the frequent labelling of Beach, the 11th selection in the 2008 draft, as a “draft bust” feels especially cruel. The Chicago Blackhawks scandal now has a face in Kyle Beach. The NHL and the Blackhawks are accountable to a human being
1 https://jenner.com/system/assets/assets/11549/original/Report%20to%20the%20
3 https://1in6.org/get-information/the-1-in-6-statistic/
Chicago%20Blackhawks%20Hockey%20Team%20-%20October%202021.pdf
4 https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/blue-jackets-elviz-merzlikins-says-a-stars-fan-
2 Ibid.
taunted-him-about-matiss-kivlenieks-death-before-game/
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Vol 43 ● No 3 that we can see and hear instead of an anonymous name in a report. By speaking out against his abuser and those who enable the abuse, Beach is also providing inspiration and courage for others to do the same, which will help weed out the abusers in this game loved by so many. Kyle Beach will go down in hockey history as a man, who through his bravery to speak despite all the reasons to stay quiet, made hockey a safer and better place for everyone.
PEDALING JUSTICE
Reflections from the Christie Bike Ride
Emma Lodge | 3L, Garima Karia | 3L, Niamh Leonard | 3L, Sarah Nixon | 3L, Cassandra Morris| 2L
people involved in the justice and correctional system. We were lucky to have had excellent weather for a bike ride. The day started with Adjunct Professor Alexander Pless sharing Christie’s story with the crowd. Participants then set off on the 35km and 50km loops and had a great time meeting new classmates and getting to know professors outside of the classrooms. At the halfway point, the two groups came together to share lunch along the St. Lawrence river provided thanks to funding from the Alumni Student Engagement Fund. The Ride was an all-faculty affair. Organizers wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the participants, professors, alumni, volunteers and donors who helped make the day a success. See you next year for the 14th annual ride! If you are interested in helping organize next year’s ride, please reach out to cassandra.morris@mail.mcgill.ca.
VIVANT HYBRIDE La faculté de droit à l’ère du Zoom Preksha Mehta | 2L
Photo by authors
QUID NOVI • 02 NOV 2021
On September 25th, 35 students, professors, alumni and friends spent a day cycling in support of access to justice as part of the 13th annual Dugald Christie Memorial Bike Ride. We are excited and proud to have raised over $8000 for the First Peoples Justice Centre of Montréal! Dugald Christie was both an advocate for marginalized communities and an avid cyclist. He is known for having led a constitutional challenge to an imposed tax on legal services, which made legal services prohibitively costly for low-income individuals. In 2006, Christie began a crosscountry cycling trip to raise awareness for access to justice issues. He planned to ride to Ottawa to convince decision-makers of the need for justice system reform. He was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle four months into his journey. Since 2009, McGill law students have held an annual bike ride and fundraiser for access to justice right here in Montréal. In addition to raising funds for incredible organizations, one of the goals of the ride is to open the academic school year with a reminder that our legal education confers us with tremendous privilege that we must use to help those who live on the margins of our legal system. This year, participants raised funds for the The First Peoples Justice Centre of Montreal, an amazing nonprofit that helps Indigenous people navigate the justice system — or avoid it altogether. The Centre offers culturally-appropriate services, guidance, and accompaniment to Indigenous 10
« Vas-tu aller à la classe de propriété demain ? », c’est la question que je pose à mon ami depuis quelques semaines. « Ça dépend si ça va être en ligne ou en personne », me répond-il. C’est la nouvelle réalité d’une étudiante de deuxième année. Prendre des décisions et naviguer dans le monde de l’apprentissage hybride. Assister au cours en ligne ? Assister au cours en personne ? Y aura-t-il un enregistrement ? Est-ce que je vais me donner la peine de regarder l’enregistrement dans plusieurs mois lorsque je vais étudier pour un examen ? « Cette année, ce n’est pas une année comme les autres », je suis sûre que tout le monde a dit cette phrase ou l’a entendue de quelqu’un d’autre au moins une fois cette année. Cette année a des implications différentes pour chacun d’entre nous, pour certains, comme les étudiants de dernière année, cela signifie avoir l’occasion de voir des camarades de classe pour la première fois en deux ans. J’ai récemment eu une réunion socialement distante avec des étudiants de dernière année qui ont mentionné à quel point il était agréable et étrange de voir des personnes de leur cohorte après les avoir vus à travers de petits écrans pendant un peu plus d’un an. Pour les 1Ls, c’est le début de leur carrière juridique dans des circonstances atténuantes, essayant de se faire des amis tout en n’étant pas totalement capable d’interagir avec eux sans masque et librement. En tant qu’étudiant de deuxième année qui a effectué sa première année entièrement en ligne, j’envie un peu leur capacité à avoir une sorte d’interaction sociale avec leurs pairs et à participer à des activités extrascolaires en personne. Pour les étudiants de deuxième année, cette année ressemble à un pari. Nous sommes nerveux à l’idée que, d’une manière ou
d’une autre, notre expérience limitée en personne nous sera enlevée, et que tout cela reviendra en ligne et que nous retournerons à l’école de droit Zoom. La seule chose que nous avons tous en commun est l’avalanche de courriels du MRO et de l’administration nous informant des circonstances en constante évolution. Je suis sûre que beaucoup d’entre nous ont l’impression d’avoir une relation avec Fabrice Labeau; c’est un peu effrayant (bien qu’un peu paisible) lorsque je n’ai pas de nouvelles d’eux. Un autre aspect est l’incertitude; chacun ressent un degré variable de peur et de stress en sachant que tout à l’école peut changer et change constamment. Récemment, il y a eu des rumeurs d’épidémie à la faculté. Personne n’a été en mesure de dire avec certitude si c’était vrai ou s’il s’agissait de quelques cas exagérés. De telles nouvelles ont cependant eu le même résultat que les courriels du MRO : des réponses vagues et la création d’une plus grande incertitude. De nombreux professeurs ne savent pas comment procéder; eux aussi essaient de s’adapter aux nouvelles méthodes d’enseignement et de prendre des décisions en tenant compte des actions de leurs collègues. Dispensent-ils leurs cours en personne ? Mettent-ils des enregistrements à la disposition des étudiants qui ne peuvent pas se rendre en classe ? La présence doitelle être obligatoire ? Comment doiventils évaluer la composante participation de leurs cours ? Toutes ces questions reçoivent des réponses différentes au sein du corps enseignant. L’absence de consensus met de nombreuses personnes sur la corde raide et rend encore plus nécessaire l’attention portée aux courriels du MRO. Dans l’ensemble, la vie hybride est un défi, elle est déroutante et, espérons-le, ce n’est pas une situation que nous aurons à gérer pendant longtemps. Il est important de considérer que, d’une manière ou d’une autre, nous sommes vraiment tous dans le même bateau (c’est ringard, je sais), et que nous devons maintenir une certaine dose d’empathie et de compréhension pour nos pairs et nos professeurs. En attendant, profitons des quelques occasions d’interactions en personne, en espérant qu’elles continueront à augmenter dans les mois à venir.
CANADIAN PSYCHO A Portrait of an Ideal Law Student Robert Hu | 2L
“My name is Patrick Bateman, pronouns he/him. I’m a 1L student at the McGill University Faculty of Law. In the morning, I wake up at 4:00 AM—an hour before my alarm—to begin my daily routine. I start the day with a light workout, focusing on core strength. I can do well over a thousand stomach crunches now. I then plunge into my class readings for the next two hours. My goal is to do at least 400 pages. After my morning study session, I eat a vegan, organic, and carb-free breakfast and drink a large cup of black coffee. I do not think I have consumed a single carbohydrate since 2011. Before leaving for school, I put on my three-piece suit with McGill’s tie (I always wear a suit to class). I exit my Mile End apartment at 7:15 AM and sprint towards Chancellor Day Hall (as daily cardio). I try to make it within ten minutes as I like to arrive at least an hour before classes start. As I climb up the hill on Peel Street at astounding speed, I revise the blurbs I have written for my 1L Class President and Faculty Council election campaigns. Once in the Atrium, I spend thirty minutes looking up 1L summer student positions on MyFuture and browsing Facebook for upcoming law firm mixers. I then read today’s print edition of the Globe & Mail and the Economist to keep up with international affairs. Classes start at 8:30 AM, so I enter the classroom at 8:20 AM. I always aim for the front row seats. In those ten minutes, I revise the impeccable verbatim notes I have taken in the previous class. The professor arrives. “Good morning everyone”, she says. I note that down. In Indigenous Legal Traditions, I regularly interrupt the professor to make comments on how legal education should be decolonized and indigenized. I’m happy she agrees with me every time. Constitutional Law is my favourite, though. To intellectually challenge myself, I often raise my hand in class to play devil’s advocate. Last class, I initiated a debate on the role of pre-Confed-
eration constitutional conventions within Canada’s constitutional ecosystem. Not to brag, but the prof was very impressed by my knowledge of Peter Hogg’s work. Immediately after class, I make sure to stay back half an hour for hallway chats with the prof—you can explore the material so much deeper during these discussions. I then go to the Atrium to eat my carb-free vegan lunch, meticulously prepared the day before.At 1:05 PM, I head to the law library, speed-climbing the stairs to the fifth floor. I then spend the next three hours doing my readings and listening to today’s class recordings to make sure I haven’t missed anything. After this study session, I usually attend a law journal meeting or a corporate law networking event to learn more about mergers and acquisitions from the esteemed senior partners. Last week was Norton Ladner Elliott LLP mixer. At 7:15 PM, I sprint back home, but not before stopping at the gym for a two-hour workout session. At home, I take an efficient two-minute shower and begin a twelvestep Korean skin care routine. I always do a final three-hour study session before bed for the next two weeks’ readings. I do not eat dinner, as digestion can affect my concentration. I fall asleep at midnight, dreaming about my future endeavours. There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of an abstraction. But there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory.Although I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand a feel flesh gripping yours at Big Law mixers, and even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable, I simply am not there. 11
Vol 43 ● No 3 Panel des juges
Concours 2021-2022 de rédaction pour les étudiants en droit Un concours pour les étudiants à temps plein de premier cycle des facultés de droit du Canada Le concours de rédaction pour les
étudiants en droit de l’IIC permet aux étudiants de premier cycle de différentes facultés de droit d’explorer et de découvrir les multiples facettes de l’insolvabilité et de la restructuration d’entreprises par la recherche et la rédaction.
L’institut d’insolvabilité du Canada L’IIC est le principal organisme d’insolvabilité du secteur privé au Canada. L’Institut est un organisme sans but lucratif qui se consacre à la reconnaissance et à la promotion de l’excellence et du leadership éclairé dans le domaine des politiques et des pratiques d’insolvabilité et de restructuration commerciales au Canada. Les membres les plus anciens et expérimentés du milieu canadien de l’insolvabilité font partie de l’Institut. Le nombre de membres se limite à 135 praticiens en insolvabilité (syndics, avocats et professionnels de la restructuration), auxquels se joignent des représentants d’organismes de réglementation et de compensation, des institutions financières majeures ainsi que des membres influents du milieu universitaire.
Lauréates et lauréats de 2020-2021
PRÉSIDENT SHAYNE KUKULOWICZ Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Toronto, ON
Membres
JEFFREY LEE MLT Aikins Saskatoon, SK
MICHEL MARLEAU Ernst & Young Inc. Montreal, QC
18e anniversaire du concours de rédaction de l’IIC pour les étudiants en droit Notre programme 2021-2022 marque la 18e année du concours de rédaction de l’IIC pour les étudiants en droit. Il a été conçu pour appuyer les études universitaires et récompenser les étudiants en insolvabilité et restructuration commerciales. Ce programme offre aux étudiants de premier cycle la possibilité de faire de la recherche sur des sujets liés à l’insolvabilité et de formuler des propositions susceptibles de générer des réformes auprès des communautés juridiques et d’affaires auxquelles ils sont sur le point de s’intégrer.
Admissibilité • Ce concours est ouvert à tous les étudiants de 1er cycle inscrits à temps plein à un programme de droit dans une université canadienne. Les inscriptions peuvent être soumises en français ou en anglais.
Maria Belykh, Western University , sera reconnue et honorée pour son travail lors de l’assemblée générale annuelle de l’IIC de 2021 et invitée à la conférence annuelle nationale à Kelowna, C.-B. du 8 au 11 septembre 2022.
• Chaque étudiant a droit à une seule inscription. Il n’y a pas de limite au nombre d’inscriptions qui peuvent être soumises par une université, mais chaque composition doit comporter la signature d’un membre de la faculté de droit. • Chaque composition doit comporter au plus 3 000 mots (sans compter les notes de bas de page) et être dactylographiée. Les compositions peuvent être coécrites.
Troisième prix, 2 500 $ :
• La composition doit porter sur la restructuration dans un contexte d’insolvabilité.
DAVID BISH Torys LLP Toronto, ON
Deuxième prix, 5 000 $ :
Kristen Robertson, Queen’s University, pour son travail intitulé : « It’s All in the Effect: The AntiDeprivation Rule Post-Chandos Construction »
• Les compositions doivent être soumises électroniquement à la directrice exécutive à l’adresse de courriel indiquée sur le formulaire d’inscription, au plus tard à la date limite.
QUID NOVI • 02 NOV 2021
Premier prix, 7 500 $ :
LANCE WILLIAMS McCarthy Tétrault LLP Vancouver, BC
Candace Formosa, Thomson River’s University, pour son travail intitule : « Dampening the Effect of Redwater through a Reverse Vesting Order » JENNIFER STAM Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Toronto, ON
Prix de 2021-2022
Les premier, deuxième et troisième prix seront respectivement de 7 500 $, 5 000 $ et 2 500 $. Les rédactions peuvent également être sélectionnées pour publication dans le Journal of the Insolvency Institute of Canada, avec les articles soumis par des experts du domaine. Le premier prix sera remis à la lauréate ou au lauréat lors de la conférence annuelle de l’IIC qui se tiendra du 8 au 11 septembre 2022 au Grand Okanagan Resort à Kelowna, en Colombie-Britannique. La lauréate ou le lauréat du premier prix, ainsi que le responsable de la faculté seront les invités de l’IIC à la conférence, qui prendra en charge leurs droits d’inscription (y compris l’hébergement). Leurs frais de déplacement seront remboursés. Dans l’éventualité où des coauteurs se méritent la première place, la répartition du prix et du remboursement des frais de voyage sera à l’entière discrétion des lauréates et lauréats. Tous les documents fournis aux membres du panel sont confidentiels et n’indiquent ni le nom de l’auteur ni son affiliation universitaire afin d’assurer l’impartialité du processus d’évaluation et de sélection du travail de rédaction gagnant.
ENVOYEZ VOTRE CANDIDATURE D’ICI AU 15 JUIN 2021 ! 1er, 2e et 3e prix de 7 500 $, 5 000 $ et 2 500 $
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CRAIG MUNRO FTI Consulting Canada Vancouver, BC
MICA ARLETTE Pricewaterhouse Coopers Canada Toronto, ON
Panel of Judges
Law Student Writing Award Program 2021-2022 A competition for full-time undergraduate students in Canadian Law Schools The IIC Law Student Writing Award Program provides
PANEL CHAIR SHAYNE KUKULOWICZ Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Toronto, ON
Members
the opportunity for undergraduate law students to explore and discover the many facets of corporate insolvency and restructuring law through the research and development of papers.
The Insolvency Institute of Canada The IIC is Canada’s premier private sector insolvency organization. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of excellence and thought leadership in commercial insolvency and restructuring policy and practice in Canada. Members of the IIC are drawn from the most senior and experienced members of the insolvency community. Membership is limited to 135 insolvency practitioners (trustees, lawyers and restructuring professionals) who are joined by representatives of regulatory and compensation bodies, major financial institutions and prominent members of the academic community.
2020-2021 Award Winners
JEFFREY LEE MLT Aikins Saskatoon, SK
MICHEL MARLEAU Ernst & Young Inc. Montreal, QC
18th Anniversary of the IIC Law Student Writing Award Program Our 2021-2022 program marks the 18h year of the IIC offering the Law Student Writing Awards, which was designed to support and reward academic scholarship in the area of corporate insolvency and restructuring. This program gives undergraduate students the opportunity to research insolvency issues and bring their proposals for reform to the attention of the business and legal community which they are about to enter.
Eligibility • The competition is open to law students in full-time undergraduate law programs at Canadian universities. Entries may be submitted in English or French. • Each student is limited to one entry. There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted from one university, but each paper must bear the endorsement of a law faculty member. • Papers must be no longer than 3,000 words (exclusive of footnotes) and must be typed. Papers may be jointly written. • Papers must be submitted electronically to the executive director at the email provided in the entry form by the deadline. • The paper must be focused on restructuring in an insolvency context.
1st Place, $7,500
Maria Belykh, Western University, will be recognized for her achievement at the 2021 IIC Annual General Meeting and will be a guest at the IIC National Annual Conference in Kelowna, BC, Sepember 8-11, 2022. “CCAA Supplier Protection: A System in Need of Reform”
DAVID BISH Torys LLP Toronto, ON
2nd Place, $5,000
Kristen Robertson, Queen’s University “It’s All in the Effect: The AntiDeprivation Rule Post-Chandos Construction”
LANCE WILLIAMS McCarthy Tétrault LLP Vancouver, BC
3rd Place, $2,500
Candace Formosa, Thomson River’s University “Dampening the Effect of Redwater through a Reverse Vesting Order” JENNIFER STAM Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Toronto, ON
2021-2022 Awards
First, second and third prizes of $7,500, $5,000 and $2,500 will be awarded. Papers may also be selected for publication in the Journal of the Insolvency Institute of Canada, alongside submissions from the leading experts in the field. The prize for the first-place winner will be presented at the IIC’s annual conference being held September 8 –11, 2022 at the Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna, BC. Both the first place winner and their faculty sponsor will be invited guests of the IIC at the conference, with complimentary conference registration (including accommodations). Travel costs will be reimbursed. If a co-authored paper is selected for first place, the division of the prize and the reimbursed travel costs will be entirely at the discretion of the winners. All papers provided to the Judges are confidential and do not include the author’s name or university affiliation to ensure impartiality during the judging and winning paper selection process.
APPLY BY JUNE 15TH, 2022! 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes of $7,500, $5,000 & $2,500
CRAIG MUNRO FTI Consulting Canada Vancouver, BC
MICA ARLETTE Pricewaterhouse Coopers Canada Toronto, ON
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QUID NOVI • 02 NOV 2021
Vol 43 ● No 3
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