LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
McGill Law Deanless in Times of Trouble: Threat of Tariffs Affect Faculty
Pablo Mhanna-Sandoval | N/A L
Last week’s news of Dean Robert Leckey’s appointment to the Quebec Superior Court came to many, including the man himself, as a surprise. Don’t get me wrong: we all had some idea that our Dean would eventually be happy to trade tweed suits for judge’s robes. The timing was the unfortunate surprise, not least because of the threat of U.S. tarrifs looming over Canada. The Faculty could have benefitted from stability in its leadership in these uncertain times.
Lumber. Energy. A laundry list of consumer goods. U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic warfare—and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs—will make all of these more expensive for consumers across North America. What many of us have forgotten is these tariffs’ effects on McGill Law students. A cursory glance at the official Government of Canada’s list of affected goods shows that all U.S. judicial decisions are included, with specific mentions of SCOTUS and Delaware business law decisions. This was, of course, in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian case law.
Your eyes don’t deceive you. If the
30-day pause to tariffs announced at the time of writing this article doesn’t hold, Canadian and U.S. law students will have to read court cases that are 25% longer and more tangential. This applies retroactively, too, with both governments expected to run previous cases through A.I. to increase word count, surely out of pure spite.
There’s one small problem, however. U.S. law students don’t need to look at Canadian case law. Regrettably, the inverse cannot be said for Canadian law students. I would’ve preferred to live my life in blissful ignorance of the existence of the State of Delaware. Instead, I spent last semester reading its case law for Business Associations.
It’s times like these where Canadians look to their leaders. Members of the
CETTE SEMAINE...
McGill Law community are no different. With many students doing their groceries and SAQ runs with the intent of “Buying Canadian,” guidance from the faculty administration on how to “Study Canadian” would have been appreciated. Dean—now Justice—Leckey would have been the perfect man for the job. Judicial appointments are what they are, however.
In all sincerity, we at the Quid Novi would like to wish Justice Leckey good luck as he embarks on this new phase of his career. It’s certainly off to a strong start, with well wishes pouring in from colleagues, students, Le Devoir and the CAQ! The way things are looking, McGill Law may one day have yet another Supreme Court justice alum to invite back for finger foods and cocktails in the Waxman Common Room.
EVERYONE SHOULD VOLUNTEER WITH LEX
Sébastien Offredo | 2L
Just as I agree that everyone should contribute a piece to the Quid before graduation, I’d encourage everyone to also take the time to volunteer for a LEX Outreach Program presentation. LEX allows for McGill law students of any year to deliver presentations to high schoolers in hopes to motivate their interest in law school. I was recently able to participate in one of their presentations and received insight from their staff to learn more.
LEX describes its mission as being “designed to increase the engagement of youth belonging to communities that face systemic barriers to education and are under-represented in Canadian law schools and the legal profession.” Its presentations cover a wide range of topics, including criminal law, housing rights, and critical perspectives of the law. LEX also hosts an annual Welcome Day, coming up on April 3, where high schoolers are invited to tour the campus. Rumors have it that LEX will be hosting a Coffeehouse soon too.
I fortunately found the time to volunteer for LEX, where curriculum lead Catherine Zhang, 2L, and I delivered a presentation to high schoolers in Rosemont. While I’ve had years of experience working with children as a camp counselor, my most similar experience to LEX was the US Embassy in Nicosia’s “American Road Show” propaganda effort, where I toured Cypriot elementary schools to do presentations on American culture and how great Our Country is (was?). Hot dogs, county fairs, fireworks, etc. Fortunately, LEX provides a much more sincere message. I was excited to
present on torts as it was my favorite 1L class (thank you Professor Jodoin).
We arrived at the high school early on a chilly morning, beginning with asking the students what a “tort” is and providing examples such as defamation or battery. While some were initially shy (and one sleeping in class until his teacher woke him up), they became especially active during the group activity where they acted as plaintiffs or defendants for scenarios involving harassment and sports injuries. Students argued whether teasing a peer could be a tort or even a crime, though they conceded that they would likely be “jailed for life” if the latter were the case.
The students’ level of engagement was motivating to see. One student even cited a defamation law that she learned about from a previous LEX presentation her class received on Internet Law. It truly felt like we were giving students the perfect opportunity to openly express their interest in the law. Within an hour, we covered class action lawsuits, the thin skull rule, and more. The teacher thanked us by offering coffee from the student-run, staff-exclusive café. Afterwards, we celebrated our successful presentation by having ricedogs for lunch (expenses not covered by LEX).
The nine-person LEX team graciously provided quotes for this article. Catherine spoke on her motivations, saying that she wanted to help students learn about law school “because I had no one to ask similar questions to at their age.” In reflecting on what she’s gained so far in experience, communications lead
UNE COLLECTION D’ANECDOTES POUR RÉFLÉCHIR À
L’ACCÈS À LA JUSTICE
Heidi Zahiri | 2L
Robyn Matthews, 2L, stated that “participating in LEX has not only made me a better teacher, it has helped me remember why I came to law school in the first place: to uplift and help others.” Curriculum lead Nilüfer Yenice, LLM Candidate, added that her outreach work has fostered empathy and a deeper understanding for the Montreal community.
On her most memorable experience through LEX, co-coordinator Rachel McKenzie, 4L, shared:
I remember adjusting our criminal law presentation to accommodate a teacher’s request that the workshop help educate the students, many of whom had had negative interactions with the police, on their legal rights. One student was particularly engaged and gave me a heartfelt thanks at the end of the presentation for taking a critical approach to the law, because it was more authentic to their interactions with the legal system. I think demystifying the law is one of the most important objectives LEX tries to accomplish.
LEX is currently looking for volunteers for upcoming presentations in February and March. Knowing how great my experience was, I hope to volunteer again. As I’ll reiterate from my opener: Everyone should find the time to volunteer with LEX before receiving their degrees and luxurious job offers!
Voici une collection d’anecdotes personnelles qui font réfléchir à l’accès à la justice. Pendant que celles-ci percolent dans mon cerveau, et avant que je vous revienne avec une réflexion plus profonde sur ces anecdotes, je vous invite à penser à des évènements similaires ayant eu lieu dans votre quotidien. Que disent-ils sur l’accès à la justice? À bientôt!
1. J’occupe un emploi au Palais de justice de Montréal. Un bon jour, je me pavane au premier étage du Palais, ma carte d’accès d’employée à la main. Une dame, qui semble désorientée, m’approche. Where is the small court?, me demande-t-elle. Small Court…? Ah! La Cour des petites créances. Je lui pointe le kiosque du greffe des petites créances. Puis, je retourne vers mon bureau, à moitié amusée par cette interaction cocasse, à moitié pensante au fait que, c’est vrai que c’est pas évident de se présenter dans un établissement de dixhuit étages, quatre sous-sols et de trouver une cour au nom un peu mélangeant. C’est quoi une créance?
2. Une fin de semaine, je retourne chez mes parents en banlieue pour passer du bon temps en famille. Ma maman, une bachelière en mathématiques actuarielles, étudie pour son examen de Lois et déontologie de l’Autorité des marchés financiers. Je dois toujours lire les lois au moins trois ou quatre fois pour les comprendre, me dit-elle. Moi aussi, maman, moi aussi.
3. La justice se passe souvent ailleurs que dans les tribunaux, dit mon professeur de JICP. Le même soir, je regarde quelques épisodes de l’émission Les Justiciers à la télévision. Chaque épisode de cette émission présente deux parties vivant un conflit, souvent de nature contractuelle, qu’elles souhaitent régler. Trois avocates québécoises réputées agissent en justicières, et déterminent l’aboutissement du conflit.
La justice se passe à la télévision, me dis-je. AnneFrance Goldwater serait d’accord.
4. Je réfléchi aux analogies de mon professeur de JICP, qui compare souvent le système de justice avec le système de santé. Puis, mon médecin m’appelle pour me donner les résultats de prises de sang que j’ai effectuées en octobre 2023, il y a 16 mois.
5. En décembre, j’essaie d’aider quelqu’un qui souhaite déposer des documents à la Cour. Je découvre, lors de mes recherches, que certains documents peuvent seulement être déposés en personne au Palais de justice entre 8h30 et 16h30. Alternativement, ils peuvent être envoyés par la poste. Postes Canada est en grève. Un timbre coûte 1,75$, un avant-midi de congé, beaucoup plus.
6. À un événement de Gros Droit organisé par une firme assez réputée, je participe à une discussion avec deux avocats qui pratiquent dans des litiges d’actions collectives. Il y a tellement d’actions collectives au Québec, dit un jeune avocat. Surtout avec la Loi sur la protection du consommateur, les Québécois pensent vraiment qu’ils sont le gouvernement, renchérit-il. Je crois bien que la seule chose que François Legault et moi avons en commun, c’est notre appréciation du jus d’orange. Ce fut mon dernier évènement de Gros Droit.
BRAVING THE COLD
Law Students Take on Montreal Winter
Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee
Everyone knows exercise is great for mental health, but did you know that just stepping outside can do wonders too? Short bursts of time in nature have been shown to restore focus, improve concentration, and—bonus— drop stress hormone levels.
Over the past month, law students lay-
ered up and braved the cold for two nights of outdoor adventures. Hosted by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee, these events were part of the Movement, Mental Health, & Mount Royal (MMM) initiative, which encourages students to get moving, connect with each other, and experience the mental reset that comes from being outdoors.
The first event brought students to Beaver Lake for an evening of skating—with some participants lacing up for the very first time! The second event was a guided snowshoe walk through Mount Royal forest. Under the night sky and against the backdrop of city lights, students trekked through the snowy trails while learning about the mountain’s history. The evening wrapped up with well-earned hot chocolate, generously sponsored by ASEF.
Between readings, deadlines, and latenight study sessions, it’s easy to forget the importance of stepping away. These events were a much-needed reminder that even a short outdoor break (yes, even at -15°C) can be the perfect way to recharge. Hopefully, this inspires more students to explore Montreal’s winter—whether it’s skating, snowshoeing, or just a walk in the fresh air.
A big thank you to ASEF for their support, and stay tuned for more events from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFS
RÉDACTEURS EN CHEF
Jessica Keer Li
Pablo Mhanna-Sandoval
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
DIRECTRICE DES RÉSEAUX SOCIAUX
Faith Dehghan
ART DIRECTOR & LAYOUT EDITOR
DIRECTRICE ARTISTIQUE & ÉDITRICE DE MISE EN PAGE
Souang Wu
COPY EDITORS
SECRÉTAIRES DE RÉDACTION
Brandon Grimaldi
Despina Tritos
Paul Ye
COLUMNISTS
CHRONIQUEURES ET CHRONIQUEUSES
Sébastien Offredo
CONTRIBUTORS
CONTRIBUTEURS
Heidi Zahiri
Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee
Special thanks to Prairie Koo for designing the layout.
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