Time flies. It does. Time really does fly. Just like that, I’m already penning my last letter as co-EIC of the Quid Novi.
I remember writing my first article for the Quid as a 1L columnist. Weeks into law school, I participated in the Christie Bike Ride and thought it appropriate to document my experience. A few members, including Dean Leckey by email, commented to me about it in the week following. The bike ride, my first Quid article, three Skit Nites: these are some of the happy memories in this place.
The journey has been a long one, and in many ways inconclusive. But it was also marked by cherished friendships and collegiality. I have many people to thank. Thank you to co-EICs Anna McAllister and EIC Jess Keer Li. Thank you to the Quid Novi columnists, copy
A Final Word As EIC
Pablo Mhanna-Sandoval | N/A L
editors, layout editors and art directors I’ve worked with over the past two years. Thank you, of course, to the students of McGill Law for your one-off contributions and your readership.
Thank you to the Skit Nite co-directors and co-animateurs I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with over the last three years. Those were special times, and I’m honoured to have known and worked with all of you. What a privilege to have had the opportunity to laugh and make laugh as a community.
It’s on this note and a related call to action that I will leave you. It has been reported to me–by people who are on campus much more often–that some vibes at McGill Law are off. What this could mean specifically is hard to pin down. But there is, I sense, an agree-
CETTE SEMAINE...
COMMUNAUTÉ
2 | THE CLIMATE CORNER Issue 5
3 | BREAKING FASTS, BUILDING COMMUNITY
Reflections on the MLSA x WOCC Second Annual Ramadan Iftar
ment on the basic truth of this statement. While not the whole story, it seems there is a waning participation in culture and community. This manifests in a declining interest in MedLaw and Coffeehouse and yes, contributing to the Quid.
The source of this trend I have not interrogated too closely. I am convinced, however, that a widespread re-commitment to contributing to culture and community at the faculty can only benefit it. I’ve often written in these pages that law school–even in ideal circumstances–is not an easy undertaking. Part of what makes it bearable, enjoyable even, is the shared experience of the place’s culture between hardships. This is my sincere wish for the McGill Faculty of Law.
Thank you for reading. Good luck in exam season.
6 | WHAT’S IN A TORT(E)?
7 | POURQUOI VOUS DEVEZ LIRE ÁGOTA KRISTÓF
Votre langue séconde, est-elle ennemie ou amie?
4 | TO BE OR NOT TO BE AN AMERICAN: THAT IS NOT THE CANADIAN NATIONAL IDENTITY QUESTION EVENTS
5 | JOIN LENCZNER SLAGHT LLP ON CAMPUS ON APRIL 4!
Questioning “Sustainable
Development”: What are We Sustaining, Exactly?
The current era of international climate action centers the concept of “sustainable development” in approaching the climate crisis. But what does this mean in a world with an obscene addiction to consumption that demands endless growth in production? “Sustainable development” may conjure images of recycled bottles, solar farms, or a tasteful green leaf growing out of a corporate logo above a net-zero pledge; these being signs of earnest, if sluggish and wavering, steps away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies and carbon sinks. However, sustainable development is concerned with sustaining only one thing: development. It is a term designed to shelter corporate interests and their maximization of profits under a set of minimally binding constraints. Ultimately, it is uncritical of the dominant growth-oriented paradigm that produced the climate crisis.1 In this article, we (two editors on the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law) argue that the sustainable development framework hinders the meaningful and urgent action that is required to slow the climate crisis and sustain lives, ecosystems, and communities.
This particular concept of sustainability has its roots in the forestry industry where it was developed some two hundred years ago to ensure continuous yields in forests undergoing intense logging. While eventually the forestry industry grew to encompass some ecological principles, the primary aim of sustainable development was to “provide wood products in perpetuity” and ensure steady profits for logging companies. In the 1970s and 80s, a burgeoning public environmental consciousness began to threaten resource industries with stricter regulations, but corporations wasted no time in striking back. The 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment (the very first one!) was chaired by none other than former Alberta oil executive Maurice Strong,2 who advanced the idea that “there is no fundamental conflict between development and the environment”. This idea eventually crystallized into
1 Carmen Gonzalez “Racial Capitalism, Climate Change and Ecocide” (2024), Wisconsin Int’l Law Journal 479 at 503.
2 From Wikipedia: “One observer described his ‘scarcely-concealed delight in explaining his often Machiavellian political manoeuvrings.’”
the term “sustainable development”, enshrined in the 1987 Brundtland Commission as the organizing principle of international environmental action and defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.3
Sustainable development was first endorsed by the UN in 1992, and in 2015 they announced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, made up of 17 extremely ambitious and far-reaching Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”) ranging from “No Poverty” (SDG 1) to “Climate Action” (SDG 13). As of 2024, the UN’s own report says that only 17% of SDG goals have been met. Over one third of goals are “stalled or regressing” and effectively out of reach of the 2030 deadline. While several factors might explain why states are unmotivated to reach these goals, many scholars highlight the underlying ideology that centers development as a solution and soothes the anxieties of industries threatened by environmental regulation.4
The idea that sustainability is compatible with unlimited economic growth is premised on projections of future efficiency and promises of corporate responsibility at some indeterminate future date.5 As we hurtle towards the 1.5 degree threshold in the Paris Agreement, and the global poor increasingly bear the burden of climate catastrophes, corporate responsibility appears no closer to materializing. It is time to rethink sustainable development as the dominant approach to international climate action.
Sustainable development fails to address the economic inequities at the root of climate change, including the Global North’s strategic offshoring of polluting industries to “sacrifice zones” in the Global South.6 It is uncritical of the concentration of wealth which makes corporate accountability increasingly difficult, and it suppresses the need to consider industry degrowth. Paradoxically, by centering economic growth and development, industry leaders are made into heroes of the environmental movement (or, at least, the only ones with any meaningful agency), and normalizes a voluntary, opt-in approach to regulatory compliance. It affirms the dominant Western narrative that the primary purpose of nature is resource extraction, and maintains the neoliberal ideal that the wealth of Northern elites will be the last possible sacrifice made in the event of climate catastrophe – after ecosystems, communities, and human and animal life.
Yes, this is all awfully cynical and depressing coming from
3 Brundtland Commission of 1987.
4 See: Carmen Gonzalez “Racial Capitalism, Climate Change and Ecocide” (2024), Wisconsin Int’l Law Journal 479; Alook, Angele, et al. “The End of This World : Climate Justice in So-Called Canada” (2023).
5 Alook, Angele, et al. “The End of This World : Climate Justice in So-Called Canada” (2023) at 57.
6 Carmen Gonzalez “Racial Capitalism, Climate Change and Ecocide” (2024), Wisconsin Int’l Law Journal 479.
Issue 4
Adele Wechsler, Benjamin Foster | 2L
your student newspaper. We do not wish to say that endeavors under a sustainable development framework, from municipal recycling to corporate capture and trading schemes, are totally pointless. But as law students and future jurists in positions of relative power, we must recognize that climate action is largely ineffective under a sustainable development approach precisely because this framework was designed to suppress transformative action. Besides gesturing broadly towards more radical approaches like degrowth and collectivized responsibility, we can’t offer much by way of a solution in this column. We leave you with some fantastic literature that might bring us closer to reworking our approach to climate action:
INNOCENCE MCGILL’S 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Eyewitness Accounts and Wrongful Convictions
Minna Julia Buan - Innocence McGill Outreach (2025)
On March 12, Innocence McGill hosted its Annual Conference, which focused on eyewitness accounts and wrongful convictions. This event provided valuable insights from two distinguished experts, Dr. Joanna Pozzulo and Dr. Lisa Dufraimont. Dr. Pozzulo is a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University, who specializes in forensic psychology, youth witnesses and police identification procedures. Dr. Dufraimont is a professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, who specializes in evidence, criminal law and procedure. Their expertise helped shed light on the critical role of eyewitness evidence in wrongful convictions and in the broader Canadian criminal law context.
Innocence McGill souhaite remercier l’ASEF pour sa précieuse contribution, sans laquelle cet événement n’aurait pas été possible.
Merci à tous ceux qui ont participé à la conférence annuelle de cette année !
• The End of this World: Climate Justice in So-Called Canada, by Angele Alook (2023)
• Racial Capitalism, Climate Change and Ecocide, by Carmen Gonzalez (2024)
• A Planetary Green New Deal, by Julia Dehm and Usha Natarajan (2023)
BREAKING FASTS, BUILDING COMMUNITY
Reflections on the MLSA x WOCC Second Annual Ramadan Iftar
The Muslim Law Students Association and Women of Colour Collective
On March 21st, the Muslim Law Students Association and the Women of Colour Collective hosted their second annual Ramadan Iftar, bringing together students, staff, and community members for an evening of reflection, learning, and connection. With the generous support of the Alumni Student Engagement Fund and the Dean’s Discretionary Fund, attendees enjoyed a delicious Iftar meal prepared by Afghan Women’s Catering, a project of the Afghan Women’s Centre of Montreal, henna designs and sweet treats, all while gaining deeper insights into Ramadan’s significance.
Guided by discussion prompts, conversations flowed about faith, identity, community. It was a reminder that while Ramadan is a deeply personal spiritual practice, it also offers a powerful forum for communal gathering and exchange.
You may not have noticed, but your Muslim peers and colleagues have been observing the month of Ramadan, fasting from dawn to sunset, engaging in worship, and embracing reflection. This sacred month offers an opportunity to detach from the usual rhythms of life and adopt a different beat, one defined by contemplation and restraint. In a law faculty where students often feel caught in a relentless race for scarce opportunities and measurable accomplishments, Ramadan offers a reprieve. It encourages a shift in focus toward goals and values that don’t easily fit on a transcript or resume, a chance to consider the bigger picture.
The bigger picture includes community; the connections we build, the stories we share, and the spaces where we feel seen and valued. We are grateful to be part of a faculty that recognizes, facilitates and celebrates the diversity of its community. And while the sacred month has ended and Eid festivities are winding down, the spirit of Ramadan lingers.
Here’s to many more Iftars to come.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE AN AMERICAN: THAT IS NOT THE CANADIAN NATIONAL IDENTITY QUESTION
Maddie Adams Alexander| 1L
In recent weeks, I have often been thinking about American politics broadly and what various American political choices mean for Canada, more specifically. While I have had all sorts of untethered thoughts about American and Canadian politics recently, I was inspired by Professor Mugambi Jouet’s talk on American exceptionalism on campus this past Tuesday. Professor Jouet’s discussion, coupled with some conversations and readings in Professor Poirier’s constitutional law class, prompted me to consider what it actually means to be Canadian, and why the idea of Canada becoming the “51st state” seems so ridiculous to so many of us.
I think the first problem with the 51st state idea is that Canadians have very distinct regional identities, beyond their national identity. The 51st state proposal emphasizes President Trump’s profound ignorance in many ways, but the fact that his proposal would suggest the erasure of distinct provinces and territories in Canada makes his ignorance stunningly clear. I can appreciate that “make Canada the additional 13 new states” is not quite as succinct and catchy as the singular “51st state” idea, but I think it's beyond mere simplification for the sake of an easy slogan. I genuinely believe Trump conceives of Canada and Canadians as one-dimensional things; he does not care to know about our regional variances and quirks, and he certainly would not have any interest in accounting for them or respecting them in his plans to annex our country.
Even if the Trump administration could somehow easily get past the issue of Canada being composed of multiple complex regional identities with its annexation plans, I think the biggest
barrier the Trump administration would face in garnering any Canadian acceptance of their plans would be the fact that, if there is a singular, comprehensive Canadian identity, that identity would be defined as “not American”. In the words of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau back in January of this year, “One of the ways we define [ourselves] most easily is, well, we’re not American.”1
Amidst the earliest threats of annexation and the beginnings of a trade war, there was a lot of social media activity, some comedic and some more genuine, that demonstrated a clear surge in Canadian national pride. One of the more comedic aspects of this that I encountered were jokes about this being one of the only times that Quebec has felt attached to Canada and expressed Canadian pride. Despite the jokes, there has genuinely been an increased identification with Canada in Quebec recently2 .
Canada, when it is united completely, has a national identity of “not American”, more than anything else. This is a “negative” identity, in that we are defining ourselves as what we are not, rather than what exactly we are. As the Canadian national identity is defined in the negative, based only on the thing that would exclude you from the identity, the Trump administration will have an extremely difficult time attempting to impose the very thing Canadians so often attempt to make themselves distinct from
1 How does Canada self-define? “We’re not Americans,” Trudeau tells CNN | National Post. (2025). https://nationalpost.com/news/ canada/canada-not-americans-trudeau-cnn
upon them. Canadians, almost without exception, have no desire to be American.
I have many friends and family members who don’t share my political inclinations nor my values. And yet, nobody that I know personally has expressed any support for Canada being annexed by the United States and becoming the 51st state. Beyond my own anecdotal experiences, there is also some empirical data to suggest Canadians have no interest in being annexed by the United States. The Angus-Reid Institute conducted some polling earlier this year to see what Canadian attitudes toward the prospect of becoming the 51st state were. The polls indicated that 90% of Canadians were opposed to becoming the 51st state3
The beauty of the Canadian identity being “not American”, more than any other characteristic, is that it means the Canadian identity has the capacity to incorporate any and all kinds of Canadians. Our national identity does not exclude any race, any culture, any language. The only thing our national identity does not permit is the mislabeling “American”. People can be any of the many things that they are and still be Canadian. Our national identity is so inclusive that even Americans are welcome to be Canadian if they wish! We simply politely refuse to have the inverse forced upon us.
As Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau put it in 1971 in a speech to the Ukrainian Congress: “There is no such thing as a model or ideal Canadian. What could be more absurd than the concept of an ‘all-Canadian’ boy or girl? A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate. A society which eulogizes the average citizen is one which breeds mediocrity. What the world should be seeking, and what in Canada we must continue to cherish, are not concepts of uniformity but human values: compassion, love and understanding.”
3 Reid, A. (2025, March 4). Canada as 51st state? Four-in-five Americans say a merger should be up to Canadians; 90% of us say “no.” Canadian Opinion Research. https:// angusreid.org/canada-51st-state-trump/
JOIN LENCZNER SLAGHT LLP ON CAMPUS ON APRIL 4!
Anna McAllister| Alumnus
Dear Quid Readers,
When I began law school, I never imagined I would launch my career in Toronto—let alone on Bay Street. I was certain I was destined for a career in the public service, likely in Alberta, Ottawa, or perhaps even Montreal. Toronto, and particularly private practice, seemed entirely outside my plans.
Yet, to the surprise of my friends, family, and at times even myself, I have found immense fulfillment in my work at Lenczner Slaght.
How did I arrive here? As I prepared for the 2L recruit, I shared my priorities
with a trusted friend, and he suggested I consider applying to Lenczner Slaght. He spoke highly of the firm’s reputation, its rigorous student program, and its focus on litigation, advocacy, and complex problem-solving.
Admittedly, I was unfamiliar with the firm at the time (and uncertain about how to pronounce its name). However, after exploring its website and speaking with friends-of-friends who had summered or articled there, I decided to submit an application.
During the recruitment process, I was immediately drawn to the firm’s dynamic and collegial environment. It was evident
that Lenczner Slaght fosters a culture of excellence, where intellectual rigor and strategic advocacy are paramount. The firm struck a rare balance that was important to me, it was small enough to provide a sense of community and belonging, yet large enough to offer exceptional professional development opportunities. Accepting my summer position was, in hindsight, the best decision I have made since accepting my offer to McGill Law, and I am delighted to be returning for articling in August 2025.
As a recent McGill alum, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Lenczner Slaght. That said, I believe the firm would be even
stronger with more McGill alumni among its ranks.
For those interested in learning more, I encourage you to connect with Lenczner Slaght at McGill’s Toronto Career Day to gain insight into Canada’s leading litigation firm. Coffee chats should be available to book through 12Twenty, or you are more than welcome to stop and say hello during the reception.
If you are unable to attend, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out via Facebook Messenger or at anna. mcallister@mail.mcgill. ca . I would be delighted to discuss the firm, the Toronto recruit process, or the transition from our beautiful Montreal to the big city of Toronto. Wishing all the best to our beloved Faculty, as always. — Anna
WHAT’S IN A TORT(E)?
So, Skit Night showed us that there’s a bit of confusion around the faculty as to “what is a tort(e)?” Tortes being a favourite of mine, I stayed up all night racking my brain for how to properly convey the wonders of this 18th century invention to you all.
To begin, the Oxford English Dictionary defines this delicacy as “a sweet cake or tart.” The term torte comes from central Europe (or torta in Italian and Hungarian) where it means “cake.” For example, one may savour a hazelnut torte, a chocolate torte, or, when in Austria, a raspberry torte, also known as a Linzer Torte. They’re denser than cake and richer than pie. Since tortes are made with ground nuts or breadcrumbs instead of flour, it’s easy to adapt them to the dietary restrictions of your favourite Celiac or nut-allergy friend. Just don’t mix them up… and according to Martha Stewart, they pair exceptionally well with a dark cup of coffee. Perfect for cramming finals, really.
There’s tea about tortes, too. The famous sachertorte, invented by 16 year-old pastry apprentice Franz Sacher by special request from the prince of Austria, found itself at the heart of a controversial lawsuit between the Sacher
Sachertorte
□ ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil, plus more for pan
□ ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pan
□ ½ cup ground toasted walnuts, plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, for serving
Originally published by: Martha Stewart Living, April 2014 https://www.marthastewart.com/1062416/flourless-chocolate-walnut-torte
Hotel and Demel pastry shop. In 1938, the hotel sold the world-renowned “Original Sacher-Torte” when Demel began to sell the “Eduard Sacher-Torte.” The hotel sued for trademark infringement and won. The legal battle paused during World War II and resumed post war with an appeal that granted the hotel the exclusive right to call its torte “the original.” To this date, sachertortes from the Sacher Hotel in Vienna are sold with a chocolate seal of authenticity. Apparently, the icing is secretly sourced from three suppliers from two countries and is the country’s best guarded secret.
As the semester winds down and stress levels wind up to exams, you know that I will be procrastination-baking. And hey, if ever studying your own tort recipe fails, here’s a delicious version to bribe your prof with instead:
https://www.sacher.com/en/original-sacher-torte/
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment; oil parchment and dust with cocoa.
2. Melt together 1/2 cup oil and 8 ounces (1 1/3 cups) chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (bain-marie), stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar until combined. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in cocoa, vanilla, and salt; fold in ground walnuts. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is set, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely, preferably overnight. Run a knife around edge to loosen; remove from pan. Transfer cake to a serving plate.
4. Melt remaining 2 ounces (1/3 cup) chocolate and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring, until smooth. Pour over center of cake and spread to cover top. Sprinkle chopped walnuts in center. Cut into wedges; serve. (Torte can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day.)
Caroline Homet| 1L
PHOTO BY:
POURQUOI VOUS DEVEZ
LIRE
ÁGOTA KRISTÓF
Votre langue séconde, est-elle ennemie ou amie?
Le français, c’est une langue ennemie. C’est ce que témoigne Ágota Kristóf dans son grand œuvre, judicieusement intitulé, L’analphabète . Mais cet aveu paraît paradoxal lorsqu’il émane d’une pondeuse décorée de plusieurs prix de littérature française. Cette écrivaine explique que le français « a tué » sa langue maternelle, le hongrois. C’est également le cas pour les autres langues que l’auteur fréquentait, le russe et l’allemand. Kristóf les associe à son émigration forcée de Hongrie après l’occupation soviétique, un voyage marqué par la guerre, la pauvreté et surtout l’aliénation sociale. Son exil l’a conduite en Suisse où elle est devenue neuchâteloise. Cependant, malgré la promesse de sécurité, l’autrice décrit ce nouveau pays comme un « désert que les réfugiés doivent traverser pour arriver à ce qu’on appelle l’intégration, l’assimilation ». En plus de ne pas se sentir à sa place, ce qui est bien pire pour une femme de lettres aussi prolifique, Kristóf est redevenue analphabète, à l’âge mûr de 21 ans. Aussi le français est-il devenu un ennemi, car elle n’arrivait pas à le parler sans fautes ni à l'écrire sans l’aide de dictionnaires. Certes, son histoire ressemble clairement à celle des anglophones s’établissant au Québec et le cas inverse des francophones dans le reste du Canada.
Je peux compatir avec cette écrivaine après avoir eu une conversation étrange avec un jeune avocat bilingue, au début de l’année. Dès qu’il a entendu mon accent ontarien, et malgré mon aisance, il a commencé à me répondre uniquement en anglais. J’avais l’impression d’être testé, son insistance sur cet autre idiome étant un piège que je devais déjouer. Son ton condescendant n’a pas non plus arrangé la situation. Bien sûr, il ne s’agit que d’un épisode et il ne peut être utilisé comme preuve d’une attitude universelle à l’égard des apprenants de la langue d’oïl. D’un autre côté, on ne discute pas d’un incident isolé. Je me souviens d’une vidéo qui a joui d’une popularité modeste sur les médias sociaux il y a environ un an, où un homme dans une chaîne de restauration rapide s’est plaint de l’absence de services en français en réponse à l’employé, payé au salaire minimum, qui le servait avec un accent étranger notable et un vocabulaire limité. Pourtant, cette marginalisation, comme le révèle Kristóf, n’est pas unilatérale. Je pense également aux nombreux Québécois et autres Franco-Canadiens, qui sont eux-mêmes montrés du doigt, moqués pour leur manque de maîtrise de la langue britannique, par des gens d’un étroit esprit, ignorants et pleins
de préjugés à l’égard de la francophonie tout entière.
L’analphabète met en lumière cette lutte silencieuse mais omniprésente à laquelle beaucoup d’entre nous sont confrontés. En le lisant, on apprécie la langue en dehors du contexte professionnel, cette idée que le bilinguisme vous permettra d’obtenir un bon emploi. À une échelle beaucoup plus globale, elle a le pouvoir d’engendrer de l’hostilité et même de forcer quelqu’un à remettre en question sa propre identité. En découvrant l’expérience vécue par Kristóf et en reconnaissant la vôtre, vous êtes obligés de vous rappeler le pouvoir de l’empathie.
Or, en dépit de son caractère ennemi, le français, avec ses mots « belliqueux », a été finalement conquis par Kristóf. Sa lutte longue et acharnée, durant toute sa vie, a porté ses fruits. 14 ans après le début de sa nouvelle vie en Helvétie, elle commençait à écrire en français, d’abord des pièces de théâtre qui étaient bien accueillies localement et diffusées sur la Radio Suisse Romande. En 1986, son premier roman, Le Grand Cahier a reçu une reconnaissance internationale et lui a valu le Prix européen de l’Association des écrivains de langue française. Une autre leçon s’impose donc : la périphérisation peut et doit être vaincue et, dans le cas de l’apprentissage d’une nouvelle langue, c’est la résilience qui vous donne une voix.
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.
