Open Letter to The Hon. Stephen Harper from Law Professors Regarding Same-Sex Marriage

The Hon. Stephen Harper Leader of the Opposition

Dear Mr. Harper,

The federal government has made it clear that it intends to introduce legislation in the House of Commons to extend to same-sex couples the right to marry. You have indicated that you oppose this legislation, and intend to propose amendments to limit the definition of marriage to only opposite sex couples. You also stated that it would not be legally necessary to use the Charter's notwithstanding clause to protect a statutory definition of marriage that excludes same sex couples. As law professors, we strenuously disagree. You must be completely honest with Canadians about the unconstitutionality of your proposal, which will only guarantee that same sex marriage ends up back before the courts as opposed to being resolved by Parliament. Your position is surprising for someone who has constantly defended the preeminence of Parliament.

Even though the Supreme Court of Canada did not address this issue in the recent same- sex marriage reference, courts in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Yukon are now unanimously of the view that a definition of marriage that excludes same-sex couples is unconstitutional. The consensus of constitutional experts is that these decisions are correct. You must explain to Canadians how your plan to entrench the traditional definition of marriage will pass constitutional muster. The truth is, there is only one way to accomplish your goal: invoke the notwithstanding clause. Premier Klein has been honest with Canadians on this subject. You must be completely candid with Canadians as well.

If Parliament were to adopt your proposal and define marriage to exclude same sex couples, this legislation would very quickly end up in court, and be struck down as unconstitutional. However, the Charter allows Parliament to have the last word on many issues of fundamental rights, through the notwithstanding clause. Frankly, we do not think this is an appropriate case for the use of this extraordinary provision. However, if you believe that same-sex couples should be prohibited from getting married, you should propose legislative amendments that include a notwithstanding provision.

The fact that you want Parliament to enact clearly unconstitutional legislation and adopt the traditional definition of marriage without using the notwithstanding clause leads us to suspect that you are playing politics with the Supreme Court and the Charter. The use of the notwithstanding clause would have to be justified to Canadians, who overwhelmingly support the Charter. Not using the notwithstanding clause therefore protects opponents of same sex marriage from political controversy. And if the Supreme Court judgment struck down the opposite sex definition of marriage, opponents of same sex marriage would blame the Court for challenging Parliament's will. In short, those who oppose same sex marriage without supporting the use of the notwithstanding clause are shifting political accountability from themselves to the Supreme Court. Rather than ending the Supreme Court's involvement, it would further embroil the Court in this issue. You should either invoke the use of the notwithstanding clause, and justify this decision to Canadians, or concede that same-sex marriage is now part of Canada's legal landscape. If you intend to override Canadians' constitutional rights, you at least owe it to them to say this openly and directly. Canadians deserve better.

Sincerely,

Professor Sujit Choudhry, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Jean-François Gaudreault-DesBiens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

Professor Wendy Adams, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Sharryn Aiken, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professor Jennifer Bankier, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Benjamin Alarie, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Reem Bahdi, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur André Bélanger, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor D. G. Bell, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professeure Marie-Claire Belleau, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Benjamin Berger, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Jeff Berryman, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor W. A. Bogart, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur Thierry Bourgoignie, Département des sciences juridiques, UQAM Professor Susan Boyd, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Kim Brooks, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Jutta Brunnée, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Karen Busby, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Gillian Calder, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Angela Campbell, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Timothy Caulfield, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta Professor Aloke Chatterjee, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Rebecca Cook, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Brenda Cossman, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Gisèle Côté-Harper, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Steve Coughlan, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Carys Craig, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeur Francois Crépeau, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professor Robert J. Currie, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professeur Hugo Cyr, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM. Dean Ronald Daniels, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor T. Brettel Dawson, Department of Law, Carleton University Professor Maneesha Deckha, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professeure Édith Deleury, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Thomas J. Denholm, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Richard Devlin, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Aaron Dhir, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Bernard Dickens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Meinhard Doelle, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Susan Drummond, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeur Nicole Duplé, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor David G. Duff, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor David Dyzenhaus, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Lisa Karen Fainstein, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Angela Fernandez, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor M. Michelle Gallant, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Daphne Gilbert, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Joan Gilmour, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeure Michelle Giroux, Faculté de droit, Section de droit civil, Université d'Ottawa Professor Myron Gochnauer, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Randal Graham, Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario Professor Leslie Green, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Donna Greschner, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan Professeure Sylvette Guillemard, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Paule Halley, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Winifred Holland, Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario Dean Patricia Hughes, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Professor Allan Hutchinson, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Frederick Innis, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professeur Pierre Issalys, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Martha Jackman, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Richard Janda, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Rebecca Johnson, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Darlene Johnston, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Larissa Katz, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professeur Pierre-Claude Lafond, Science politique et droit, UQAM Professeur Christelle Landheer-Cieslak, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Louise Langevin, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeur André Lareau, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Sophie Lavallée, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Nicole LaViolette, Common Law, Université d'Ottawa Professeur Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, Faculté de droit, Université de Sherbrooke Doyen Pierre Lemieux, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Trudo Lemmens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Katherine Lippel, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM Professor Jennifer Llewellyn, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor A. Wayne MacKay, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Patrick Macklem, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Audrey Macklin, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Kathleen Mahoney, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Professor Carissima Mathen, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Brian M. Mazer, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Heather McLeod-Kilmurray, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Kent McNeil, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Errol Mendes, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Armand de Mestral, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Sophia Reibetanz Moreau, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Mayo Moran, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeur Christine Morin, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Ronalda Murphy, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Roxanne Mykitiuk, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Jennifer Nedelsky, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Ken Norman, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan Professeur Geneviève Parent, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Debra Parkes, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Karen Pearlston, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Steven Penney, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Lisa Philipps, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Dr. Jo-Anne Pickel, Department of Law, Carleton University Professor Sukanya Pillay, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Michael Pratt, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Doyen Daniel Proulx, Faculté de droit, Université de Sherbrooke Professor René Provost, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Melanie Randall, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Denise Réaume, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Arthur Ripstein, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Annie Rochette, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Carol Rogerson, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Louise Rolland, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professeur Alain Roy, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professor Bruce Ryder, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Teresa Scassa, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor David Schneiderman, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Jennifer Schulz, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Martha Shaffer, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Colleen Sheppard, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Barney Sneiderman, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Daniel Soberman, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professor Lorne Sossin, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Hamish Stewart, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor James Stribopoulos, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta Professor David Tanovich, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Myra J. Tawfik, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Lorna Turnbull, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Marcia Valiante, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur Jean-Pierre Villaggi, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM Professor Rose Voyvodic, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Rosemary Cairns Way, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Michelle Williams, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor John A. Yogis, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Claire Young, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Margot Young, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Frederick Zemans, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Des professeurs de droit signent une lettre ouverte à l'honorable Stephen Harper concernant sa position sur le mariage des conjoints de même sexe

L’honorable Stephen Harper Chef de l'Opposition

Cher Monsieur Harper,

Vous avez récemment signalé votre opposition à l'intention du gouvernement fédéral de déposer à la Chambre des Communes un projet de loi confirmant le droit des couples de même sexe de se marier. Vous avez également fait part de votre intention de proposer un amendement à un tel projet de loi, de manière à restreindre la définition du mariage aux seules unions hétérosexuelles. Vous avez au surplus affirmé qu'il ne serait pas légalement nécessaire d'utiliser la clause dérogatoire de la Charte canadienne afin de protéger une définition législative du mariage qui exclurait les conjoints de même sexe contre un éventuel contrôle judiciaire fondé sur la Charte. En tant que professeurs de droit, nous estimons que cette interprétation est erronée puisqu'elle ignore les paramètres constitutionnels qui doivent informer la décision du Parlement sur cette question. En fait, l'inconstitutionnalité de votre position n'aurait pour seul effet que de renvoyer la question du mariage des conjoints de même sexe devant les tribunaux. Venant de quelqu'un qui défend constamment le primat de la volonté du Parlement, une telle position est pour le moins étonnante.

Bien que la Cour suprême ne se soit pas directement penchée sur cette question dans le récent renvoi sur le mariage des conjoints de même sexe, des tribunaux de Colombie- Britannique, de Saskatchewan, du Manitoba, de Terre-Neuve, de l'Ontario, du Québec, de Nouvelle-Écosse et du Yukon ont unanimement opiné en faveur de l'inconstitutionnalité de toute définition du mariage qui exclurait le mariage des conjoints de même sexe. Les experts constitutionnels sont généralement d'avis que ces décisions sont bien fondées en droit. Il vous incombe donc d'expliquer aux Canadiennes et Canadiens comment votre projet de consacrer législativement la définition traditionnelle du mariage pourra survivre à une contestation constitutionnelle. En vérité, il n'existe qu'un seul moyen d'arriver à vos fins. Il s'agit, en l'occurrence, d'invoquer la disposition dérogatoire de la Charte canadienne. Le Premier Ministre Klein a été parfaitement honnête envers les Canadiennes et Canadiens sur ce point. Vous devriez suivre son exemple.

Si le Parlement devait adopter votre proposition et reprendre la définition traditionnelle du mariage, la constitutionnalité de la loi qui la consacrerait serait aussitôt contestée et cette loi serait vraisemblablement jugée contraire à la constitution. Mais il est vrai que la Charte canadienne prévoit un mécanisme permettant au Parlement d'avoir le dernier mot sur plusieurs questions relatives aux droits fondamentaux. Il s'agit de la disposition dérogatoire de la Charte, communément appelée " clause nonobstant ". Nous estimons que la définition du mariage ne constitue pas une question dont l'importance est telle qu'elle justifie le recours à cette clause. Toutefois, si vous croyez que tel n'est pas le cas, et que les couples de même sexe ne devraient pas avoir le droit de se marier, rien ne vous empêche de proposer un amendement législatif qui inclurait une telle disposition dérogatoire.

Au reste, le fait que vous souhaitiez que le Parlement adopte une loi clairement inconstitutionnelle en réitérant la définition traditionnelle du mariage sans protéger celle- ci par une clause dérogatoire nous incite à nous demander si vous ne cherchez pas à vous servir de la Cour suprême et de la Charte canadienne à des fins exclusivement politiques. Dans la mesure où les Canadiennes et Canadiens soutiennent très majoritairement les objectifs de la Charte et où un recours à la clause dérogatoire doit être justifié politiquement auprès de ceux-ci, ne pas utiliser cette clause équivaut en quelque sorte à protéger les opposants au mariage des conjoints de même sexe de la controverse politique que leur position pourrait autrement susciter. Paradoxalement, ceux-ci seraient les premiers à blâmer la Cour suprême, au nom du respect de la volonté du Parlement, si elle devait éventuellement déclarer cette définition inconstitutionnelle.

En somme, ceux qui s'opposent au mariage des conjoints de même sexe sans pour autant admettre que la définition traditionnelle du mariage doit, pour demeurer valide, être soustraite à l'application régulière de la Charte par une clause dérogatoire font assumer à la Cour suprême une responsabilité politique qu'eux-mêmes devraient assumer en première ligne. Plutôt que de mettre un terme à l'influence de la Cour suprême dans ce dossier, une telle attitude aurait pour effet de forcer la cour à s'y immiscer plus profondément encore.

Bref, vous devriez ou bien invoquer la clause dérogatoire de la Charte et justifier cette décision auprès des Canadiennes et Canadiens, ou bien reconnaître que le mariage des conjoints de même sexe fait désormais partie du paysage juridique du pays. Et si, en bout de ligne, vous optez pour la révocation des droits constitutionnels des Canadiennes et Canadiens, vous devriez avoir la franchise de le dire ouvertement. Les Canadiennes et Canadiens ne s'attendent pas à autre chose de votre part.

Veuillez, Monsieur Harper, agréer l'expression de nos sentiments distingués.

Professor Sujit Choudhry, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Jean-François Gaudreault-DesBiens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

Professor Wendy Adams, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Sharryn Aiken, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professor Jennifer Bankier, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Benjamin Alarie, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Reem Bahdi, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur André Bélanger, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor D. G. Bell, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professeure Marie-Claire Belleau, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Benjamin Berger, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Jeff Berryman, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor W. A. Bogart, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur Thierry Bourgoignie, Département des sciences juridiques, UQAM Professor Susan Boyd, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Kim Brooks, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Jutta Brunnée, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Karen Busby, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Gillian Calder, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Angela Campbell, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Timothy Caulfield, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta Professor Aloke Chatterjee, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Rebecca Cook, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Brenda Cossman, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Gisèle Côté-Harper, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Steve Coughlan, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Carys Craig, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeur Francois Crépeau, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professor Robert J. Currie, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professeur Hugo Cyr, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM Dean Ronald Daniels, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor T. Brettel Dawson, Department of Law, Carleton University Professor Maneesha Deckha, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professeure Édith Deleury, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Thomas J. Denholm, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Richard Devlin, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Aaron Dhir, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Bernard Dickens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Meinhard Doelle, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Susan Drummond, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeur Nicole Duplé, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor David G. Duff, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor David Dyzenhaus, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Lisa Karen Fainstein, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Angela Fernandez, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor M. Michelle Gallant, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Daphne Gilbert, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Joan Gilmour, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professeure Michelle Giroux, Faculté de droit, Section de droit civil, Université d'Ottawa Professor Myron Gochnauer, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Randal Graham, Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario Professor Leslie Green, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Donna Greschner, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan Professeure Sylvette Guillemard, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Paule Halley, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Winifred Holland, Faculty of Law, University of Western Ontario Dean Patricia Hughes, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Professor Allan Hutchinson, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Frederick Innis, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professeur Pierre Issalys, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Martha Jackman, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Richard Janda, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Rebecca Johnson, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria Professor Darlene Johnston, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Larissa Katz, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professeur Pierre-Claude Lafond, Science politique et droit, UQAM Professeur Christelle Landheer-Cieslak, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Louise Langevin, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeur André Lareau, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Sophie Lavallée, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professeure Nicole LaViolette, Common Law, Université d'Ottawa Professeur Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, Faculté de droit, Université de Sherbrooke Doyen Pierre Lemieux, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Trudo Lemmens, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Katherine Lippel, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM Professor Jennifer Llewellyn, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor A. Wayne MacKay, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Patrick Macklem, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Audrey Macklin, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Kathleen Mahoney, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Professor Carissima Mathen, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Brian M. Mazer, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Heather McLeod-Kilmurray, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Kent McNeil, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Errol Mendes, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Armand de Mestral, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Sophia Reibetanz Moreau, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Mayo Moran, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeur Christine Morin, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Ronalda Murphy, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Roxanne Mykitiuk, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Jennifer Nedelsky, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Ken Norman, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan Professeur Geneviève Parent, Faculté de droit, Université Laval Professor Debra Parkes, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Karen Pearlston, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Steven Penney, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Lisa Philipps, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Dr. Jo-Anne Pickel, Department of Law, Carleton University Professor Sukanya Pillay, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Michael Pratt, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Doyen Daniel Proulx, Faculté de droit, Université de Sherbrooke Professor René Provost, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Melanie Randall, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick Professor Denise Réaume, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Arthur Ripstein, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Annie Rochette, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Carol Rogerson, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professeure Louise Rolland, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professeur Alain Roy, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal Professor Bruce Ryder, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University Professor Teresa Scassa, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor David Schneiderman, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Jennifer Schulz, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Martha Shaffer, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Colleen Sheppard, Faculty of Law, McGill University Professor Barney Sneiderman, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Daniel Soberman, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University Professor Lorne Sossin, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor Hamish Stewart, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Professor James Stribopoulos, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta Professor David Tanovich, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Myra J. Tawfik, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Lorna Turnbull, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba Professor Marcia Valiante, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professeur Jean-Pierre Villaggi, Faculté de science politique et de droit, UQAM Professor Rose Voyvodic, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Professor Rosemary Cairns Way, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Professor Michelle Williams, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor John A. Yogis, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University Professor Claire Young, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Margot Young, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia Professor Frederick Zemans, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University