Outstanding speakers from private and public practice, academia and the bench will cover up-to-date significant developments in substantive and practice issues under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The morning will start off with The Honourable Justice Marshall Rothstein of the Supreme Court of Canada as the keynote speaker followed by an overview of recent Supreme Court decisions, upcoming cases and trends in Charter law.

Participants will have a choice of concurrent morning and afternoon panels to choose from, on subjects ranging from remedial and practice issues, to substantive legal developments in areas including the 2008 Constitutional crisis, fundamental freedoms, disclosure, searches and equality rights. Don’t miss this “must-see” program for everyone who does any work on Charter issues. Program includes lunch

Focus: Key developments in substantive and practice issues under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, for everyone who does any work on Charter issues.

Highlights will include:
• Update of recent Charter decisions, upcoming cases and developing trends
• Criminal law developments in disclosure obligations and searches
• The latest in civil and criminal remedies, as well as practice issues
• Substantive developments in fundamental freedoms
• Section 7 and section 15 as alternative routes for advancing social justice
• Revisiting the Oakes test – is it time for a change?
• The Khadr case - the intersection of Charter and international rights

9:00 am Introductory Remarks

9:10 am Keynote Speaker
The Honourable Mr. Justice Marshall E. Rothstein, Supreme Court of Canada - Ottawa

10:00 am MORNING PLENARY

2008-2009 Constitutional Overview
Moderator: Cheryl L. Milne, Executive Director, David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights
• Supreme Court of Canada Constitutional Update
Debra M. McAllister, Barrister & Solicitor
• Upcoming Supreme Court of Canada Constitutional Cases
Barbara E. Kincaid, General Counsel, Law Branch, Supreme Court of Canada - Ottawa
• Constitutional Developments in Ontario
Robert E. Charney, General Counsel, Constitutional Law Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario
• Constitutional Developments in the Federal Courts
The Honourable James W. O’Reilly, Federal Court of Canada - Ottawa
• Developments in Aboriginal Constitutional Law
Lori R. Sterling, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs

11:15 am Break

11:30 am MORNING BREAK OUT SESSIONS [Choose one]

(1) Revisiting the Section 1 Oakes Test: Time for a Change?
Moderator: Mahmud Jamal, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
• Rethinking Section 1
Christopher D. Bredt, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Cara F. Zwibel, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
• Where Did (Section) 1 Come From? The Historical Lineage of the Charter’s Limitations Clause
Professor Adam M. Dodek, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law - Ottawa
• The Crown’s Perspective on the Oakes Test
Janet E. Minor, General Counsel, Constitutional Law Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General
• View From the Bench
The Honourable Mr. Justice David L. Corbett, Superior Court of Justice, Central West Region - Brampton

(2) Alternatives for Advancing Social Justice
Moderator: Debra M. McAllister, Barrister & Solicitor
• Section 15: The Kapp Test and Social Justice
Fiona A. Sampson, Director of Human Rights,Canadian Lawyers Abroad - Chelsea
• Section 7 and Social Justice
James R. Hendry, General Counsel, Department of Justice, Human Rights Law Section - Ottawa
• Human Rights: An Alternative to section15
Antonella Ceddia, Litigation Solicitor, City of Toronto, Legal Services
• International Law at the United Nations
Stewart Istvanffy, Avocat – Montreal
• Legislative Drafting
M. David Lepofsky, Chair, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance

(3) Civil and Criminal Constitutional Remedies
Moderator: Robert E. Charney, General Counsel, Constitutional Law Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario
• Damages for Unconstitutional Actions
Raj K. Anand, WeirFoulds LLP; Chair, Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre
• Section 24(1): Cost Remedies
Professor Marilyn L. Pilkington, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
• Constitutional Exemptions and Sentence Reductions
Andrew K. Lokan, Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
• Section 24(2): The Harrison & Grant Cases
Jonathan A. Dawe, Sack, Goldblatt, Mitchell LLP

12:45 pm Lunch (provided)

1:15 pm LUNCHEON PLENARY

The 2008 Constitutional Crisis
Moderator: Debra M. McAllister, Barrister & Solicitor
Professor Emeritus Peter W. Hogg, QC, Osgoode Hall Law School; Scholar in Residence: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Professor Emeritus Peter H. Russell, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto
Warren J. Newman, Senior General Counsel, Department of Justice Canada, Constitutional & Administrative Law Section - Ottawa
Professor Lorraine E. Weinrib, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

2:15 pm Break

2:30 pm AFTERNOON BREAK OUT SESSIONS [Choose one]

(4) Section 7 Disclosure and Section 8 Searches
Moderator: Professor Adam Dodek, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
• Disclosure of Police Misconduct Records under McNeil
Marie Henein, Henein & Associates
• Practical Implications of McNeil
Gary Melanson, Director  of Legal Services  and Risk Management, Waterloo Regional  Police Service
• Searches under the Patrick Decision
Philip Downes, Barrister
• Privacy Implications of the McNeil and Patrick Decisions
Louisa Garib, Counsel, Legal Services, Policy and Parliamentary Affairs Branch, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada - Ottawa

(5) Compiling & Presenting the Evidence in Charter Cases
Moderator: Christopher D. Bredt, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
• Compiling the Evidentiary Record in Charter Cases
Christopher M. Dassios, General Counsel - Power Workers’ Union
• Preparing the Evidence in Charter Cases – A Crown Perspective
Sarah T. Kraicer, Counsel, Constitutional Law Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario
• Presenting the Case: Written Argument
Eugene Meehan, QC, Chair, Supreme Court Practice Group; Lang Michener LLP - Ottawa
• Presenting the Case: Oral Argument
The Honourable Mr. Justice Gary T. Trotter, Superior Court of Justice

(6) Developments in Fundamental Freedoms
Moderator: Debra M. McAllister, Barrister & Solicitor
• Freedom of Religion Developments
Mahmud Jamal, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
• Developments in Freedom of Expression
Paul B. Schabas, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
• Freedom of Association: Agricultural Workers Perspective
Paul Cavalluzzo, Cavalluzzo Hayes Shilton McIntyre & Cornish LLP
• Freedom of Association: Crown Perspective
Robin K. Basu, Counsel - Constitutional Law Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General

3:45 pm Break

4:00 pm CLOSING PLENARY

The Khadr Case: the Charter and the International Arena
Moderator: Debra M. McAllister, Barrister & Solicitor
• The Khadr Case
Nathan J. Whitling, Parlee McLaws LLP - Edmonton
Dennis Edney, Dennis Edney Professional Corporation; Counsel to Omar Khadr - Edmonton
• Some Issues That Remain Unresolved Following Khadr
Ari Slatkoff, Counsel, Justice Canada - Human Rights Law Section - Ottawa
• Implications for Other Canadians Outside of Canada
Paul Champ, Raven Cameron Ballantyne & Yazbeck LLP/s.r.l. - Ottawa
• International Law Implications: The Duty to Protect
Jennifer A. Orange, Torys LLP

5:00 pm Program Concludes