The Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law published by Carswell Canada has dedicated a special issue to the proceedings of a conference that took place at York University’s Glendon Campus.
The special issue, titled “Canada’s Constitutional & Governance Challenges After 150 Years,” was co-edited by Radha (Radhakrishnan) Persaud, a professor in the Department of Political Science at the Glendon Campus and at the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University, and York University alumnus Gregory Tardi (DJur ’10), former senior legal counsel in the Office of the Law Clerk and senior parliamentary counsel to the House of Commons in Ottawa.
The conference, Canada’s Constitutional & Governance Challenges After 150 Years, was convened Sept. 29 and 30, 2017 as part of national celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Canada. It brought together some of this country’s leading constitutional minds. The resulting issue of The Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law provides a forum for the growing body of interdisciplinary literature on the subject of “law and politics.” This 244-page special issue of the journal contains papers presented at the conference and includes work by York University Chancellor Emeritus R. Roy McMurtry, Professor Emeritus of Political Science Ian Greene and Persaud, who initiated and chaired the conference.
Organized around three key themes, the conference explored Foundational Values & Constitutional Rights, Democratic Governance and Democratic Processes. The conference proceedings and papers identified challenges facing Canada’s public government and suggested improvements within the organic life of the constitution to enhance national capacity, confirm national self-determination and renew national commitment to stability, justice, respect and inclusion.
Radha (Radhakrishnan) Persaud
“The conference on Canada at 150 at Glendon was indeed a momentous event bringing together leading constitutional minds – from across the country – to share their thoughts and analyses on the constitutional and governance challenges of our great federation after 150 years,” said Persaud. “I am very pleased to say that many of the papers that were presented at the conference are published in this special issue of the journal. Gregory Tardi and I have been working on this publication for the past year.”
The journal includes the following papers:
- “Introductory Remarks,” by R. Roy McMurtry, former chief justice of Ontario from 1996 to 2007 and Chancellor Emeritus of York University.
- “Constitutional & Governance Challenges for a Country Based on Incomplete Conquests,” by University of Toronto Political Science Professor Peter H. Russell.
- “Governing Under the Constitution – Governing the Constitution,” by Louis LeBel CC, puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 2000 to 2014.
- “Ceintures fléchées and Wampum Belts: Quebec and Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian Federation,” by Jean Leclair, Fellow of the Trudeau Foundation and professor of constitutional law and legal history at the Université de Montréal.
- “Beyond Charter Statements: Constitutional Communications in The Parliamentary Context,” by Charlie Feldman, legislative counsel to the House of Commons.
- “Canada’s Constitutional & Governance Challenges after 150 Years,” by David Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2007 to 2014.
- “The Supreme Court of Canada and National Sovereignty,” by York University Political Science Professor Radhakrishnan Persaud.
- “The SCC’s Dilemma: What to do with Interveners?” by Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Richard Haigh.
- “Accountability for Ethical Governance: Canadian Advances over 150 Years,” by Professor Emeritus of Political Science and University Professor Ian Greene, York University.
- “Deliberative Constitutionalism in Canada,” by University of British Columbia Professor of Constitutional Law Hoi L. Kong.
- “Legal and Political Constitutionalism in Canada: The First 150 Years,” by Warren J. Newman, senior general counsel, Department of Justice.
- “Federalism, Intergovernmental Relations and Assisted Dying: A Case Study of Federalism in Operation,” by Queen’s University School of Policy Studies Professor Kathy L. Brock.
- “Is Federalism a Feminist Issue? The Gender of Division of Powers Jurisprudence,” by Professor Kerri A. Froc, assistant professor of law, University of New Brunswick.
- “Canada’s Electoral Democracy At 150,” by Marc Mayrand, past chief electoral officer.
For more information, on this special issue, visit the Carswell website.