Episode 100 | Reprogramming Resilience: How Childhood Adversity Shapes Mental Health and Addiction
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Release Date: 01/23/2025
#117 | Série Justice sans obstacles - Le langage clair : un levier d’accessibilité
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Ne pas connaître ses droits revient souvent à en être privé. Et ne pas les comprendre, c’est, au fond, se retrouver dans la même situation. Alors entre le droit et les personnes qu’il est censé protéger, une question demeure : comment rendre cette information réellement accessible? Parmi les réponses possibles, le langage clair s’impose comme un levier d’accessibilité. Dans cet épisode, Me Christine O’Doherty, directrice générale de l’ICAJ, s’entretient avec Élisabeth Routhier, Ph. D., directrice des projets spéciaux à l’ICAJ et experte du...
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#116 | Justice Without Barriers Series - Disability, Accessibility, and the Courts
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Universal accessibility should be the norm — so why does it remain the exception? In this episode, Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel at CIAJ, speaks with the Honourable Justice Joshua B. Hawkes of the Court of Appeal of Alberta about the lived realities of people with disabilities within the justice system and the legal profession. Drawing on his own experience as a person living with a disability, Justice Hawkes reflects on the biases, institutional barriers, and day-to-day challenges faced in environments rarely designed with all realities in mind. Together, they explore what...
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#115 | Indigenous Justice and Democracy: Tap Project, Perspectives From Ecuador and Canada
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
When courts listen, justice systems can begin to change. Hosted by Christine O’Doherty, Lawyer and CIAJ Executive Director, this episode features Dr. Jhoel Escudero, President of the Constitutional Court of Ecuador, in the context of the Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) Project led by Federal Judicial Affairs Canada. Dr. Jhoel Escudero discusses why the TAP Project was timely for Ecuador’s justice system and how sustained dialogue with Indigenous communities has shaped institutional understanding. The discussion touches on the constitutional recognition of Indigenous justice,...
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#114 | Dans l’angle mort – Épisode 4 : L’intelligence artificielle et la justice
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
L'IA s'invite désormais dans les salles d'audience et les cabinets d'avocats. Mais comment fonctionne-t-elle réellement ? Quels sont ses usages concrets, de la recherche juridique à la gestion documentaire ? Peut-elle améliorer l'accès à la justice ou créera-t-elle de nouvelles inégalités ? Dans ce 4ᵉ épisode de la série « Dans l’angle mort », l’honorable juge Simon Ruel s’entretient avec Catherine Régis, professeure titulaire à la Faculté de droit de Université de Montréal, pour explorer l'arrivée de l'IA dans le système judiciaire. Entre promesses...
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#113 | Left Out in the Cold – Episode 4: Putting "Housing First" in Finland
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Finland, renowned for being the happiest country in the world, has addressed homelessness head-on through a human rights-based approach to housing. Under the Finnish "Housing First" approach, everyone is entitled to a settled place to live, regardless of life circumstances. This system moves away from the goal of making people experiencing homelessness "housing ready," and toward supportive housing units with normal leases and tenancy agreements. In the fourth episode of this series, host Sarah Rowe is joined by Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs at Y-Foundation, one of the...
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#112 | Left Out in the Cold – Episode 3: Housing Available But Not Accessible
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Guaranteeing the right to housing on its own misses a key overlapping concern: whether the housing is actually accessible. Despite the federal government's goal of achieving a barrier-free Canada by 2040, many people continue to face barriers in securing housing that meets their accessibility needs and are twice as likely to live in core housing need. In the third episode of this series, host Sarah Rowe is joined by Marie-Josée Houle, Canada's first Federal Housing Advocate, and Stephanie Chipeur, who holds the Azrieli Accelerator Professorship in Law & Disability Policy at the...
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#111 | Left Out in the Cold – Episode 2: Advancing the Right to Housing while Financialization Pulls the Strings
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
In 2019, the Canadian government recognized housing as a fundamental human right through the National Housing Strategy Act; however, in the years that have followed, housing affordability has only worsened for low- to moderate-income households. While this Act requires the federal government to address homelessness and core housing need, Canadian housing policies continue to benefit primarily those seeking profit and returns on investment. In this second episode, host Sarah Rowe is joined by lawyer Michèle Biss, Executive Director of the National Right to Housing Network, and political...
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#110 | Teaching Law in the Age of AI
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Artificial intelligence is reshaping legal education — but is it a powerful learning tool or a shortcut that weakens critical thinking? In this episode, Host David Lazzam speaks with Dean Trevor Farrow (Dean and Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School) about the growing use of AI in law schools. Together, they explore the tension between innovation and academic integrity, the fear of overreliance, and the responsibility of legal institutions to prepare students for a profession where AI is already part of daily practice. CONFERENCE Artificial Intelligence and the Law In March 2026,...
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#109 | Épisode 3: Dans l’angle mort – Le litige climatique sous l'angle des droits de la personne
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Les changements climatiques deviennent un enjeu central de droits humains. Dans ce 3ᵉ épisode, l’honorable juge Simon Ruel s’entretient avec Maud Sarlieve, responsable du Secrétariat du Forum de recherche sur le climat (Programme de droit durable d'Oxford), sur la montée du contentieux climatique et ses tensions avec la séparation des pouvoirs. Ensemble, ils explorent des affaires emblématiques : Urgenda aux Pays-Bas, les Aînées pour le climat en Suisse, les jeunes plaignants du Montana, ainsi que l’avis consultatif historique de la Cour internationale de justice en 2025. Quel...
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#108 | Democracy Under Attack: The Rise of Online Hate
CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Online harassment of political figures in Canada is on the rise. Nearly half of campaign-related tweets are uncivil or abusive, discouraging diverse candidates and eroding trust in democracy. In this episode, Host Anthony Giroux (Law Student at the University of Montreal) speaks with Sabreena Delhon (CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy) and Dr. Heidi Tworek (Canada Research Chair and Professor of History and Public Policy at the University of British Columbia). Together, they explore how disinformation, targeted and identity-based harassment, and algorithm-driven amplification are reshaping...
info_outlineNicole Sherren, a neuroscience expert and Principal Consultant at R2P Solutions, joins The Honourable P. Colleen Suche, Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, for an engaging discussion on the profound impact of childhood adversity on brain development, mental health, and addiction. Drawing on cutting-edge research, Sherren illustrates how early adverse experiences can rewire the brain, heightening susceptibility to addiction and mental health challenges later in life.
The discussion explores the pivotal role of epigenetics in fostering resilience and examines how addiction-related behaviors intersect with justice systems, particularly when impaired self-control conflicts with concepts of accountability. Together, they highlight the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration among neuroscience, health, and justice professionals to drive effective policies and meaningful systemic reform.
Let's continue the discussion!
To further explore the discussion, join us at our conference on addiction, mental health and the law, to be held February 3-5, 2025 in Toronto.
Come discover the complex interactions between addiction, mental health issues and the legal system, with multidisciplinary experts and Indigenous knowledge keepers. This discussion will address current challenges while gaining a comprehensive perspective on the critical issues faced by courts, law enforcement, treatment providers, policymakers, as well as communities, families, and individuals.
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