Renewal and continuity
If time invites all things to gradually change, the words renewal and continuity seem to resonate particularly strongly within the Common Law Section.
In recent years, our faculty has been renewed, gradually making way for a new generation of scholars in whom we are investing for the future. During the period covered by this report, we celebrated three retirements: the eloquent Jamie Benidickson, the passionate Ellen Zweibel, and the rigorous Martha Jackman. The latter’s departure and her contributions to social justice were also celebrated through a symposium held on May 23, 2024, crowning a brilliant career.
That said, while wishing our colleagues a happy retirement, the Section has been busy securing its future under the dynamic leadership of Dean Kristen Boon. Two research centres saw their leadership change following the transformative mandates of Directors John Packer (HRREC) and Colleen Flood (CHLPE), with the respective appointments of Penelope Simons and Vanessa Gruben. No fewer than six professors joined the Section’s ranks: Roojin Habibi (international and health law), Doug Sarro (business law and innovation), Julie Ada Tchoukou (law and social justice), Hugo Lafrenière (private law and legal philosophy), Matt Malone (law and technology) and Marcelo Thompson (technology and innovation law).
The Research Office itself has not been exempt from change, with the departure of long-time Assistant Dean Cintia Quiroga – now Director of Research and Policy Outreach in the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation – and Vice-Dean Jennifer Chandler. Like the Section, the Office is experiencing its share of renewal, but maintains continuity in the excellence of its service with the arrival of Suzanne Bouclin as Vice-Dean, Anna Bogic as Senior Research Advisor, and my own promotion to Assistant Dean. This report, moreover, has been designed to preserve the traditions of the Office while offering richer, more versatile digital content. Special mention goes to Communications Strategist Andrew Kuntze, the true architect of this new-format report, whose contribution now allows us to better highlight research achievements, including those of the Section’s students.
Renewal and continuity, then, mean that the Section maintains its standards of excellence in research. In the digital pages of this report, readers will find numerous articles on the appointments, awards, and successes of our researchers – too many for me to cover exhaustively here. That said, let me mention our 15 active research chairs, whose ranks continue to grow. First and foremost, faculty members Jeremy de Beer and Jennifer Chandler were named Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs in, respectively, Innovation and Intellectual Property Law and the Law and Ethics of Neurotechnology. These two chairs join an already impressive group and strengthen the Section’s standing as a leader in both technology law and health law. Additionally, Delphine Nakache became chairholder of the University Research Chair on Migrant Protection and International Law, enacting a research program whose importance cannot be overstated in the current global climate. We also note the appointment of Jamie Liew to the Shirley Greenberg Chair and Anne Lévesque to the G.F. Henderson Chair in Human Rights.
If the Common Law Section of yesterday was propelled in research by scholars such as Ian Kerr and Elizabeth Sheehy (and so many others!), today’s Section owes its successes to researchers such as Florian Martin-Bariteau and Aimée Craft, both of whom had particularly busy and rewarding years. Professor Martin-Bariteau, notably, received the University of Ottawa’s 2023 Early Career Researcher of the Year Award in recognition of his significant work on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. Professor Craft, meanwhile, was the recipient of the University of Ottawa’s 2023 Excellence in Knowledge Mobilization Award, continuing her cutting-edge research with and for Indigenous communities and advancing her work on Indigenous birthing practices and water governance.
However, the impact of the Section’s research cannot be reduced to just a few successes. Reading this report, one will be struck by the presence of our researchers in all the major issues of our time, from climate change to democratic governance. This report offers an opportunity to appreciate the full scope of the Section’s research activities. Allow me to close by mentioning the important work and contributions of Professors François Larocque and Yan Campagnolo on language rights and the promotion of the Francophonie outside of Quebec; the research impact of Professor Marina Pavlović, cited by the Supreme Court on the subject of air passenger compensation; the appearance of Michael Geist before a CRTC committee on Bill C-11; the significant reflection on the World Trade Organization initiated by Wolfgang Alschner at a symposium he organized at the University of Ottawa; the renewal of Teresa Scassa’s Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy; and the many professors featured in the excellent videos produced by the Jurivision team. Together, these highlights showcase the incredible breadth of research produced in our Section.
Happy reading!
Maxime Raymond-Dufour
Assistant Dean, Research
Our shared commitment to research excellence
It is a great privilege for me to join the dynamic and productive Research Office team. As we gear up for the academic year, I want to thank Jennifer Chandler for her exceptional leadership, outstanding service, and deep commitment to advancing research excellence across the Common Law Section. If I had a dollar for every “big shoes to fill” I’ve heard, let’s just say, I could get an abundance of Kettleman’s bagels.
On that note, I am thrilled that we will be continuing the Dean’s research lunch series this year and look forward to seeing you there. My own focus as VDR will be to build on our exceptional strengths in the following ways: providing mentorship opportunities for new and early career colleagues as you develop your research strategies; spotlighting and engaging mid-career colleagues as you enhance your research outcomes and strengthen the collaborative spirit within the Faculty; helping to advance our interdisciplinary collaborations and meaningful engagement with decolonizing research methods; nourishing the networks and partnerships created through our impressive research centres; and finding innovative ways to share our collective and very influential research enterprise.
Yet that enterprise is currently faced with challenges – global insecurities, human rights crises, humanitarian disasters, misinformation and other uncertainties. Despite these challenges, I remain optimistic about the ways in which our collective scholarly and engaged research will play a meaningful and crucial role in shaping policy, defending rights, and fostering innovation. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with concrete ideas on how I can best fulfill my new mandate and support you in your work.
Suzanne Bouclin
Vice-Dean, Research