A Legal Forum for Intellectual Diversity

The Runnymede Society is a membership-based organization that invites speakers from all across the ideological spectrum to debate legal ideas that engage the rule of law, constitutionalism, and individual liberty. The goal is to focus on these age-old principles in the context of real issues that are not often explored in the law school classrooms.

Milousis: Limiting Harm vs Freedom of Expression

Can free expression be limited based on an administrative body’s prediction of resulting harm? Can a university expel a student for having an opinion on a particular social issue that it considers unprofessional? Lia Milousis, lawyer with the Acacia Group and leader of our Ottawa lawyers’ chapter, discusses two cases involving the prevention of harm as a reason for limiting freedom of speech.

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Newman: Property Rights and the Charter

Why were property rights excluded from the Charter? Professor Dwight Newman of the University of Saskatchewan joined students at the University of British Columbia’s Peter A. Allard School of Law to discuss his research on this subject and the opportunity for further study on this topic. Further reading: Dwight Newman & Lorelle Binnion, “The Exclusion of Property Rights from the Charter: Correcting the Historical Record” (2015) 52:3 Alta. L. Rev. 543

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Bildy: Challenging the Statement of Principles

Did the Law Society of Ontario’s proposed Statement of Principles (SOP) present a threat to free speech? Today’s encore episode features Lisa Bildy, a Bencher and lawyer specializing in freedom of expression cases, who spoke with our UWO student chapter about her experience standing up to the Law Society.

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Olszynski: The Alberta “Shadow Court” Act?

Is the Alberta Sovereignty Act a mechanism to provide a “shadow court” that challenges federal laws? Martin Olszynski, Professor of law at the University of Calgary and member of the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s advisory council on impact assessment, discusses the constitutionality of the Alberta Sovereignty Act.

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Zhu and Sérafin: Carter v Canada

How did Carter v Canada change the Canadian legal landscape? Today’s encore episode of Runnymede Radio is from a discussion hosted by McGill’s Runnymede chapter with Professors Yuan Yi Zhu, of Leiden University, and Stéphane Sérafin, of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. This episode features Jacob McConville, president of the Runnymede Society’s chapter at McGill University, as guest host.

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The Politics of the Alberta Sovereignty Act

If law, including constitutional law, is downstream from politics, what are the implications for federalism in Canada? Barry Cooper, Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary, joins Runnymede Radio to discuss the Free Alberta Strategy and its cornerstone, the Alberta Sovereignty Act, including the notion that this Act was drawn up as “unconstitutional on purpose”. For further reading, take a look at “Geoffrey Sigalet and Jesse Hartery: The critics were wrong about Danielle Smith’s Alberta Sovereignty Act.”

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Provincial Gender Policies and Court Challenges (Edmonton Lawyers' Chapter)

LUX Steakhouse + BAR94 |
10150 101 St NW, Edmonton

Join our Edmonton Lawyer Chapter as they host Stephane Serafin for an event on provincial gender legislation and the challenges they face in court. Please [...]

Wednesday
30
October 30, 2024 | 1:00 pm

Sovereign Immunity after Power v. Canada: A Debrief (McGill University)

McGill University (Room NCDH 312) |

Join the McGill Runnymede Society and Professor Stéphane Sérafin (University of Ottawa) for a discussion on this summer’s Power v. Canada decision and what it [...]

Tuesday
05
November 5, 2024 | 12:30 pm

Law and Religion (University of Calgary)

University of Calgary (Room 3370) |

In this presentation, Professor Dwight Newman of the University of Saskatchewan (who has completed graduate studies in History of Christianity in addition to his prior [...]

Wednesday
06
November 6, 2024 | 12:30 pm

Unlocking the Power of Freedom of Information Law: Essential Tools for Future Lawyers (Dalhousie University)

In this lecture, Devin Drover, General Counsel for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, will introduce law students to the practical applications of Freedom of Information (FOI) [...]

Wednesday
13
November 13, 2024 | 12:00 pm

The Alberta Sovereignty Act: Its Origins, Development and Future (University of Alberta)

University of Alberta Faculty of Law (Room LC 231) |

Jesse Hartery and Geoffrey Sigalet will discuss the debates surrounding the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act: the origins of the proposal in the [...]

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Why join?

INTELLECTUAL ENRICHMENT

We provide funding for debates, symposia, and panel discussions with external speakers and refreshments. We are able to assist with reaching out to speakers and fund out-of-town speaker travel expenses.

SOCIAL LIFE

We host regular networking events with local members of the legal profession, academics, journalists, and other students.

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE

We aim to connect first-year students with upper-years who can provide mentorship and academic guidance, as well as course summaries.

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