As many people have already heard, Russia has joined the war in Syria, where Russian warplanes have carried out airstrikes on opponents of President Bashar al-Assad. This recent addition to the four year civil war in Syria has added new elements, which continue to further the suffering for many civilians. Russia claimed that they are targeting the Islamic State (IS) and “other terrorists” when on...
Osgoode Women’s Network raises $3,760 “OWN Ran for the Cure and raised $3,760! The OWN Executive would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in some way, shape or form with this year’s CIBC Run for the Cure 2015. As a student club at Osgoode, we were able to raise $3,760, which surpasses last year’s fundraising efforts by over $1,000! $317 was raised from the...
In what’s shaping up to be the biggest auto industry shake-up of the decade, Volkswagen’s (VW) emissions scandal has—by this point —obliterated over 30 billion USD of the company’s shares, and forced CEO Martin Winterkorn to resign. In late September, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that VW cars being sold in the US were rigged with stealth software that allowed the cars to...
The Ethics of Regulating Robot Sex The summer of 2015 has been a monumental season for robots. Just this July, a robotics company called Softbank released a humanoid robot that it claims is able to sense users’ emotions. Even more impressive, scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York developed a robot that broke new ground in demonstrating self-awareness. The robot’s...
A look at this month’s most pointless appeals In less than twenty-four hours, appeals were announced in two cases that made massive headlines both in Canada and the US. After the Federal Court of Appeal held that the ban against wearing niqabs during citizenship ceremonies is unlawful, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced on 18 September 2015 that they would appeal this decision...
For at least as long as The Paper Chase has been an element of our popular imagination, it seems there have been two dominant features of the first year law school curriculum: the case book and the Socratic method. Does this signature pedagogical approach really teach first years to “think like a lawyer?” Or is it an ineffective and antiquated form of teaching? Might it even be, as critics...
A Comparison of the 2015 Team with its 1992 Predecessor Part Two: Examining the Outfield Earlier in Part One, I compared the make-up of the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays infield with its 1992 counterpart and concluded that the former is stronger than the latter. Here in Part Two, I will look into the two teams’ outfield composition. Left Field: Ben Revere (2015) versus Candy Maldonado (1992)...
Part One: The Artist Resale Right Over the next year, I have decided to pen a series of articles on a topic that remains very near and dear to me—artist rights and advocacy for visual artists. During my time at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London a few years ago, I authored Resolving the Starving Artist Cliché —a guide on implementing international schemes into Canada to assist access to justice...
What are the ingredients for an unenviable offseason? Well, start off with a “teaspoon” of a workplace investigation, followed by a report that implicates you in scandalous behaviour. Then, the Commissioner of the (National Football League) NFL drops a “pinch” of sanctions on the Patriots, with Tom Brady emerging scathed as the only suspended player on the team. How about a “scoop” of Ben...
Live at Massey Hall, 4 September 2015 The Tallest Man on Earth is the moniker of Swedish folk-singer Kristian Matsson. Contrary to what his stage name suggests, Matsson is no bigger than your average horse jockey. His voice, however, is larger than life and is an integral part of his music. It bolts out the speaker like a horse from the turnstile at the start of a race. Matsson is touring this...
Learning from the Interim Federal Health Program Canada is currently witnessing a revitalized interest in the plight of refugees, starting in early September when the tragic photos of the Kurdi family’s attempt to escape Syria were widely published in the news and shared on social media. Since then, a large number of different non-government organizations, activist groups, and public...
Supreme Court Rules Ecuadorean Plaintiffs Allowed to Pursue Enforcement of Judgment Against Chevron In Yaiguaje v. Chevron Corporation, the plaintiffs, representing about 30,000 Ecuadorean villagers, seek damages from the defendant for injuries resulting from environmental pollution. They originally filed their claim in New York federal court in 1993, believing Ecuadorian courts to be ill...
From Arthurs to Wright, where will your favourite Osgoode dean rank? “Look to your left, look to your right…”: the classic go-to of any law dean’s welcome address to the incoming students. Historically the saying would end, “one of you won’t be here by the end of the year,” an attempt to underline the cutthroat, competitive nature of law school. That said, deans have adapted and varied the...
On 5 September 2015, news broke of threats directed against “women and feminists” at the University of Toronto. It was right before the weekend, and on the weekends, I do my studying at UofT. My thought process was as follows: should I risk my personal safety when I can simply study elsewhere? My poor mother! If I go to Robarts, there are lots of good hiding places and several exits, so I have a...
Probable or not, possible or not, the mere possibility is something powerful In the worlds of environmentalism, environmental law, and particularly climate change advocacy, Roger Cox is currently quite the celebrity. This past June, he won a suit brought by environmental NGO Urgenda and 886 Dutch citizens against the Dutch government. To oversimplify, the plaintiffs successfully argued the Dutch...
Children’s Rights in Ghana This article was published as part of the Osgoode chapter of Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) media series, which aims to promote an awareness of international human rights issues. To get involved, visit CLAIHR at It is no secret that the ideals law strives to achieve and what occurs in reality are often vastly different. International law, and...
A Plea and a Recipe I couldn’t possibly overstate the benefits of home cooking. It’s way less expensive, often healthier, and produces little to no garbage in comparison to eating out. It can (and should) be tastier, and more interesting as well. It’s pretty much better in every way. But of course, everybody knows these things… And yet, it seems like people are cooking fewer and fewer of their...
Food Adventure #3: Earls Kitchen and Bar Name: Earls Kitchen and Bar Location: 150 King Street West Category: Restaurant, bar Atmosphere: Upscale, trendy Additional info: Has heated outdoor patio. Website: Today, on another episode of Jurisfoodence, we will be reviewing Earls Kitchen and Bar, a...
A story of Ukrainian refugees seventy years later At the end of the summer, just before returning to classes at Osgoode Hall, I made my annual summer trip to my hometown of Winnipeg. While there, I visited my Ukrainian Baba, and came across the following two photos. On the left is a photo of my Dido in a refugee camp in 1944, alongside other Ukrainian refugees. On the right is my Baba in 1945 in...
NEARLY 350 OFFICERS DISCIPLINED The police have high expectations placed upon them, as they are ideally a group of protectors, defenders, and enforcement of the law. While the majority of police may still meet these high expectations, a Toronto Star investigation recently uncovered some “hidden truths” in how the minority of police officers who do act badly are being disciplined and reprimanded...
Moving Forward After the TRC Report Over the past summer, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) put forth ninety-nine recommendations to address the ongoing historical violence Indigenous people face. Issues addressed include the continuing legacy of the residential school system, missing and murdered Indigenous women, and the attempt to restore relations between Indigenous people and...
Can Public Opinion Change Canada’s Refugee Laws? On 2 September 2015, the bodies of brothers Alan (3) and Galib (5) Kurdi washed up on a beach in southern Turkey. The boys drowned alongside their mother Rehan after the boat carrying them and eight other Syrian refugees capsized on its way from Turkey to Greece. Photos of Alan Kurdi’s body lying facedown in the surf are now ubiquitous in the...
The End of Idealism in Professional Sports One of the main arguments in favor of participation in team sports has long focused on the values that they foster. It is argued that athletes are more honorable, team oriented, and simply better members of society. Simply, more sportsmanlike. This may remain the case in principle, and in the context of child focused, participatory sports. However, in...
A Comparison of the 2015 Team With Its 1992 Predecessor Part One: Examining the Infield At first glance, mentioning the two teams—the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays and its 1992 counterpart—in the same sentence seems daring, if not ludicrous. The latter team was first ever non-U.S. based Major League Baseball (MLB) team to win a World Series while the former had a losing record as late as July 28, 2015...
Thirty-one. Thirty-one days from now marks the beginning of the postseason in Major League Baseball (MLB). October is a huge month, as it is one of only two months that will have regular or post-season games from the four major professional sports leagues (and Major League Soccer). More importantly, October is the month with the most optimism for sports fans here as the Raptors and Leafs begin...