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The Pilots
Who They Are
Our esteemed Pilots - a group of accomplished professionals from diverse fields who serve as mentors and advisors to the Observatory. Their expertise and guidance enrich our interdisciplinary approach and ensure our work remains grounded in practical realities.
2025-2026 Cohort
The Honourable Mahmud Jamal
Justice Mahmud Jamal was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on July 1, 2021. He served as a justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario from 2019 to 2021.
Before his appointment to the bench, Justice Jamal practised with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP for over 23 years in the fields of appellate litigation, constitutional and public law, class actions, and commercial litigation. He appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada as counsel to a party or intervener in 35 appeals addressing a wide range of civil, constitutional, criminal, and regulatory issues, including issues of Quebec civil law. He also appeared before the courts of seven provinces, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court of Canada, and various federal and provincial administrative tribunals.
As a lawyer, Justice Jamal was a director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, The Advocates’ Society, and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History. He was an advocacy advisor to the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and a trustee of the Canadian Business Law Journal. He has taught constitutional law at the Faculty of Law of McGill University and administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School, and he has published widely in his areas of practice. He was also chair of his firm’s national pro bono program and a member of its partnership board.
Justice Jamal is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law of McGill University, a senior fellow of Massey College at the University of Toronto, and the chair of the Ontario Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee.
Justice Jamal was born in Kenya, raised in England, and completed high school in Edmonton, Alberta. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees from the Faculty of Law of McGill University, and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School, which he attended on a Fulbright Scholarship. He served as a law clerk to Justice Melvin L. Rothman of the Quebec Court of Appeal and Justice Charles D. Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Before his appointment to the bench, Justice Jamal practised with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP for over 23 years in the fields of appellate litigation, constitutional and public law, class actions, and commercial litigation. He appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada as counsel to a party or intervener in 35 appeals addressing a wide range of civil, constitutional, criminal, and regulatory issues, including issues of Quebec civil law. He also appeared before the courts of seven provinces, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court of Canada, and various federal and provincial administrative tribunals.
As a lawyer, Justice Jamal was a director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, The Advocates’ Society, and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History. He was an advocacy advisor to the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and a trustee of the Canadian Business Law Journal. He has taught constitutional law at the Faculty of Law of McGill University and administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School, and he has published widely in his areas of practice. He was also chair of his firm’s national pro bono program and a member of its partnership board.
Justice Jamal is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law of McGill University, a senior fellow of Massey College at the University of Toronto, and the chair of the Ontario Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee.
Justice Jamal was born in Kenya, raised in England, and completed high school in Edmonton, Alberta. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees from the Faculty of Law of McGill University, and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School, which he attended on a Fulbright Scholarship. He served as a law clerk to Justice Melvin L. Rothman of the Quebec Court of Appeal and Justice Charles D. Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin
Chief Justice of Canada from January 7, 2000 until December 14, 2017. Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada from March 30, 1989 until January 7, 2000.
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin spent her formative years in Pincher Creek, Alberta and was educated at the University of Alberta, where she received a B.A. (Honours) in Philosophy in 1965. She pursued her studies at the University of Alberta and, in 1968, received both an M.A. in Philosophy and an LL.B.
She was called to the Alberta Bar in 1969 and to the British Columbia Bar in 1971 and practised law in Alberta and British Columbia. Commencing in 1974, she taught for seven years in the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia as a tenured Associate Professor.
Her judicial career began in April 1981 when she was appointed to the Vancouver County Court. In September 1981, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She was elevated to the British Columbia Court of Appeal in December 1985 and was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in September 1988. Seven months later, in April 1989, she was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. On January 7, 2000, she was appointed Chief Justice of Canada. She is the first woman in Canada to hold this position.
In addition to her judicial duties at the Supreme Court, the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin chaired the Canadian Judicial Council, the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada and the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute.
She is the author of numerous articles and publications. She retired on December 15, 2017.
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin spent her formative years in Pincher Creek, Alberta and was educated at the University of Alberta, where she received a B.A. (Honours) in Philosophy in 1965. She pursued her studies at the University of Alberta and, in 1968, received both an M.A. in Philosophy and an LL.B.
She was called to the Alberta Bar in 1969 and to the British Columbia Bar in 1971 and practised law in Alberta and British Columbia. Commencing in 1974, she taught for seven years in the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia as a tenured Associate Professor.
Her judicial career began in April 1981 when she was appointed to the Vancouver County Court. In September 1981, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She was elevated to the British Columbia Court of Appeal in December 1985 and was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in September 1988. Seven months later, in April 1989, she was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. On January 7, 2000, she was appointed Chief Justice of Canada. She is the first woman in Canada to hold this position.
In addition to her judicial duties at the Supreme Court, the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin chaired the Canadian Judicial Council, the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada and the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute.
She is the author of numerous articles and publications. She retired on December 15, 2017.
The Honourable Patrick Healy
Patrick Healy was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2016 after nine years as a judge of the Criminal and Penal Division of the Cour du Québec in Montréal. Before his appointment to that court in 2007 Patrick Healy was a professor of law for almost twenty years at McGill University. There he specialised in matters of criminal law, including substantive law, procedure, evidence, sentencing, comparative criminal law and international criminal law. He taught these subjects and has published extensively in all of them. He has lectured widely in Canada and abroad. For many years Patrick Healy was involved in issues of law reform. He advised governments and various non-governmental organisations and testified on several occasions before Parliament on issues concerning pending legislation.
As counsel Patrick Healy acted for the prosecution and the defence in Quebec and elsewhere. He was Counsel to the firm of Shadley Battista in Montreal. For many years he was a member of the Comité permanent en droit criminel of the Quebec Bar and a member of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Bar Association (Criminal - Quebec). He also served as a member of the General Council of the Canadian Bar Association in Quebec. Patrick Healy was a member of a committee of inquiry appointed under the Judges Act to inquire into the tenure of a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec. He advised the Canadian Judicial Council on many occasions with regard to judicial discipline and other matters. He was a member of the International Association of Penal Law and of the International Association of Prosecutors.
Since 1995 Patrick Healy, with Anne-Marie Boisvert, has edited the Canadian Criminal Law Review. He is a governor of the Fondation du Barreau du Québec. He has lectured extensively in programmes for the continuing education of judges and lawyers, often with the National Judicial Institute. He was President of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (2013 – 2015) and was a director, now vice-president, of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. Until his appointment to the Court of Appeal he continued to teach two courses each year as an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at McGill University, where remains also a member of the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism.
As counsel Patrick Healy acted for the prosecution and the defence in Quebec and elsewhere. He was Counsel to the firm of Shadley Battista in Montreal. For many years he was a member of the Comité permanent en droit criminel of the Quebec Bar and a member of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Bar Association (Criminal - Quebec). He also served as a member of the General Council of the Canadian Bar Association in Quebec. Patrick Healy was a member of a committee of inquiry appointed under the Judges Act to inquire into the tenure of a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec. He advised the Canadian Judicial Council on many occasions with regard to judicial discipline and other matters. He was a member of the International Association of Penal Law and of the International Association of Prosecutors.
Since 1995 Patrick Healy, with Anne-Marie Boisvert, has edited the Canadian Criminal Law Review. He is a governor of the Fondation du Barreau du Québec. He has lectured extensively in programmes for the continuing education of judges and lawyers, often with the National Judicial Institute. He was President of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (2013 – 2015) and was a director, now vice-president, of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. Until his appointment to the Court of Appeal he continued to teach two courses each year as an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at McGill University, where remains also a member of the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism.
Senator Michèle Audette
Michèle Audette is a recognized Indigenous leader.
The daughter of a Quebecer father and an Innu mother, Michèle Audette comes from the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam in Quebec. She has played a key role in transforming the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Quebec and Canadian society since the 1990s. At only 27 years old, she was elected president of the association Quebec Native Women. In 2004, she was appointed Associate Deputy Minister to the Secrétariat à la condition féminine of Quebec. From 2012 to 2015, she served as President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada. In 2015, she helped created an innovative graduate program in Indigenous public administration for the École nationale d’administration publique.
Ms. Audette was appointed as one of the five commissioners responsible for conducting the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Since 2019, she has been Assistant to the Vice-Rector of Academic and Student Affairs, and Senior Advisor for reconciliation and Indigenous education at the Université Laval.
In recognition of her significant contributions, Ms. Audette received the 2018 Woman of Distinction Award in the Inspiration category from the Women’s Y Foundation of Montréal. She was named Woman of the Year in 2014 by the Montreal Council of Women, and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. She also received an honorary doctorate from the University de Montréal, in acknowledgement of the scope of her commitment to the cause of Indigenous women and her tireless work on reconciliation between peoples.
Ms. Audette studied visual arts at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and art education at Concordia University.
The daughter of a Quebecer father and an Innu mother, Michèle Audette comes from the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam in Quebec. She has played a key role in transforming the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Quebec and Canadian society since the 1990s. At only 27 years old, she was elected president of the association Quebec Native Women. In 2004, she was appointed Associate Deputy Minister to the Secrétariat à la condition féminine of Quebec. From 2012 to 2015, she served as President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada. In 2015, she helped created an innovative graduate program in Indigenous public administration for the École nationale d’administration publique.
Ms. Audette was appointed as one of the five commissioners responsible for conducting the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Since 2019, she has been Assistant to the Vice-Rector of Academic and Student Affairs, and Senior Advisor for reconciliation and Indigenous education at the Université Laval.
In recognition of her significant contributions, Ms. Audette received the 2018 Woman of Distinction Award in the Inspiration category from the Women’s Y Foundation of Montréal. She was named Woman of the Year in 2014 by the Montreal Council of Women, and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. She also received an honorary doctorate from the University de Montréal, in acknowledgement of the scope of her commitment to the cause of Indigenous women and her tireless work on reconciliation between peoples.
Ms. Audette studied visual arts at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and art education at Concordia University.
Grand Chief Pierre Picard
Pierre Picard is the Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation. He holds training in a psycho-corporal intervention approach and a master’s degree in clinical sexology, initially specializing in sexual assault issues within Quebec’s First Nations communities. For several years, he has led the Groupe de recherche et d’interventions psychosociales en milieu autochtone (GRIPMA), a research and intervention group focused on psychosocial issues in Indigenous contexts.
A speaker, trainer, researcher, clinical supervisor, and lecturer in Public Health at the Université de Montréal, he has carried out numerous studies specifically addressing psychosocial challenges in Indigenous communities, as well as culturally and identity-sensitive healing approaches adapted to the realities of Quebec’s First Nations.
He serves as an expert on various working groups and government committees and regularly collaborates on the development of policies, programs, and strategies—particularly those aimed at ensuring cultural safety in Indigenous settings. In 2022, he was awarded the First Peoples Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.
A speaker, trainer, researcher, clinical supervisor, and lecturer in Public Health at the Université de Montréal, he has carried out numerous studies specifically addressing psychosocial challenges in Indigenous communities, as well as culturally and identity-sensitive healing approaches adapted to the realities of Quebec’s First Nations.
He serves as an expert on various working groups and government committees and regularly collaborates on the development of policies, programs, and strategies—particularly those aimed at ensuring cultural safety in Indigenous settings. In 2022, he was awarded the First Peoples Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.
Jeannette Corbière Lavell
Jeannette Corbiere Lavell is an educator and lifelong advocate for Indigenous women's rights. Born into the Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, she completed business college in North Bay before moving to Toronto, where she worked for the Native Canadian Centre. In 1970, she lost her status under the Indian Act when she married a non-Indigenous man. Noting that the same did not apply to Indigenous men, she challenged the Indian Act. Although her initial challenge failed, it inspired further challenges, which ultimately succeeded. Corbiere Lavell has worked closely with many Indigenous organizations; she is a former President of the Native Women's Association of Canada and a co-founder and former president of the Ontario Native Women's Association. Corbiere Lavell has been awarded the Order of Canada, a Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, and honorary doctorates from York University and Nipissing University.
Valérie Assouline
Me Valérie Assouline has been a lawyer in Montreal for over 25 years and is the founder of SOS Avocats, a boutique law firm known for its strong commitment to youth protection and family law.
Elected Bâtonnière of the Montreal Bar in 2025, she advocates for a justice system that is humane, accessible, and accountable, particularly in matters involving child protection. She has distinguished herself in several high-profile cases, including the tragic case of the Granby girl, which exposed serious institutional failures. Pro bono work makes up a significant part of her practice, especially in cases involving matters of public interest.
A dedicated educator and communicator, she regularly offers training on the systemic issues surrounding children’s rights and the State’s obligations.
She was also active in municipal politics for eight years in the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, where she notably contributed to the implementation of a Charter of Children’s Rights.
Her commitment to her community and her continuous efforts to advance the role of women in politics earned her the Canadian Senate Medal.
Elected Bâtonnière of the Montreal Bar in 2025, she advocates for a justice system that is humane, accessible, and accountable, particularly in matters involving child protection. She has distinguished herself in several high-profile cases, including the tragic case of the Granby girl, which exposed serious institutional failures. Pro bono work makes up a significant part of her practice, especially in cases involving matters of public interest.
A dedicated educator and communicator, she regularly offers training on the systemic issues surrounding children’s rights and the State’s obligations.
She was also active in municipal politics for eight years in the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, where she notably contributed to the implementation of a Charter of Children’s Rights.
Her commitment to her community and her continuous efforts to advance the role of women in politics earned her the Canadian Senate Medal.
Florent Vollant
Florent Vollant, an Innu singer-songwriter and performer, was born in 1959 in Labrador and grew up on the Maliotenam reserve, east of Sept-Îles. In the 1980s, he helped create the Innu Nikamu Festival, which has since become an annual showcase for Indigenous talent. Alongside his partner Claude McKenzie, he formed the duo Kashtin, which made history by recording three successful albums between 1989 and 1995. Their music took them to international stages, making Kashtin the first Indigenous group from Quebec to gain global recognition.
A passionate advocate for the environment, Florent Vollant was named Artist for Peace in 1994. Actively involved in his community, he founded Makusham Studio, providing a platform for young Indigenous musicians. His solo career is equally impressive, with critically acclaimed albums and prestigious collaborations. In 1999, his Innu-language Christmas album "Nipaiamianan" won a Juno Award. In 2011, he became the spokesperson for the Teweikan Gala, which celebrates Indigenous music.
In 2018, he was named spokesperson for Re-Connaître, a program supporting Indigenous arts in Quebec. His Innu-language narration for the opera "Chaakapesh: The Trickster’s Journey" was widely praised during a tour of Northern Quebec. His fifth solo album, "Mitsha Meshkenu", released in 2018, was lauded for its country-folk and Tex-Mex influences. In 2019, he won the very first ADISQ award for Indigenous Artist of the Year. Florent Vollant is the recipient of numerous accolades, including being named a Companion of the Arts and Letters of Quebec in 2017, receiving the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec’s Gold Medal in 2018, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2020. His musical legacy and commitment to his community continue to inspire and move audiences around the world.
"Tshitatau", his sixth album, is a work rooted in his studio, Makusham Studio, at the very heart of his community. Co-written in Innu-aimun with André Lachance—a producer, multi-instrumentalist composer, and long-time stage partner—the songs are fragments of memory carried by Florent Vollant’s authentic and poignant voice.
A passionate advocate for the environment, Florent Vollant was named Artist for Peace in 1994. Actively involved in his community, he founded Makusham Studio, providing a platform for young Indigenous musicians. His solo career is equally impressive, with critically acclaimed albums and prestigious collaborations. In 1999, his Innu-language Christmas album "Nipaiamianan" won a Juno Award. In 2011, he became the spokesperson for the Teweikan Gala, which celebrates Indigenous music.
In 2018, he was named spokesperson for Re-Connaître, a program supporting Indigenous arts in Quebec. His Innu-language narration for the opera "Chaakapesh: The Trickster’s Journey" was widely praised during a tour of Northern Quebec. His fifth solo album, "Mitsha Meshkenu", released in 2018, was lauded for its country-folk and Tex-Mex influences. In 2019, he won the very first ADISQ award for Indigenous Artist of the Year. Florent Vollant is the recipient of numerous accolades, including being named a Companion of the Arts and Letters of Quebec in 2017, receiving the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec’s Gold Medal in 2018, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2020. His musical legacy and commitment to his community continue to inspire and move audiences around the world.
"Tshitatau", his sixth album, is a work rooted in his studio, Makusham Studio, at the very heart of his community. Co-written in Innu-aimun with André Lachance—a producer, multi-instrumentalist composer, and long-time stage partner—the songs are fragments of memory carried by Florent Vollant’s authentic and poignant voice.
Émile Bilodeau
Passionate about music since his teenage years, he came to public attention in 2016 with his debut album Rites de passage. This breakthrough earned him the Félix Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the ADISQ Gala in 2017. No sooner had this first chapter ended than he followed up with Grandeur mature in fall 2019, a second album that, as its title suggests, marked a clear evolution. Less than two years later, he was already preparing his return: his third effort, petite nature, a lucid and fiery album, was released in September 2021 under Bravo musique.
Émile then followed up with "Tshe Minupunanu", a track co-written with Scott-Pien Picard and the group Maten, marking the beginning of a meaningful collaboration with members of the Innu community. Without delay, the artist surprised fans with Tout seul comme un grand, a fourth album with a fitting title, on which he worked almost entirely independently.
In fall 2023, he released the continuation of his musical journey: Au bar des espoirs, his fifth album, produced by his friend and longtime ally Simon Kearney. As the title suggests, this new collection of songs is tied together by the idea that the line between hope and despair can be thin, told with his signature lively charm, all with the simple yet essential aim of helping us hold on to hope and keep smiling.
Émile then followed up with "Tshe Minupunanu", a track co-written with Scott-Pien Picard and the group Maten, marking the beginning of a meaningful collaboration with members of the Innu community. Without delay, the artist surprised fans with Tout seul comme un grand, a fourth album with a fitting title, on which he worked almost entirely independently.
In fall 2023, he released the continuation of his musical journey: Au bar des espoirs, his fifth album, produced by his friend and longtime ally Simon Kearney. As the title suggests, this new collection of songs is tied together by the idea that the line between hope and despair can be thin, told with his signature lively charm, all with the simple yet essential aim of helping us hold on to hope and keep smiling.
Dr. Tina Stavrinaki
Dr. Tina Stavrinaki is Assistant Professor in Human Rights and International Law with the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (SIM) and the International and European Law Department, a researcher of RENFORCE and Member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Vice-Chairperson 2022-2024) and Rapporteur on the General Recommendation on racial discrimination and the right to health. She teaches International Human Right Law, Racial discrimination and Health, Gender and International Law.
Her research covers UN human rights complaint procedures and monitoring mechanisms, hate crimes, hate speech and the administration of justice for victims, freedom of expression and the right to education under the ECHR, and social rights, in particular related to occupational hazards and social security. She litigated on behalf of the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights the collective complaint No. 30/2005, in which the European Committee of Social Rights recognized the right to a healthy environment and how environmental violations in the energy sector breach the rights to just, safe and healthy working conditions.
She has an extensive experience with the National Human Rights Institution and the UNHCR in Greece. She co-founded and coordinated the Racist Violence Recording Network, recognised as best practice in recording hate crimes, supporting victims and building synergies between human rights institutions, civil society, and national authorities. In this context, she has trained lawyers, humanitarian staff, civil servants, and law enforcement officials in preventing and combatting racial discrimination and in identifying victims of hate crimes.
Her research covers UN human rights complaint procedures and monitoring mechanisms, hate crimes, hate speech and the administration of justice for victims, freedom of expression and the right to education under the ECHR, and social rights, in particular related to occupational hazards and social security. She litigated on behalf of the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights the collective complaint No. 30/2005, in which the European Committee of Social Rights recognized the right to a healthy environment and how environmental violations in the energy sector breach the rights to just, safe and healthy working conditions.
She has an extensive experience with the National Human Rights Institution and the UNHCR in Greece. She co-founded and coordinated the Racist Violence Recording Network, recognised as best practice in recording hate crimes, supporting victims and building synergies between human rights institutions, civil society, and national authorities. In this context, she has trained lawyers, humanitarian staff, civil servants, and law enforcement officials in preventing and combatting racial discrimination and in identifying victims of hate crimes.
Dr. Markus Gehring
Dr Markus Gehring, J.S.D. (Yale), MA (Cantab), LLM (Yale), Dr iur (Hamburg), is a Member of the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS), Fellow and Director of Studies in Law at Hughes and a Fellow of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law. Before joining the Law Faculty, he served for two years as Tutor in Sustainable Development Law, he was also Fellow in Law at Robinson College 2005-2012. He has been a Visiting Professor in several law faculties around the world, most recently at the Yale Law School (Spring 2023), and held a Jean Monnet Research Chair ad personam in Sustainable Development Law at the University of Ottawa Law Faculty in Canada. In his former department at Cambridge, Politics and International Studies (POLIS), he serves as affiliated Lecturer in European and International Law. He is also an affiliated Lecturer in the Department of Land Economy, a Founding Fellow of the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Governance (C-EENRG). He holds a J.S.D. and LL.M from Yale and a Dr iur from Hamburg. A member of the Frankfurt/Main and Ontario Bars, he practiced European and international trade law with Cleary Gottlieb in their Brussels office. Prior to joining Robinson College, he was a tutor in Public International Law at University College, Oxford. He serves as Lead Counsel for Sustainable Trade, Investment and Finance Law with the Centre of International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL), based at McGill University. He serves as an Editor for the Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies and co-edits the book series on Implementation of Sustainable Development Treaties with Cambridge University Press and is author of several publications on EU, International and Sustainable Development Law.
Nahla Haidar
Nahla Haidar El Addal is a jurist with over 30 years of international service. Currently, she serves as Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Ms. Haidar is also a Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).
Prior to these appointments, Ms. Haidar served in various capacities in the United Nations System, both at Headquarters and in the field, covering the areas of social development, humanitarian action, peace building and human rights. Ms. Haidar acted as the Rapporteur for the elaboration and adoption of CEDAW General Recommendation 37 on the Gender -related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. CEDAW/C/GC/37.
Nahla Haidar El Addal holds an LLM in Law from Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France, and a Law degree in International Law from Saint-Josef University (USJ) in Beirut, Lebanon as well as a “licence” in Sociology. Arabic is her mother tongue and she is fluent in French and English, with a working knowledge of Spanish.
Prior to these appointments, Ms. Haidar served in various capacities in the United Nations System, both at Headquarters and in the field, covering the areas of social development, humanitarian action, peace building and human rights. Ms. Haidar acted as the Rapporteur for the elaboration and adoption of CEDAW General Recommendation 37 on the Gender -related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. CEDAW/C/GC/37.
Nahla Haidar El Addal holds an LLM in Law from Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France, and a Law degree in International Law from Saint-Josef University (USJ) in Beirut, Lebanon as well as a “licence” in Sociology. Arabic is her mother tongue and she is fluent in French and English, with a working knowledge of Spanish.
Dr.
Blaise Carron
Blaise Carron is professor for contract law and legal methodology at the University of Neuchâtel, of counsel at AGON Partners Legal AG, an independent arbitrator, a member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre and a certified specialist SBA construction and real estate law as well as tenancy law. Previously, he was, inter alia, a lawyer with the Swiss Competition Commission, a senior associate in a commercial law firm and the dean of the University of Neuchâtel Law School (2018–2020). He was a member of the Expert Commission nominated by the Swiss Federal Council for the Reform of the Swiss Competition authorities (2023–2024). He studied at the universities of Fribourg and Tübingen (master’s, 1999; PhD, 2003) and at Harvard Law School (LLM, 2002). He is admitted to all Swiss courts as well as in New York.
François Cardinal
François Cardinal is a Quebec journalist.
He has spent 25 years covering various sectors, including provincial politics, the environment, and urban affairs. He is currently Deputy Editor and Vice President of News at the daily newspaper La Presse, where he has worked since 2002. He is also a regular commentator on television and radio.
François Cardinal is the author of the essays Le mythe du Québec vert (The Myth of a Green Quebec), Perdus sans la nature (Lost Without Nature), and Et si la beauté rendait heureux (What If Beauty Made Us Happy), co-written with architect Pierre Thibault. He also edited the collective works Rêver Montréal: 101 idées pour relancer la métropole(Dreaming Montreal: 101 Ideas to Revive the Metropolis), Lâchez pas, les gars! (Don’t Give Up, Guys!), and La Révolution Z.
He has received the Judith-Jasmin Award for the best opinion piece of the year in Quebec, and the Claude-Ryan Award, which recognizes the Canadian editorialist of the year.
Notably, he received the President's Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 2015 and the Blanche-Lemco-Van Ginkel Award from the Quebec Order of Urban Planners in 2013 for his “significant contribution to the development of urban planning in Quebec.”
François Cardinal also worked as a journalist at Le Devoir, where he held positions as copy editor, reporter, and parliamentary correspondent at the National Assembly.
Previously, he was a reporter at Le Journal de Montréal, and editor-in-chief of the magazines Ski Presse, Sno-Québec, and Aventure Presse.
He has spent 25 years covering various sectors, including provincial politics, the environment, and urban affairs. He is currently Deputy Editor and Vice President of News at the daily newspaper La Presse, where he has worked since 2002. He is also a regular commentator on television and radio.
François Cardinal is the author of the essays Le mythe du Québec vert (The Myth of a Green Quebec), Perdus sans la nature (Lost Without Nature), and Et si la beauté rendait heureux (What If Beauty Made Us Happy), co-written with architect Pierre Thibault. He also edited the collective works Rêver Montréal: 101 idées pour relancer la métropole(Dreaming Montreal: 101 Ideas to Revive the Metropolis), Lâchez pas, les gars! (Don’t Give Up, Guys!), and La Révolution Z.
He has received the Judith-Jasmin Award for the best opinion piece of the year in Quebec, and the Claude-Ryan Award, which recognizes the Canadian editorialist of the year.
Notably, he received the President's Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 2015 and the Blanche-Lemco-Van Ginkel Award from the Quebec Order of Urban Planners in 2013 for his “significant contribution to the development of urban planning in Quebec.”
François Cardinal also worked as a journalist at Le Devoir, where he held positions as copy editor, reporter, and parliamentary correspondent at the National Assembly.
Previously, he was a reporter at Le Journal de Montréal, and editor-in-chief of the magazines Ski Presse, Sno-Québec, and Aventure Presse.
Laverne Jacobs
Laverne Jacobs is a full Professor at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. She is also an elected expert member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Professor Jacobs is the first Canadian to serve on this UN Human Rights Treaty Body.
Professor Jacobs is Chair of the Working Group on Communications and Inquiries on the CRPD Committee. She is also the Committee Rapporteur.
A former Associate Dean (Research & Graduate Studies), Professor Jacobs teaches, researches and writes in the areas of persons with disabilities and the law, administrative law, administrative justice and human rights. She is the lead author and general editor of the first textbook in Canada on law and disability, which was published in 2021. She has published and presented widely in her fields, both in Canada and internationally. She currently holds the Research Chair in Disability Equality & Administrative Justice at Windsor Law.
Dr. Jacobs founded and directs The Law, Disability & Social Change Project, a research centre at Windsor Law that works to foster and develop inclusive communities. She is also Co-Director of the Disability Rights Working Group at Berkeley Law’s Center for Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law.
Dr. Jacobs is the recipient of several awards for her research, scholarship and community engagement. These include the Canadian Bar Association Touchstone Award, the Canadian Association of Law Teachers (CALT) Academic Excellence Award, the Research Excellence Award (Established Researcher Category, University of Windsor), and the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Hummingbird Award.
Professor Jacobs is Chair of the Working Group on Communications and Inquiries on the CRPD Committee. She is also the Committee Rapporteur.
A former Associate Dean (Research & Graduate Studies), Professor Jacobs teaches, researches and writes in the areas of persons with disabilities and the law, administrative law, administrative justice and human rights. She is the lead author and general editor of the first textbook in Canada on law and disability, which was published in 2021. She has published and presented widely in her fields, both in Canada and internationally. She currently holds the Research Chair in Disability Equality & Administrative Justice at Windsor Law.
Dr. Jacobs founded and directs The Law, Disability & Social Change Project, a research centre at Windsor Law that works to foster and develop inclusive communities. She is also Co-Director of the Disability Rights Working Group at Berkeley Law’s Center for Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law.
Dr. Jacobs is the recipient of several awards for her research, scholarship and community engagement. These include the Canadian Bar Association Touchstone Award, the Canadian Association of Law Teachers (CALT) Academic Excellence Award, the Research Excellence Award (Established Researcher Category, University of Windsor), and the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Hummingbird Award.
2024-2025 Cohort
The Honourable Nicholas Kasirer
The Honourable Nicholas Kasirer graduated from McGill University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Civil Law and a Bachelor of Laws, following a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. In 1986, he completed a postgraduate Diplôme d’études approfondies in International Law at Université Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne). After clerking for the Honourable Jean Beetz of the Supreme Court of Canada, he became a member of the Barreau du Québec in 1987.
From 1989 to 2009, the Honourable Kasirer was a professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Law, where he taught in several fields, including the law of obligations, property law, family law, and wills and estates law in both civil and common law. He was also a visiting professor at various universities, including the Université Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne). He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at McGill University from 2003 to 2009.
The Honourable Kasirer held the James McGill Chair from 2002 to 2009 and directed the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law from 1996 to 2003. He has authored over a hundred publications in a variety of fields, including civil law, comparative law, and jurilinguistics.
Since 1990, the Honourable Kasirer has been secretary and member of the Editorial Committee of the Private Law Dictionary / Dictionnaire de droit privé at the Faculty of Law at McGill University. He is a member of the editorial committees of the Revue du Notariat, the Revue de droit de l’Université de Sherbrooke, the Louisiana State University Journal of Civil Law Studies, the ISAIDAT Law Review of Turin (Italy) and the Revue internationale de droit comparé in Paris.
In 2009, he was appointed Justice of the Court of Appeal of Quebec. During the last 10 years, he has rendered many judgments in various fields, such as private law, criminal law, and public law, including constitutional law.
Since 2006, he has been a Titular Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law (Paris). In 2012, the Université de Sherbrooke awarded him an honorary doctorate in law. In 2008, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
The Honourable Nicholas Kasirer was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on September 16, 2019.
From 1989 to 2009, the Honourable Kasirer was a professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Law, where he taught in several fields, including the law of obligations, property law, family law, and wills and estates law in both civil and common law. He was also a visiting professor at various universities, including the Université Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne). He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at McGill University from 2003 to 2009.
The Honourable Kasirer held the James McGill Chair from 2002 to 2009 and directed the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law from 1996 to 2003. He has authored over a hundred publications in a variety of fields, including civil law, comparative law, and jurilinguistics.
Since 1990, the Honourable Kasirer has been secretary and member of the Editorial Committee of the Private Law Dictionary / Dictionnaire de droit privé at the Faculty of Law at McGill University. He is a member of the editorial committees of the Revue du Notariat, the Revue de droit de l’Université de Sherbrooke, the Louisiana State University Journal of Civil Law Studies, the ISAIDAT Law Review of Turin (Italy) and the Revue internationale de droit comparé in Paris.
In 2009, he was appointed Justice of the Court of Appeal of Quebec. During the last 10 years, he has rendered many judgments in various fields, such as private law, criminal law, and public law, including constitutional law.
Since 2006, he has been a Titular Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law (Paris). In 2012, the Université de Sherbrooke awarded him an honorary doctorate in law. In 2008, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
The Honourable Nicholas Kasirer was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on September 16, 2019.
Hilary Pearson
Hilary Pearson is Chancellor of Brock University. She has enjoyed a twenty-year career in foundation philanthropy in Canada. As Founding President of Philanthropic Foundations Canada, a position she held for nearly eighteen years, Hilary worked with many of Canada's largest private charitable foundations. Many family foundations have benefited from her strategic advice and assistance in understanding the sector, establishing their goals, setting up their governance structures and defining their giving practices.
The author of numerous articles and reviews on foundation philanthropy, Ms. Pearson is a frequent speaker and workshop leader in Canada and around the world. In her role at PFC, she has published detailed guides to establishing and managing a foundation, as well as guides for foundations working with governments and universities, and involved in public policy advocacy.
Ms. Pearson has extensive knowledge of federal policies governing charities. She is co-chair of the Charitable Sector Advisory Committee, which advises the federal government on policy and regulatory issues. From 2012 to 2015, she served on the Governor General's Advisory Committee on Volunteering and Philanthropy.
In July 2018, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of her contribution to the development of the philanthropic sector in Canada. Ms. Pearson has served on numerous national not-for-profit boards, including Imagine Canada, The Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada, CARE Canada, Inspire and the Canadian Cancer Society.
She is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Coady Institute at St. Francis Xavier University and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Master of Philanthropy and Non-Profit Management program at Carleton University. Ms. Pearson holds bachelor's and master's degrees in political economy from the University of Toronto, as well as honorary doctorates from Carleton University, the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University.
The author of numerous articles and reviews on foundation philanthropy, Ms. Pearson is a frequent speaker and workshop leader in Canada and around the world. In her role at PFC, she has published detailed guides to establishing and managing a foundation, as well as guides for foundations working with governments and universities, and involved in public policy advocacy.
Ms. Pearson has extensive knowledge of federal policies governing charities. She is co-chair of the Charitable Sector Advisory Committee, which advises the federal government on policy and regulatory issues. From 2012 to 2015, she served on the Governor General's Advisory Committee on Volunteering and Philanthropy.
In July 2018, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of her contribution to the development of the philanthropic sector in Canada. Ms. Pearson has served on numerous national not-for-profit boards, including Imagine Canada, The Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada, CARE Canada, Inspire and the Canadian Cancer Society.
She is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Coady Institute at St. Francis Xavier University and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Master of Philanthropy and Non-Profit Management program at Carleton University. Ms. Pearson holds bachelor's and master's degrees in political economy from the University of Toronto, as well as honorary doctorates from Carleton University, the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University.
Dr. Philip Jaffé
After an initial four-year term (2019-2022) as Member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Professor Philip D. Jaffé has been re-elected for the period 2023-2027. His professional background is relatively complex, with postgraduate training in both Switzerland (Geneva and Fribourg) and the United States (New York and Boston). For some thirty years, he taught at the University of Geneva's Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. In 2008, he became Director of the Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch (IUKB) in Sion (Valais) and head of the new teaching and research unit on children's rights.
For several years, he and his team have successfully integrated the IUKB into the University of Geneva, which in 2015 created a new Center for the Study of Children's Rights (CIDE). Dr. Jaffé maintains a small private practice in clinical and forensic psychology in Geneva, which he considers essential for his teaching activities. Indeed, he still teaches legal psychology at the University of Geneva. On several occasions, he has had the privilege of being called upon to carry out humanitarian missions for major international governmental institutions in several troubled regions of the world, such as the Caucasus, Iraq or the Aceh province in Indonesia.
For several years, he and his team have successfully integrated the IUKB into the University of Geneva, which in 2015 created a new Center for the Study of Children's Rights (CIDE). Dr. Jaffé maintains a small private practice in clinical and forensic psychology in Geneva, which he considers essential for his teaching activities. Indeed, he still teaches legal psychology at the University of Geneva. On several occasions, he has had the privilege of being called upon to carry out humanitarian missions for major international governmental institutions in several troubled regions of the world, such as the Caucasus, Iraq or the Aceh province in Indonesia.
Dr. Dawn Memee Lavell-Harvard
Dr. Dawn Lavell Harvard is a proud member of the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island. She is the Director of the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University and past president of the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Ontario Native Women's Association (2004-2015). Through her scholarly work and speaking engagements in Canada and internationally, Dr. Lavell-Harvard is helping break the cycle of poverty for Aboriginal women and their families through culturally appropriate educational reforms. She has earned numerous honors, including the 2018 “Spirit of Barbara Schlifer” Award in recognition of her relentless fight against violence experienced by indigenous women. She chairs the board of NIWEE (National Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem) and sits as a board member of the Canadian Women's Foundation.
The Honourable Simon Ruel
The Honourable Simon Ruel was appointed a judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal on June 21, 2017, after serving as a judge of the Quebec Superior Court from 2014 to 2017. During his career as a lawyer, he practiced mainly in public, administrative and government affairs law. After starting his career with Grey Casgrain in Montreal, he worked as a litigator and legal counsel at the Department of Justice Canada, the Privy Council Office and the Department of Finance Canada in Ottawa. Prior to his appointment to the Superior Court, he was a partner with BCF Avocats d'affaires in Quebec City and previously with the Canadian national law firm Heenan Blaikie. As a prosecutor, the Honourable Mr. Ruel has participated in a number of federal and provincial public and regulatory inquiries, and has taught public and administrative law at the École du Barreau du Québec and evidence law at the University of Ottawa.
Chair of the Judicial Committee on Information Security ("COMSI") and of the Judges' Section of the Canadian Bar Association, The Honourable Mr. Ruel is a puisne member of the Canadian Judicial Council's Judicial Independence Committee and co-chair of the Council's Social Media Subcommittee. As counsel, he advised the Council on the reform of the disciplinary process for federally appointed judges and, as a member of the Independence Committee, participated in the revision of Ethical Principles for Federal Judges, updated in 2021. The Honourable Mr. Ruel is also interested in international law. In 2014, he took part in an international mission to assess anti-corruption measures taken by the Republic of Haiti on behalf of Transparency International/Haiti, in preparation for the review of Haiti's implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. He hosts "Sous le feu", a series of podcasts prepared by the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, featuring specialists in international law, the law of war, humanitarian law and international criminal law.
Chair of the Judicial Committee on Information Security ("COMSI") and of the Judges' Section of the Canadian Bar Association, The Honourable Mr. Ruel is a puisne member of the Canadian Judicial Council's Judicial Independence Committee and co-chair of the Council's Social Media Subcommittee. As counsel, he advised the Council on the reform of the disciplinary process for federally appointed judges and, as a member of the Independence Committee, participated in the revision of Ethical Principles for Federal Judges, updated in 2021. The Honourable Mr. Ruel is also interested in international law. In 2014, he took part in an international mission to assess anti-corruption measures taken by the Republic of Haiti on behalf of Transparency International/Haiti, in preparation for the review of Haiti's implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. He hosts "Sous le feu", a series of podcasts prepared by the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, featuring specialists in international law, the law of war, humanitarian law and international criminal law.
Dr. Bessma Momani
Dr. Bessma Momani is Associate Vice-President, International Relations at the University of Waterloo and a full professor in the Department of Political Science. She is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), a Non-Resident Fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, D.C., and a Fulbright Scholar. She previously served as Interim Assistant Vice-President, International Relations at the University of Waterloo and was a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellow (2015). She has also been a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., and a Visiting Scholar at the Mortara Center at Georgetown University. She has worked as a consultant to the International Monetary Fund, both in the communications office and the Independent Evaluation Office. Dr. Bessma Momani currently serves as an adviser to the National Security Transparency Advisory Group at Public Safety Canada.
She is currently the director of a three-year-funded Department of National Defence network called the Defence and Security Foresight Group tasked with providing policy-relevant advice to the Department of National Defence. In recent years, Dr. Bessma Momani spearheaded the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation’s Pluralism Project which explored the link between Canadian diversity and economic prosperity. This has led to further work on bringing visible minority women into the Canadian economy. As a frequent media and political analyst on the Middle East, international affairs and the global economy, Bessma has written editorials in The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, the Economist, the National Post and the Toronto Star. She is also a regular media contributor, having done thousands of live broadcast interviews, with CNN, CBC News, CTV, Al Jazeera, CGTN, TRT World and BNN Bloomberg.
She is currently the director of a three-year-funded Department of National Defence network called the Defence and Security Foresight Group tasked with providing policy-relevant advice to the Department of National Defence. In recent years, Dr. Bessma Momani spearheaded the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation’s Pluralism Project which explored the link between Canadian diversity and economic prosperity. This has led to further work on bringing visible minority women into the Canadian economy. As a frequent media and political analyst on the Middle East, international affairs and the global economy, Bessma has written editorials in The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, the Economist, the National Post and the Toronto Star. She is also a regular media contributor, having done thousands of live broadcast interviews, with CNN, CBC News, CTV, Al Jazeera, CGTN, TRT World and BNN Bloomberg.
The Honourable Denis Paradis
In 2006, the Honorable Denis Paradis, C.P., Ad.E., joined Dunton Rainville as legal counsel, where he practises mainly in the administrative, corporate and tax fields. After being called to the Quebec Bar in 1976, the Honourable Paradis practiced for nearly twenty years with the firm “Paradis et Associés”, which he founded. During this period, the Honourable Paradis also taught agricultural law at the Quebec Bar. Elected vice-president of the Quebec Bar in 1992, and Bâtonnier in 1993, the Honourable Paradis has, throughout his career, consistently demonstrated the sincerity of his professional involvement, as well as his willingness to defend and promote the influence of the legal profession.
Naturally, the Honourable Paradis' involvement in the political sphere was also evident. First at the local level, the Honourable Paradis was Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, then at the national level, he was in charge of three ministerial portfolios between 2002 and 2004: the Ministry of State for Latin America and Africa, the Ministry of Francophonie and the Ministry of State for Financial Institutions. Resolutely oriented towards the international arena, the Honourable Paradis founded the Canada-Algeria Business Alliance in 2008 and is currently its president. He has also worked for the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, and prepared the Summit of Heads of State of the Francophonie in Beirut.
Naturally, the Honourable Paradis' involvement in the political sphere was also evident. First at the local level, the Honourable Paradis was Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, then at the national level, he was in charge of three ministerial portfolios between 2002 and 2004: the Ministry of State for Latin America and Africa, the Ministry of Francophonie and the Ministry of State for Financial Institutions. Resolutely oriented towards the international arena, the Honourable Paradis founded the Canada-Algeria Business Alliance in 2008 and is currently its president. He has also worked for the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, and prepared the Summit of Heads of State of the Francophonie in Beirut.
Orlando Arriagada
Arriving in Quebec in the 90s, Orlando Arriagada quickly made his mark in the television industry as a producer and businessman. In 1996, he founded his first company, Al Dente Films, followed by Tutti Frutti Films in 2003, which he sold to FRV Media. In 2007, Pimiento was born, and has since produced nearly thirty unique documentaries and documentary series broadcast on Canal D, APTN, Ici Radio-Canada and Canal vie, to name but a few, in addition to numerous creations for new media. Orlando's directing credits include the documentaries Derrière le miracle, Miss inc, Au pif, the series Amérikologie, L'ADN du ceviche, selected at the 63rd San Sebastian International Film Festival in the "Culinary Zinema" category, La bataille de Nancy, and in 2021, the series Voir la musique autrement and his latest production, the unique documentary entitled “La purge, LGBT, la sombre histoire" (broadcast on September 16, 2023 on ICI Première), which attracted a great deal of attention and media interest.
Over the years, he has been involved in a number of organizations, including the Quebec Latin American Chamber of Commerce and the “Association des producteurs de films et de télévision du Québec”. Orlando Arriagada is also committed to the next generation of film and television professionals, having created the Pimiento scholarship to cover the tuition fees of some of his employees admitted to L'inis. He has also collaborated on numerous occasions with film and television festivals and organizations, most recently with Fantasia and the Montreal Black Film Festival. From 2019 to 2023, Orlando was Professor and Director of the Documentary Master's program and the Documentary Creation Lab at ESCAC (Catalonia Film School) in Barcelona.
Over the years, he has been involved in a number of organizations, including the Quebec Latin American Chamber of Commerce and the “Association des producteurs de films et de télévision du Québec”. Orlando Arriagada is also committed to the next generation of film and television professionals, having created the Pimiento scholarship to cover the tuition fees of some of his employees admitted to L'inis. He has also collaborated on numerous occasions with film and television festivals and organizations, most recently with Fantasia and the Montreal Black Film Festival. From 2019 to 2023, Orlando was Professor and Director of the Documentary Master's program and the Documentary Creation Lab at ESCAC (Catalonia Film School) in Barcelona.
Myrlande Pierre
Myrlande Pierre is Vice-President of the “Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse”. She is responsible for the Commission's mandate under the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Act respecting equal access to employment in public bodies. Ms. Pierre is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the field of immigration and socio-economic integration, with a particular focus on the socio-economic integration of racialized minorities. Systemic racism and discrimination, as well as issues affecting ethnocultural and racialized minority women, form the cornerstone of her work.
A sociologist by training, her career has also been marked by her social commitment. In this regard, Ms. Pierre was appointed President of the “Table sur la diversité, l'inclusion et la lutte contre les discriminations” by the Mayoress of Montreal (March 2018 - June 2019). She was a member of an expert committee on Black communities in Canada at Statistics Canada (2018 - 2019)- This committee was called upon to define orientations and policies relating to the reality and socio-economic issues of Black communities in Quebec and Canada. Myrlande Pierre has received several awards for her involvement in advancing the rights of women and racialized minorities. In 2018, she received the “Médaille de l'Assemblée nationale”. More recently, she received the “Prix Opale Diversité” (2020). In 2001, Ms. Pierre received the “Prix Femme, politique et société” for her community involvement and contribution to advancing issues of participation and representation of racialized minority women in institutional and democratic structures.
A sociologist by training, her career has also been marked by her social commitment. In this regard, Ms. Pierre was appointed President of the “Table sur la diversité, l'inclusion et la lutte contre les discriminations” by the Mayoress of Montreal (March 2018 - June 2019). She was a member of an expert committee on Black communities in Canada at Statistics Canada (2018 - 2019)- This committee was called upon to define orientations and policies relating to the reality and socio-economic issues of Black communities in Quebec and Canada. Myrlande Pierre has received several awards for her involvement in advancing the rights of women and racialized minorities. In 2018, she received the “Médaille de l'Assemblée nationale”. More recently, she received the “Prix Opale Diversité” (2020). In 2001, Ms. Pierre received the “Prix Femme, politique et société” for her community involvement and contribution to advancing issues of participation and representation of racialized minority women in institutional and democratic structures.
Dr. Bernard Motulsky
Dr. Bernard Motulsky holds a master's degree and a doctorate (Ph.D.) in philosophy, and is the author of several books on communications. He has over thirty years' experience in the field of communications and public relations. Currently a professor in the Department of Social and Public Communications at UQAM, he began his career as an editor and journalist before becoming a communications professor at Université Laval. He subsequently held a number of positions, most notably with the Cossette Group, the Quebec government, the Montreal Stock Exchange and the Université de Montréal. He was Chairman of the Advisory Board on Administrative Governance of the “Autorité des marchés financiers du Québec” (AMF) between 2005 and 2015, and President of the “Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques” (SQPRP) from 2014 to 2016.
He is the recipient of several awards, including the highest honor from the Quebec Society of Public Relations Professionals, the Yves St-Amand Award, presented in 2024. Often called upon to comment on current events in the media, he is founding vice-president of the Paris-based Academy of Controversy and Sensitive Communication. He is also interested in issues of migration and identity, and in 2023 published a book on his quest to retrace his family history through the turmoil of history.
He is the recipient of several awards, including the highest honor from the Quebec Society of Public Relations Professionals, the Yves St-Amand Award, presented in 2024. Often called upon to comment on current events in the media, he is founding vice-president of the Paris-based Academy of Controversy and Sensitive Communication. He is also interested in issues of migration and identity, and in 2023 published a book on his quest to retrace his family history through the turmoil of history.
Richard Thompson Ford
Professor at Stanford Law School, Richard T. Ford is a specialist in civil rights and anti-discrimination law. He has earned the reputation of an informed voice and hard-hitting author on issues of racism and multiculturalism. Combining social criticism and legal analysis, his work focuses on the social and legal conflicts associated with discrimination claims, the causes and effects of racial segregation, and the use of territorial boundaries as instruments of social regulation.
He publishes for for both popular reading enthusiasts and for academics and legal professionals. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, Vox, New York Daily News, Slate and was a columnist for The American Interest. His most recent book, Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, has been translated into five languages and was selected as Editor's Choice Ted Talk in 2021. Two of his other books, Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts the Struggle for Equality and The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse, were awarded "Outstanding Books of the Year" by the New York Times. He is also the author of Racial Card: A Critique and Universal Rights Down to Earth. Richard T. Ford is a Fellow of the American Law Institute, a founding member of the Academic Freedom Alliance and a member of the Board of Directors of the Author's Guild Foundation. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard University, Columbia University and Yale University, and has taught in 12 countries on 5 continents.
He publishes for for both popular reading enthusiasts and for academics and legal professionals. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, Vox, New York Daily News, Slate and was a columnist for The American Interest. His most recent book, Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, has been translated into five languages and was selected as Editor's Choice Ted Talk in 2021. Two of his other books, Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts the Struggle for Equality and The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse, were awarded "Outstanding Books of the Year" by the New York Times. He is also the author of Racial Card: A Critique and Universal Rights Down to Earth. Richard T. Ford is a Fellow of the American Law Institute, a founding member of the Academic Freedom Alliance and a member of the Board of Directors of the Author's Guild Foundation. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard University, Columbia University and Yale University, and has taught in 12 countries on 5 continents.
Nadja Pollaert
Executive Director of “Médecins du Monde Canada” since 2014, Nadja Pollaert has held varying positions of responsibility and can attest to several notable achievements. Indeed, she headed the International Bureau for Children's Rights, an international non-governmental organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. An expert in children's rights and protection, she has initiated and led projects with multiple donors and partners in over 15 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Central America. Co-chair of the Humanitarian Response Network of Canada (HRN) from 2018-2020, Nadja Pollaert was appointed to the Orientation Council of the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CÉRIUM) in 2009.
For several years, she also coordinated the “Comité d'aide aux réfugiés”, an advocacy organization for asylum seekers and refugees in Canada. Determined to contribute to the defense of human rights, she has been involved in several organizations as a director and volunteer, including “Maison Buissonnière”, an organization dedicated to the social development of children, the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of the Child, “Paix durable” and “Amnistie internationale - section francophone”. A political scientist by training, she holds a degree in international relations from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (IEP). Nadja also holds a master's degree in international relations from the Université de Montréal.
For several years, she also coordinated the “Comité d'aide aux réfugiés”, an advocacy organization for asylum seekers and refugees in Canada. Determined to contribute to the defense of human rights, she has been involved in several organizations as a director and volunteer, including “Maison Buissonnière”, an organization dedicated to the social development of children, the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of the Child, “Paix durable” and “Amnistie internationale - section francophone”. A political scientist by training, she holds a degree in international relations from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (IEP). Nadja also holds a master's degree in international relations from the Université de Montréal.
Jose Andres Egas Loaiza
Mr. Egas is the representative, UNHCR multi-country office in Panama. He joined UNHCR almost 20 years ago in Luanda, Angola. Since then, he has worked for UNHCR in more than a dozen offices in several countries, including Angola, Brazil, Colombia, Myanmar, Iran, Greece, and Panama, as well as at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva. Mr. Egas has held numerous roles including Head of various field offices, program and planning positions, administration and HR, and protection of refugees and internally displaced persons. He participated in return and repatriation processes, management of several emergencies, as well as coordination and representation of UNHCR in United Nations inter-agency processes and has worked in the private donor section of UNHCR.
Prior to arriving in Panama, Mr. Egas was Director of the Organization's Transformation Programme (BTP) at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva and, before that, he was the UNHCR’s Representative in Brazil. Mr. Egas is an Ecuadorian and Brazilian citizen, husband and has two children. Mr. Egas graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology of Development from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito/Ecuador and Kalamazoo College/USA and a Master's degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague/Netherlands. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Prior to arriving in Panama, Mr. Egas was Director of the Organization's Transformation Programme (BTP) at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva and, before that, he was the UNHCR’s Representative in Brazil. Mr. Egas is an Ecuadorian and Brazilian citizen, husband and has two children. Mr. Egas graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology of Development from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito/Ecuador and Kalamazoo College/USA and a Master's degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague/Netherlands. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Agnès Gruda
With a degree in Communications from Concordia University, Agnès Gruda worked for 35 years as a journalist at La Presse, where she was an editorial writer, assistant news editor, reporter and international columnist. She has reported from over thirty countries, including conflict zones such as the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Ukraine and Libya. She has taken a particular interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, migratory movements and the Arab Spring.
Since 2019, she has held an international news column on Radio-Canada radio. She has been teaching a course on international information and journalism at the University of Montreal since 2016. She has also published two collections of short stories, “Onze petites trahisons”, in 2010 (Adrienne Choquette Award, and finalist for the Governor General's Award) and “Mourir mais pas trop”, in 2016.
Since 2019, she has held an international news column on Radio-Canada radio. She has been teaching a course on international information and journalism at the University of Montreal since 2016. She has also published two collections of short stories, “Onze petites trahisons”, in 2010 (Adrienne Choquette Award, and finalist for the Governor General's Award) and “Mourir mais pas trop”, in 2016.
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