UM Knowledge Exchange is an important opportunity for UM researchers to share emerging knowledge with members of the public and the wider UM community. UM Knowledge Exchange is hosted by the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International), with support from the UM Learning for Life Network.

Within a few short months in 2023 conversational and generative AI models moved from the realm of science fiction to everyday reality. This rapid progress raises pressing challenges for governments attempting to regulate these systems and implications for authorship and copyright.

While some highlight risks from job displacement to an AI apocalypse, others see opportunities for new forms of artistic expression. Join our panel of multidisciplinary experts as they explore whether generative AI is a compelling next step in technology, or an uncanny inflection point in the human experience.

Moderator

Dr. David Gerhard, Department Head, Computer Science

Panelists

Dr. Neil McArthur, Director, Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, Professor, Department of Philosophy

Dr. Örjan Sandred, Professor, Desautels Faculty of Music

Dr. Katie Szilagyi, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law

Next Steps with Generative AI January 31, 7pm-8:30pm (CDT) at Degrees Diner. UM Knowledge Exchange is a hybrid event with in-person and online options to attend.

Add Next Steps with Generative AI to your calendar. Coffee and other refreshments will be provided, and the kitchen at Degrees Diner will be open for specialty coffee and full food service. Parking available is available with registration.

Or join us for online viewing 7 pm CDT to watch the live stream. Participate during the live session by asking your questions via email to: Research [dot] Communications [at] UManitoba [dot] ca

The seven-part UM Knowledge Exchange panel-discussion series will take place between November 2023 and May 2024. More details to come soon on the UM Knowledge Exchange webpage.

“The university’s been involved in driving the legal profession in this province for almost 110 years now and in many cases, those lawyers are the people drafting the deals and driving big corporate and commercial deals in the province for business people,” said Richard Jochelson, dean of Robson Hall.

Jochelson said legal professionals who graduate from U of M’s newest concurrent program will bring an extra set of competencies to those discussions, in turn benefiting all Manitobans.

Read here

A Winnipeg lawyer for nearly six decades, Greg Brodsky represented more than 1,000 clients in murder and manslaughter cases.

His list of clients included headline-makers: Thomas Sophonow, Darren Morrissette, Robert Starr, and James Driskell. His work changed laws, including ones which help protect women who killed their spouses after years of suffering domestic abuse.

And the direction of his legal career came down to a flip of a coin.

Brodsky died Wednesday at 81, after a battle with supranuclear palsy.

Brodsky’s son Daniel, himself a defence counsel practicing in Toronto, said his dad (called to the bar in 1963) had been working at the Winnipeg Stock Exchange for two months, when his bosses contacted prominent criminal lawyer Harry Walsh.

“They said, we think he has an aptitude for criminal law,” Daniel said Thursday. “(Walsh) said he’ll talk with him.

“Greg and Hersh Wolch were hired at the same time, and (Walsh) said we’ll hire both of you but one of you will be criminal and the other civil — I will flip a coin to decide.”

As a result, Brodsky went on to be involved in more than 1,000 homicide cases (Daniel believes it ended up being 1,040). Wolch later went on to become a defence lawyer, too.

“Did he have any regrets?” said Daniel. “He’d say: if I choose the time to go it would be after my address to the jury and before I get the verdict.

“For more than 50 years, he had people say: you won’t win this case… He just loved the opportunity to turn the tide.”

Brodsky was born in Saskatchewan and moved to Winnipeg with his family as a child. He later met his wife, Sylvia, and they were married Dec. 29, 1957. They were together for almost 62 years when she died in 2019.

When Brodsky was called to the bar, he was just 22 and the death penalty was still an option for homicide cases.

Brodsky was the junior lawyer on his first homicide case.

Winnipeg police detective Ron Houston was on a stakeout in June 1970 for a sex assault suspect, when he was fatally stabbed by Thomas Shand.

Shand took the officer’s gun and shot him, also firing at and missing another officer. Later that year, Shand was found guilty.

“He got to hear his client was going to be hanged,” said Daniel. “It was later commuted to life imprisonment.”

Daniel said his dad always worked hard on cases and was working on future ones, even when he was waiting for a jury verdict.

“There was always one rule in the house,” said Daniel. “You can do what you want to do, but not halfway. Don’t do anything halfway. Do what you love.”

While Brodsky was synonymous with representing people charged with homicide, for a number of years, Brodsky represented pro-choice advocate Dr. Henry Morgentaler during his push to convince the federal government to legalize abortions in Canada.

He even represented Bertha Rand, known as Winnipeg’s cat lady, who was charged numerous times in the 1960s and 1970s with having too many felines in her St. James neighbourhood house.

The province recognized Brodsky’s contributions to law, appointing him a Queen’s Counsel in 1977.

Outside the courtroom, Brodsky was a president of Skills Unlimited and Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.

Veteran lawyer Robert Tapper, who knew Brodsky for more than 50 years, said his death was “the end of an era.”

Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal said Brodsky’s death also marks a time “where these lions of the bar, as they were, are beginning to pass.”

“There has seldom been a murder case in the city for a long time where the name Greg Brodsky wasn’t in some way associated with it… He was dogged, hard, hard working. He could be annoying in his insistence and sometimes ponderous approach to detail, but he didn’t distinguish between cases. He would work as hard on a seemingly banal and mundane case as he would, some would consider, a much more exotic and serious case,” Joyal said.

“I had great respect for his integrity and ethical approach to his practice…. He really was old-school honest.”

Defence counsel James Lockyer, a founding director of what is now known as Innocence Canada, said: “Greg was the defence lawyer’s defence lawyer… He lived it, breathed it, loved it, enjoyed it.”

“He is one of those who you know would never have prosecuted anyone and would never have wanted to be a judge. He always wanted to be there defending people, ideally in front of a jury if he could. There will never be anyone like him, certainly not in Manitoba and probably not in Canada,” Lockyer said.

Read the full story at the Winnipeg Free Press.

Presented by the Governor-General, the Order honours people whose service shapes our society; whose innovations ignite our imaginations; and whose compassion unites our communities.

They will be presented with their insignia at investiture ceremonies to be held on future dates.

The new list includes 10 individuals from the UM community, including The Honourable Murray Sinclair [LLB/79, LLD/02], who was appointed a Companion to the Order, for his commitment to the representation of Indigenous legal issues, and for his dedication to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

New Officers of the Order of Canada include:

Dr. Evelyn Forget, professor in Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and academic director at the Manitoba Research Data Centre. Dr. Forget’s work on MINcome as a way of addressing economic issues continues to be cited by researchers. She was also was appointed as a Fellow in the Royal Society of Canada in 2021.

Tomson Highway [DLitt/17], for his sustained and distinguished contributions to theatre and Canadian culture as one of our foremost playwrights and novelists.

Roger Léveillé [BA/66, MA/68, DLitt/13], for his innovative literary achievements, and for supporting generations of Franco-Manitoban artists, thus contributing to the cultural enrichment of Canada.

Ovide William Mercredi [LLB/77, LLD/18], former National Chief, Assembly of First Nations, for his lifelong advocacy of Indigenous rights and non-violence, and for his skillful leadership within and beyond Indigenous communities nationwide.

Jean Riley Senft [LLD/19], for her contributions to the sport of figure skating as one of Canada’s leading judges and promoter of fairer judging rules.

New Members of the Order of Canada:

Dr. Gerald Friesen, UM Distinguished Professor Emeritus, who retired in 2011, for his contributions to Canadian historical discourse through his inclusive and comprehensive research on Indigenous and ethnic groups in western regions.

Léo Robert [BA/78, M. en Ed./03], for his contributions to Francophone education in Manitoba, and for his commitment to preserving and promoting the language province-wide.

Harvey Lyon Secter [BComm/67, LLB/92], former Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chancellor of the University of Manitoba, for his leadership in business, law and academia, and for his philanthropic contributions to local initiatives in Manitoba, notably within the Jewish community.

Robert Irwin Silver [BSc/70, LLD/19], co-owner of the Winnipeg Free Press, for his influential leadership as a businessperson, community builder and philanthropist.

About the Order of Canada

Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System, and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.

The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to Canada.

Darius’ passion for the law, love of education, and unwavering desire to help others has inspired his family, friends, and colleagues to establish a scholarship at the University of Manitoba in his name. This scholarship will provide funds to students in their first, second, and final year of study at Robson Hall who have demonstrated a commitment to the legal profession, leadership and public service, and community-mindedness. Their goal is to raise $200,000 to establish the fund, with over $39,000 already raised from family and friends.

“Darius’ passion for the law stemmed from his commitment to community service and dedicating himself to a higher purpose,” says Hunter’s wife, Delyar Hunter.  “He was a leader, a mentor, a loving friend and dedicated colleague. During his time as an articling student, he was a compassionate legal advocate. His memory will live on through the spirit of leadership and community service which he demonstrated through his actions. Darius understood that leadership isn’t measured by individual success but rather by empowering others to reach their full potential. It is through this scholarship that we hope to honour Darius’ legacy by inspiring the next generation of leaders in the legal profession to be a voice for others and make a difference in their community.”

Darius received his Bachelor of Arts in political science at UM and earned his Juris Doctor from the UM Faculty of Law as part of the Class of 2021. A 2018 Emerging Leader Award winner, Darius was known as a keen learner and an inspirational community-builder who made a positive impact on the UM community in both academic and student life. Darius founded and served as president of the UM Hindu Students’ Council and was the Faculty of Arts representative on the University of Manitoba Students Union.

Richard Jochelson, dean, UM’s Faculty of Law, remembers Darius fondly.

“I remember him as a vigorous, energetic, intelligent and motivated person,” Jochelson said. “He was embraced by so many of his peers, and he had a bright future.”

Darius also inspired many beyond campus with his desire to create positive change for others including with his work as an interfaith organizer and volunteer. He also worked with MLAs, ministers, and as an organizer for the Hillary Clinton campaign for the 2016 presidential election. Darius was a world champion debate finalist, earned his double black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 18, and was a CBC “Future 40” nominee in 2016 for his contributions and achievements.

Darius had recently married and was articling at the law firm of Phillips Aiello at the time of his passing.

Make a gift to this scholarship

Brenda Gunn

Aug. 9 is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Aug. 9 was chosen because it marks the date of the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at the United Nations in 1982, the first UN body tasked with drafting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme is “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.”

In recognition of this important day, it is fitting to discuss the implementation of the UN Declaration in Canada. Why is it important, and how does it help address the challenges we currently face in Canada?

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission spoke of the UN Declaration as the framework for reconciliation. The UN Declaration promotes reconciliation by requiring Canada to recognize the humanity of Indigenous peoples (that we are equal to all other peoples of the world and should not be discriminated against for being Indigenous), and to work to fulfill our essential human rights, especially those that continue to be so violently violated in the name of forming and maintaining Canada. The preamble of the UN Declaration clearly explains that recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada is critical to reset the relationship moving us away from a colonial relationship where Canada makes all decisions for Indigenous peoples, to a new relationship based on principles of justice, democracy, respect for human rights, non-discrimination and good faith.

Canada took an important step towards implementing the UN Declaration with the passage of Bill C-15: the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in June. However, this was just the first step. Now the real work begins to review Canadian laws to ensure they are consistent with the UN Declaration, and to develop a national action plan to implement the UN Declaration.

Many people are well aware of the statistics on the socio-economic situation of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Implementing the rights in the UN Declaration is an important step toward addressing the root causes of these challenges.

The UN Declaration covers most aspects of Indigenous peoples’ lives and their relationship with Canada. It starts with provisions on equality and non-discrimination, self-determination and self-government including our own political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions. There are provisions protecting against genocide and the forcible removal of children. Other provisions recognize the right to practice and revitalize our cultural traditions and customs, to education without discrimination, to establish our own media and have our aspirations appropriately reflected in public information, to the improvement of our economic and social conditions, to determine our own development priorities, to our traditional medicines and maintain our own health practices, to maintain and strengthen our relationship with our traditional lands, territories and resources, to participate in decision making when our rights are specifically and especially impacted, and to the have our Treaties honoured. 

While implementing the UN Declaration is not a magic solution to resolve all these challenges, hopefully on this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples we can all reflect on what actions we can take to support the fulfillment of Indigenous peoples’ fundamental human rights so that no one is left behind. 

A natural litigator

An admitted chronic debater (“I do my best debating at the dinner table with my boyfriend”), Antonchuk knew she wanted to go into law from a young age. “The idea of being able to help people throughout their hardest times, working on court cases and crafting legal arguments, has fuelled my desire to work in this field and make a difference in my community and the world,” she explained.

Prior to starting her Juris Doctor degree, she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at the University of Winnipeg, and then worked for two years as a legal assistant at a mid-sized Winnipeg firm. “I would definitely say that both of these experiences built a strong foundation upon which to start my legal career, and have benefited me in so many ways,” she said.

Because of her love of – and skill in arguing, she knows that litigation is the career path for her. That combined with life experience working in the serving industry, “where employment rights are often a distant and foreign concept,” she said, she plans to focus her practice in employment law, “so that I can be a resource for others in the industry.”

An exemplary leader

Introduced in 2006, the Emerging Leader Awards have recognized students who have demonstrated a commitment to furthering UM’s educational mission by contributing to the social, cultural, or economic well-being of communities on and off campus. Recipients have consistently encouraged cross cultural understanding and exemplified sustained leadership initiative worthy of recognition.

A busy Level 2 Officer volunteering with the 6 Jim Whitecross Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron (RCACS), Antonchuk took some time out to chat about her activities that make her an exemplary leader.

What community activities both in and outside of law school have you been involved in & what cross-cultural and leadership initiatives?

Outside of law school, I volunteer with 6 Jim Whitecross Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron, which is part of the national Royal Canadian Air Cadet program. The cadet program is the largest youth program in the country, and focuses on citizenship and leadership. The program also provides meaningful experiences that you truly can’t find elsewhere. I myself was a cadet from the ages of 12-19, and spent numerous summers away at different camps. I have had the opportunity to participate in both a national marksmanship competition and a provincial biathlon competition. Upon completing the program, I felt like I needed to give back because I personally got so much out of my time with them. This upcoming year will be my 7th year volunteering with 6 RCACS. Through this role I get to work with the level two cadets (aged 13-14), ensuring that all their training requirements are met, recruiting instructors for lessons, and even teaching various lessons every now and again!

During my time at Robson Hall, I have been involved in a variety community activities. In 1L I volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada at the Community Legal Education Association, working with their Law Phone-In/Lawyer Referral Program. In this position, I would speak with clients and then direct them to various legal resources or lawyers across the province based on their needs.

Last year, I took on the role of Student Representative for the Women’s Legal Forum of the Manitoba Bar Association through the Feminist Legal Forum, which has allowed me to plan and host various events that bring both students and practicing female-identifying lawyers together on important topics that impact our community in the legal world. I also was one of the co-coordinators for last year’s biggest networking event, the Law Banquet, and this year I am taking on the role of Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee. As I have spent quite a bit of time working in the legal field, I am excited to use that experience to help students navigate their way through all things professional development-related. This includes not only networking and recruitment events, but also providing students with a variety of panels and workshops to keep them informed about various aspects of practicing law.

Lastly, I am also a member of the Diversity in Law Group and the Bilingual Students’ Association.

What if any courses, professors, or lessons learned so far during your time spent at the Faculty of Law have helped influence the direction of your legal studies and possibly career path?

Last year I took Stacey Soldiers’ Aboriginal Law, Criminal Justice and Family class, and it was by far the most impactful class that I have taken while at Robson Hall. As future legal professionals, I think it is so important to learn and understand the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and actively work towards reconciliation. In light of recent events this year, having this knowledge is even more essential. Stacey did an amazing job teaching the class, bringing in impactful and engaging speakers to have hard conversations with, and overall just providing so many resources that helped me further understand not only the history of Indigenous peoples but also the institutionalized discrimination that they still face today.

Congratulations, Taylor, on receiving the Emerging Leader Award!

“Dr. Torrie is a perfect fit for our team,” said Dr. Jochelson. “She is a dynamic, award winning teacher with high standards, and she understands how important it is for our students to live up to professional standards in order to develop the requisite skills for the practice of law. She is also a critical thought leader and is committed to pursuing, with unflinching efforts, our need to live up to the promises we have made as a Faculty towards truth and reconciliation.”

The new Dean also looks forward to working with the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies on chairing the Faculty’s Strategic Planning Committee in addition to developing a new set of Master of Laws degree programs.

“Dr. Short has done fantastic work in enhancing the quality of our graduate program,” said Dr. Jochelson. “He is also an award-winning researcher and is exceptionally well positioned to draw on his depth of experience in developing new graduate opportunities including course-based and clinical offerings. Moreover, as a long-term Faculty Member he possesses the institutional wisdom needed to help with our strategic plan. Further, he has been at the leading edge of seeking equality for those excluded and marginalized by law and society.”

Dr. Torrie, who received both tenure and promotion to Associate Professor earlier this year, brings to the office of Associate Dean (J.D.), a dedicated interest in improving methods of teaching and learning. Having completed a Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of Manitoba, she has used blended learning and interactive teaching strategies to promote classroom engagement in all her courses and is dedicated to trying new and innovative teaching methods and approaches with the twin purposes of making learning both effective and enjoyable. Her skills are well-recognized and she is the recipient of several awards, including the Faculty of Law’s Barney Sneiderman Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017 and the University of Manitoba Merit Awards for Teaching in 2018 and Service in 2019.

As Associate Dean of the Juris Doctor program, she will be fostering student professionalism and developing an evolving curriculum that will involve strides towards Indigenization of the curriculum, refining our clinical offerings and strengthening the private enterprise curriculum of the Faculty.

“I’m delighted to be stepping into the role of Associate Dean (Academic – JD Program) on July 1st, 2021, and working alongside Dean Richard Jochelson and Associate Dean (Research) Donn Short in the years ahead,” said Dr. Torrie of her next role.  “At the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law we are fortunate to attract bright, talented and collegial students year after year, and I look forward to enhancing their academic and clinical experiences in the JD program, and supporting them as they prepare for their future career paths.”

Recognizing the work already cut out for her in this new position, Dr. Torrie continued, “One of the immediate challenges as Associate Dean (J.D.) will be continuing to monitor public health advice and University policies relating to the pandemic as these affect teaching and learning at the Faculty of Law. The situation is fluid, and we will need to be both sensible and nimble in how we respond and adapt to the changing situation.”

Dr. Torrie holds J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, and a Ph.D. from Kent Law School, University of Kent.  As an expert in Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law, her area of research focus includes the history of Canadian business restructuring from the Great Depression through to the 21^stCentury. To learn more about her research, please visit her profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

Dr. Donn Short is the author of numerous books dealing with bullying in schools, including Don’t Be So Gay!, Am I Safe Here? and the forthcoming Making the Case, all published by UBC Press. Dr. Short has received a number of university merit awards for his research, teaching and service. He was the winner of the 2016 Rh Institute Foundation Award for Outstanding Contributions to Scholarship and Research in the Social Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

“Robson Hall is a place that allows faculty to grow and develop their research alongside supportive colleagues and students,” said Dr. Short. “I have a lot of optimism for the future working as a team with Dean Richard Jochelson and Associate Dean Virginia Torrie.”

Dr. Short received his JD from UBC (Raymond Herbert Award Best All Round Graduating Student) and his PhD from Osgoode Hall. Dr. Short has been a member of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and is the founding editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Human Rights. He is the Executive Director of the Legal Research Institute at the University of Manitoba. Please learn more about Dr. Short’s work on his profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

Dr. Jochelson was announced as Dean of the Faculty of Law along with a number of other University of Manitoba faculties at the end of June. He begins his five-year term on July 1, 2021. Professor Jochelson holds a PhD in law from Osgoode Hall at York University, a Masters in Law from University of Toronto, and a Law Degree from University of Calgary (Gold Medal). He taught criminal and constitutional law at the University of Winnipeg for ten years prior to joining the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in 2016.

Dr. Jochelson’s area of research focus includes regulation of sexuality and other expression, socio-legal governance of harm and precaution, policing and police powers, surveillance and security in legal decision-making, the criminal and constitutional jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Canada, jury law, disability and the criminal law, regulation of sexuality and other expression, socio-legal governance of harm and precaution, and empirical analyses of legal decision makers.

He is one of the co-founders of the legal blog Robsoncrim.com. The blog contributes to legal education at Robson Hall, providing reflections on current issues in criminal law through its Blawg program, through special events, and through its annual peer reviewed journal (a special edition of the Manitoba Law Journal). Dr. Jochelson has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and co-authored and co-edited an increasing number of books and volumes dealing with obscenity, indecency, judicial activism, police powers, criminal justice pedagogy and curriculum development, empiricism in criminal law, green criminology and conceptions of judicial and jury reasoning. He is a member of the Bar of Manitoba. Please read more about Dr. Jochelson at his profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

All five issues of Volume 43 of the Manitoba Law Journal are complete and available to read on its website and other online sources including CanLII, HeinOnline, LexisNexis, Westlaw, Amazon (for purchase in both print and ebook), and the University of Alberta Open Access.

A fixture on the Dean’s Honour List and winner of multiple prizes for top marks in classes ranging from Family Law to Tax Law and Advocacy, Sandhu was recently interviewed by guest host Marjorie Dowhos on CBC’s The Weekend Morning Show (Manitoba) with Nadia Kidwai, about how she got this big chance.

As she explains to Dowhos, while attending law school, she took a course with Professor Jennifer Schulz on the Law and Pop Culture in which, she says, “we became aware that positive female relationships between legal professionals are very rarely seen in pop culture. And this annoyed me as someone who has gone through law school and who is now a lawyer, some of my greatest mentors and supporters have been females.”

Sandhu was inspired to change this representation, asking Schulz if she could write a screenplay for her course assignment to achieve this goal. Fully expecting Schulz to say no, Sandhu was surprised that she did allow her to write it. Sandhu was also required to write the term paper as well, “but that’s beside the point,” she laughs.

Upon hearing the news about Sandhu’s success with the Netflix-Banff initiative, Schulz said, “Anjali was an incredible law student; she received one of only four As I gave that year. Her great work ethic and terrific writing skills were on display in my Law and Pop Culture course, where she completed extra, unrequired work, and wrote one of her assignments in screenplay form. She, and her film, are positively “ones to watch” – congratulations Anjali!”