Photo of Chiamaka Ilozue [LLM/25]

Chiamaka Ilozue

Thesis: “Shareholder proposal in Canada: questions, concerns, and opportunities for improvement.”

Advisor: Professor Darcy MacPherson

Chiamaka Ilozue completed her LLB at Lancaster University in the UK in 2019, and received her BL (Barrister-at-Law) in 2021 at Nigerian Law School in Lagos, Nigeria. Prior to commencing studies in her LLM at Robson Hall, she worked as a Legal Officer at the Securities and Exchange Commission, and was Legal Counsel at Etiaba & Co, Etiaba Chambers in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Ilozue has worked as a graduate research assistant at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law while completing requirements for her LLM degree.

What is your thesis on and who is your advisor?

My thesis is on the corporate aspect of law. This is because my interests in corporate law were naturally informed by the inconsistency laws on claims and tort governing the business environment I grew up in. Hence, my thesis topic is on: Shareholder Proposal in Canada: Questions, Concerns and Opportunities for Improvement. My thesis advisor is Professor Darcy MacPherson.

Where did you previously study or practice law?

I had my first degree at the University of Lancaster. Then, I proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where I was called to one of the largest bar associations in Africa as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Thus, I was practicing law in Nigeria before I came to Canada.  

How did you come to study at the UM Faculty of Law?

Pretty much, I was searching for schools that offered a Master of Laws (LLM) program and came across the University of Manitoba. However, I was more particular about the University of Manitoba, specifically for graduate studies in Master of Laws (LLM) because of its renowned reputation in quality education and superior learning systems. Professors at the university are widely known for their intensive research and expertise from Contract Law to Human Rights Law. 

What do you hope to do with your LLM?

Obtaining an LLM (Master of Laws) from the University of Manitoba will guide me to what public and corporate legal teams I would love to be part of, equipping me with a dynamic and evolving range of skills to work anywhere in public and private markets. 

What have been your favourite aspects of studying at Robson Hall so far?

My favorite aspects of studying at Robson Hall are my classes. I get the opportunity to vehemently express myself on the different area of laws as they come. Thankfully, the lecturers are always quite engaging with their stimulating questions. 

How has the graduate seminar been of help to you in the preparation of your thesis?

The graduate seminar is indeed a stimulating one. It has helped me approach my thesis in a different light by exposing me to various research methods in order to achieve the goal of finishing my thesis in a timely manner.

What would you tell other students about the benefits of taking an LLM degree?

Lastly, I would advise students to take on the LLM program as it directs you to a new phase in a career marathon of learning from experienced Legal professionals.

Lovelyn Osiele [LLM/25]

Lovelyn Osiele

Thesis: “Examination of securities regulation in Canada.”

Advisor: Professor Darcy MacPherson

Lovelyn Osiele completed her LLB at Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria in 2019 and received her BL (Barrister-at-Law) from The Nigerian Law School in Lagos, Nigeria in 2021. She enrolled in the University of Manitoba’s LLM program in 2023.

What is your thesis on and who is your advisor?

My Thesis Topic: A Comparative Analysis of Securities Regulation in Canada and the United States.  My Thesis advisor is Professor Darcy MacPherson.

Where did you previously study or practice law?

I had my Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from Benson Idahosa University, Nigeria where I also practice law.

How did you come to study at the UM Faculty of Law?

I had a couple of friends who always discussed about the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Canada, so I picked an interest and decided to research about the University on my own. I found a lot of interesting things about the school I just couldn’t let go. I studied how highly the University of Manitoba is ranked, the various scholarships offered, and how supportive the Professors are, I noticed the student-teacher relationship, and the University of Manitoba from my research is best known as a research institution and has the best law program. 

What do you hope to do with your LLM?

I am pursuing this degree in Law because I have been looking forward to getting the role as a Senior lawyer in my place of work which has been eluding due to my inability to acquire a higher professional degree. I am particularly certain that on completion of my program, I will be adequately equipped with the skills I hope to acquire from my Law certificate, I will also have acquired the requisite qualifications to stand as a good candidate for the role in my organization.

What have been your favourite aspects of studying at Robson Hall so far?

The lecturers and Professors are friendly and ensure they provide everything needed for a successful academic year. The E.K. Williams Law Library is so equipped and I have access to learning materials. Also being taught by intelligent professors gives me so much edge and confidence. 

Read a feature story about Oluwafisayo Stephen Ayita of this class, who graduated in June, 2025. He is now a student in the Internationally Trained Lawyer program, working towards becoming licensed to practice law in Manitoba.

Applications for the Master of Laws program at the University of Manitoba are now open until December 15, 2025. Apply now.

Twelve students showcased their work across four different thematic panels including Human Rights, Equity and Socio-Economic Rights; International Human Rights Law – Comparative, Indigenous Peoples, Race Relations; International Human Rights Law – Identifying, Shaping & Realizing Rights; and Human Rights and Justice – Case Studies.

Keynote speaker, Senator Marilou McPhedran.

Dr. Mary Shariff [LLB/02], Professor of Law and Director of the Master of Human Rights Program, introduced this year’s keynote speaker, Senator Marilou McPhedran, who discussed instances she has witnessed throughout her career of the need for Human Rights activism and the life-saving effects that evidence-based advocacy has had on such efforts. “Evidence-based advocacy is what makes for a turning point,” she told students.

The former lawyer and University of Winnipeg Global College professor and dean, then remained in the audience throughout the afternoon to take notes, listening carefully and asking questions following each presentation.

Each panel was moderated by an expert who also facilitated the question-and-answer sessions following each presentation. These individuals included:

• Amar Khoday, Professor at the UM Faculty of Law who specializes in the intersection of law and resistance. He teaches courses in criminal law and immigration law at Robson Hall, among other topics related to resistance and challenging injustice.
• Ran Ukashi, Manager and Research and Head of Knowledge Translation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, who oversees the conduct of research supporting the Museum’s curatorial, programmatic, educational and digital initiatives. His doctoral degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from UM’s Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice focused on international conflict resolution and management, and international peace keeping.
• Laurelle A. Harris, K.C., [LLB/01] Director of the Internationally Trained Lawyer Program, Equity and Transformation at the UM Faculty of Law who leads anti-racism education, policy reform and systemic reviews, including at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
• Marc Kruse [JD/15], Director of Indigenous Legal Learning and Services at the UM Faculty of Law. In addition to engaging in academic research on social justice education and Indigenous educational ethics, he practices as a criminal defence lawyer at Rees Dyck Rogala Law Offices. He co-teaches the Indigenous Methodologies and Perspectives course at the UM Faculty of Law and is a proud member of Muscowpetung First Nation in Saskatchewan.

The Faculty of Law, together with collaborators and advisors from the Faculties of Arts, Education and Social Work and practicum site supervisors, extends sincere congratulations to all students on their hard work. We look forward to celebrating their upcoming graduation.

Students and their respective symposium topics are as follows:

Panel One: Human Rights, Equity & Socio-Economic Rights
Panel Moderator: Dr. Amar Khoday

Avery Selby-Lyons

Paper title: “A Matter of Human Rights, Not Luxury: Enacting Legislation for Uniform Guaranteed Access to Menstrual Products Across Canada”
Practicum site: PERIOD
Advisor: Dr. Rory Henry
Site supervisor: Damaris Pereda

Irene Uwase

Paper title: “Rural Women, Cooperatives, & Legislative Action in Addressing the Gender Pay Gap in Rwanda”
Practicum site: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Advisor: Dr. Jesse Hajer
Site supervisor: Molly McCracken

Augustine Caesar Nyero

Paper title: “Refugee Resettlement & Access to Socio-Economic Rights – Role of Settlement Agencies in Manitoba”
Advisor: Dr. Laura Rosenoff Gauvin
Practicum site: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM)
Site supervisor: Carol Reimer

Panel Two: International Human Rights Law – Comparative, Indigenous Peoples, Race Relations
Panel Moderator: Dr. Ran Ukashi

Talia Mohammed

Paper title: “Ethnoracial Relations in Trinidad and Tobago: Analyzing how Racial Divisions Among Political Parties Block Progressive Realization”
Advisor: Dr. Amar Khoday
Practicum site:  Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties (MARL)
Site supervisor: Sandra Krahn

Piaroa Nunez

Paper title: “Dispossession, Violence, Resistance: First Nations and Mapuche Women in the Face of Settler Colonial Patriarchy”
Advisor: Dr. Adele Perry
Practicum site: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Site supervisor: Kaila Johnston

Priscila Alves Werton

Paper title: “Indigenous Genocide and the Pandemic: The Case of Brazil”
Advisor: Dr. Kjell Anderson
Practicum site: Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Site supervisor: Dr. Ran Ukashi

Panel Three: International Human Rights Law – Identifying, Shaping & Realizing Rights
Panel Moderator: Laurelle A. Harris, K.C.

Kyra Campbell

Thesis title: “Reproductive violence in Armed Conflict: International Law and the Case of Gaza”
Advisor: Dr. Nathan Derejko 

Imtiaz Mahmud

Paper title: “A Critical Emanation of Bangladesh’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (CCSAP) from the Adaption Perspective”
Advisor: Dr. Nathan Derejko
Practicum site: Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Site supervisor: Dr. Ran Ukashi

Atefeh Abedinpour

Thesis Title: “International Humanitarian Law under the Light of the Human Right to a Healthy, Clean and Sustainable Environment”
Advisor: Dr. Nathan Derejko

Panel Four: Human Rights and Justice – Case Studies
Panel Moderator: Marc Kruse

Victoria Nelson

Paper Title: “The Overlooked Human Rights Violations in Prisons and the Case Against the Death Penalty”
Advisor: Dr. Rick Linden
Practicum Site:  MARL
Site Supervisor: Sandra Krahn 

Wendy Daphne Ochola

Paper Title: “Reinterpreting Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: A Case for Harm Reduction as a Rights-Based Approach to Child Protection”
Advisor: Dr. Nathan Derejko
Practicum Site: Manitoba Harm Reduction Network
Site Supervisor: Jonny Mexico

Stella Louku

Paper Title: “Impact of Forced Early Marriage on Public Secondary Education: Maasai Girls in Kenya”
Advisor: Dr. Bruno de Oliveira Jayme
Practicum Site: MARL
Site Supervisor: Sandra Krahn

“When MLT Aikins agreed to continue sponsoring the room’s upgrades, we reflected on evolving modalities of teaching and learning innovations with our post-pandemic experiences,” said Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law. “We realized that since COVID, the seminar format favoured by some professors had – by necessity – become disrupted but that a ‘podcast’ format can allow remote learners to remain engaged in the discussion.”

The intent of the podcast studio is for student groups, professors and various Faculty of Law staff interested in using podcast formats for conducting courses, research or learning events, to have a comprehensive in-house studio at their fingertips. Of course, the equipment is also intended to record actual podcasts, such as Robson Radio, the official podcast of the Faculty of Law, hitting the air in January of 2025, and the recently launched Footsteps podcast produced by Dr. Mary Shariff, Director of the Master of Human Rights program.

“We embraced the podcast opportunity to help showcase the innovative Master of Human Rights program at the University of Manitoba,” said Shariff. “This engaging format leverages technology to make information about the MHR program and the phenomenal work going into advancing and protecting human rights accessible to a broader audience, including potential and current students, as well as interested folks in Canada and around the world.”

The first three Footsteps episodes have featured a number of fascinating interviews including one with Dr. Laura Reimer, former MHR Program Practicum Co-ordinator and now Director of Program Development for the Faculty of Law.

With the application deadline for the MHR program falling annually on December 1, Shariff jumped at the opportunity to promote it. “This unique interdisciplinary educational program is the first of its kind in Canada, bridging multiple faculties and recognizing and drawing on the diverse lived experiences and aspirations of our students. Now is the perfect time to embrace innovative accessible tools that encourage and foster engagement around crucial human rights topics and human rights education. We are so grateful to Dean of Law, Richard Jochelson and MLT Aikins for making this possible.”

The six graduates represent diverse educational backgrounds and life experiences with practicum placements and thesis topics covering a wide range including Gender and Human Rights, Indigenous and Minority Rights, New Horizons in Human Rights, and Migration, Displacement and Human Rights. Students in the Practicum program, students participate in work placements with leading local and international human rights organizations to gain practical, hands-on experience doing human rights work.  Students and their topics are as follows:

Erin Gobert (Thesis) Human rights and reproductive healthcare in rural, remote, and northern Manitoba

Nabil Iqbal (Thesis) Refining legal frameworks for cross-border climate-induced displacement: a comprehensive analysis of provisions, definitions, and new arrangements under international law

Claire (Xiaoxia) Li (Practicum) Understanding the right to education under the Hukou system in China: from a human rights perspective

Ana Martin (Practicum) The international right to health and Jordan’s Principle: a comparative analysis of the substantive and procedural differences to Indigenous children’s right to health in Canada

Trixie Maybituin (Thesis) A preliminary human rights-based analysis of Winnipeg’s municipal budget

Fatemeh Shabani (Thesis) Power and paradigms in accounts of Iran’s human rights situation: a case of epistemic injustice

The University of Manitoba launched its Master of Human Rights (MHR) program in September 2019. The program is the first of its kind in Canada and prepares students for careers in human rights advocacy. The program is a collaboration of the faculties of Arts, Law, Education, and Social Work. It also cooperates with the Centre for Human Rights Research, the Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice in St. Paul’s College, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

The MHR program is currently accepting applications for the 2025 Fall Term. The deadline for applications is December 1^st, 2024. Visit the Explore page to apply.

Detailed information about the University of Manitoba’s Master of Human Rights program can be found on the Faculty of Law website.

“Dr. Shariff brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished record of academic and professional accomplishments to this role. Her extensive expertise, leadership and vision will enhance its academic excellence and foster a dynamic learning environment,” said Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law. “Her work ethic, deep compassion for the rights of all living beings, and curiosity for researching different areas of human rights-related laws make her a matchless force to drive this program forward for its next exciting chapter.”

“I am absolutely delighted and honoured to take on the role of Director of the MHR Program,” said Shariff. “As Director, my goal is to build on the strengths of the program and our University community to provide students with educational opportunities and experiences that will inspire and support their creativity and enthusiasm for human rights and social justice.

“My aspiration is that our MHR students and graduates will take their passion, knowledge and skills to serve and make our communities places for all to thrive. By continuing outreach and building relationships with community partners and stakeholders (e.g. the Canadian Museum for Human Rights) and other University of Manitoba centres and programs (e.g. the Centre for Human Rights Research, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Peace and Conflict Studies and the Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice), the MHR program itself will actively participate in this same vision, increasing MHR student opportunities at the same time.”

Shariff recalled the words of the late Dr. Arthur V. Mauro when he announced the endowment of the Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice, a key part of the MHR program: “This city [Winnipeg], to me, represents the best that people can do when good people come together with goodwill and seek solutions… Education and research are fundamental if we are to carry on what this city has become.”

Shariff has been a valued member of the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba since 2007, where she currently serves as a Professor and has previously held several leadership positions, including Associate Dean (Academic, JD Program) and Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies).

With a PhD and LLM from Trinity College Dublin, an LLB from the University of Manitoba, and a BSc from the University of Winnipeg, Shariff’s educational background is impressive. Her teaching areas encompass a wide range of subjects, including Contracts, Issues in Law and Bioethics, Law and Religion, Animals and the Law, Natural Resources Administration and the Law, and Graduate Legal Research and Theory.

Her research interests are equally diverse and impactful, focusing on Law and Aging, Death, Dying and Palliative Care, Human Rights of Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities, Quality of Life and Rights of Residents in personal care home communities, Natural Resources and Animal Law, Legal Strategies, Legal Pedagogy, and the Law of Contract.

Shariff has authored numerous publications with notable works including chapters in Canadian Medical Law, and articles in various prestigious journals. Shariff has also received several accolades for her contributions to teaching and research in the field of law, including a 2023 SSHRC Insight Development Grant (co-applicant), the 2018 Terry G. Falconer Memorial Rh Institute Foundation Emerging Research Award, and the 2016 Students’ Teacher Recognition Award (STRR), and the 2013 University of Manitoba Merit Award, Combination Category (Teaching, Service and Research).

Her commitment to the academic community extends beyond her research and teaching. She is involved in the Canadian Association of Law Teachers, serves as a Commissioner at the Manitoba Law Reform Commission, serves as a Research Affiliate at the University of Manitoba’s Centre on Aging (also serving as Chair of its Advisory Board), and has served as a Research Associate at the Desautels Centre for Private Enterprise and the Law.

Unconventional ways to share legal research

With the 2022 Undergraduate Research Awards application deadline extended to February 14, Wilfer encourages law students to apply. “I have been a recipient of the URA for the past two summers and during this time I have learnt an abundance of research skills and legal methods that significantly helped me throughout my first semester at Robson Hall,” he explained.

Wilfer first applied for the program after his second undergraduate year in the Faculty of Arts. He had been taking Catholicism and the Law with Law’s Dr. Mary Shariff, and was instantly interested in her area of research.

“Since High School, my goal has been to attend Robson Hall, and I thought that researching with a law professor would give me a great head start towards achieving my goals.” – Kyle Wilfer, 1L

In his first summer with the program, he took part in the poster competition and while he recalls it was a great experience, the results were not what he had hoped for. This past summer, however, he had another successful research term working on projects with Dr. Shariff. “I continued to home in on my research skills, which bolstered my interest in the various topics we were covering,” he said. “I decided to enter the poster competition once again, this time with a poster titled: Allowing Mental Disorders as a Sole Underlying Condition in Canadian MAID Law (MAID MD-SUMC).”

This time, he was awarded third place in the Social Sciences and Humanities category. “Creating a poster for legal topics is not a traditional method to portray topics in legal research,” he explained, acknowledging that the practice of creating posters to explain research is mostly found in the sciences.

I find that a poster is a great way to condense research material in a way that still gives the reader as much information as they need to get the main point across. After creating these posters, I certainly advocate for this method to be used more frequently in the Faculty of Law.”

Hard work, perseverance, and service

Hardeep Suri has also always been interested in a legal career, and worked as a legal assistant before starting law school at the University of North Dakota. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Winnipeg, and legal assistant training from Robertson College under his belt, transferred to Robson Hall for his second year of law to be able to graduate and practice in his hometown. He will be working at Taylor McCaffrey LLP as a summer student at the end of this term.

Crediting his prior education and work experience with strengthening his passion to be a lawyer, Suri admits he is most proud of his work ethic – which is something the Donich Entrepreneurial Scholarship was especially designed to support. “Over the years I’ve really focused in on managing and prioritizing my responsibilities, so that I can prove myself to be a reliable young lawyer,” Suri shared. “I hope to work towards bettering our community and to represent individuals who may come from similar upbringings as myself.”

This hope is why, when Suri learned about the Donich Entrepreneurial Scholarship (applications for which are due annually on November 30), he was determined to “give it a shot.”

“It was a very rewarding moment when Jordan Donich reached out to congratulate me – especially since this scholarship comes from a law firm in Ontario, where the competition is quite extreme to begin with! I am glad to be putting this award toward my education and eventually advocating for our community.” – Hardeep Suri, 2L

The scholarship’s terms of reference describe Donich Law, a Toronto-based firm, as being “built on hard work, perseverance and dedication to customer service.” Since 2018, the firm presents a $1,000 award each year to an undergraduate or law student distinguished by work experience and academic achievement. “It was the perfect opportunity to explain why my experiences (educational and career-wise), along with my upbringing, made me an ideal candidate,” said Suri.

Suri thanks his parents and how they raised him for why he maintained a mindset of working hard and giving back to community. “They moved to Canada in the early ‘90s and started a life from very little,” he explained. “After my siblings and I were born, we witnessed firsthand what hard work, determination, and generosity was, but more importantly, why it was necessary to have these values to be successful. Thanks to them, we are able to enjoy the “Canadian dream”!”

Associate Dean (Juris Doctor) Mary Shariff and Assistant Professor Brandon Trask have been outspoken on issues around health treatment ethics, especially in the context of the pandemic. Shariff has been particularly concerned with laws around the elderly and dying, while Trask has looked at privacy rights and discrimination.

Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed: Law Professors Shariff and Trask: COVID triage protocols could hurt marginalized people most

Globe and Mail Op-Ed – Brandon Trask: COVID-19 vaccine passports would discriminate against Canadians if used here at home

Toronto Star – The Saturday Debate: Is there a role for vaccine passports in Canada?

Assistant Professor Gerard Kennedy addressed the federal government’s treatment of the minister of justice and attorney general as “just another cabinet post.”

National Post Op-ed: Gerard Kennedy: Trudeau Liberals go around attorney general again, this time over bilingualism

Director of the Master of Human Rights Program and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Dr. Kjell Anderson wrote in The Conversation on the subject of his recent research, Dominic Ongwen, former leader of Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army who was recently tried at The Hague. Anderson’s new book on how to conduct research on perpetrators of genocide was also launched this winter.

The Conversation: Kjell Anderson: Child victim, soldier, war criminal: unpacking Dominic Ongwen’s journey

New book fills gap in research on perpetrators of genocide

Professor Brenda Gunn, Robson Hall’s resident expert on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), weighed in with several editorials intended to educate the Canadian public about the pressing importance of Canada’s implementation of the Declaration.

Globe and Mail Op-Ed: What Canadians should understand about the federal UNDRIP bill

Ottawa Citizen Op-Ed: Gunn and Neve: Canada mustn’t wait any longer to implement the UN declaration on Indigenous rights

Ontario’s Critical Care COVID Command Centre recently released an “emergency standard of care for major surge” protocol, which is intended to “save the most lives in the most ethical manner possible” if the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

A significant feature of the protocol is the concept of critical-care triage. If a surge in cases leads to a shortage of intensive-care unit (ICU) beds, for example, the protocol calls for prioritizing patients with the greatest chance of being alive 12 months after developing whatever condition brought them to the point of requiring ICU treatment.

The National Post reported on Jan. 21 that Ontario’s Bioethics Table is requesting that Ontario doctors be given the unilateral ability to terminate life-support treatment for their patients in order to free up medical resources for other patients. The Bioethics Table also wants doctors to be insulated from any liability related to these life-ending decisions.

These initiatives seem to be influenced by a form of utilitarian thinking, which focuses on maximizing health outcomes with the available scarce resources.

No doubt there is value in considering maximizing the “good” for the “greatest numbers.” However, it always leaves open the question as to how do we actually define the “good.” Additionally, utilitarian analysis often fails to account for other impacts. We know that members of marginalized groups tend to have the poorest health outcomes.

The proposed major surge protocol tries to allay concerns about discrimination in resource-allocation decisions. However, by prioritizing those with better likely health outcomes, utilitarian rationing schemes ultimately engage in discrimination and deepen marginalization.

Utilitarianism is not the only theoretical approach to ethical issues; it is overly simplistic and precarious to resort to utilitarian reasoning out of sheer efficiency considerations. Legal and human rights norms and standards reflect that other ethical obligations exist and should prevail.

We have come to a point where we recognize human rights and acknowledge the historic tendency to create systems rife with systemic discrimination. This stems from a human propensity to develop institutions that tend to reflect back an image of those creating the system — unconsciously or otherwise.

The problem of a COVID-19 surge requires more than a basic ethics framework; it requires the operation of law informed by an understanding of human rights and the determinants of health. Rights aim to protect and advance the interests of the weakest and most marginalized among us. Recitation of the importance of avoiding prohibited forms of discrimination rings hollow when it is accompanied by a protocol document calling for a utilitarian triage system.

It is important to note that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in October 2013 in the Rasouli case that Ontario doctors do not have the unilateral ability to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from their patients when they disagree with a substitute decision-maker. Moreover, in February 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in the Carter case that the prohibition on assisted death was unconstitutional in relation to competent adults who seek death as a response to their condition.

While these cases are different, the point is that the Supreme Court emphasized the requirement for consent. In the Rasouli case, the court did not enable health-care professionals to unilaterally impose a “duty to die” on patients consuming medical resources that did not satisfy the doctors’ concept of what was beneficial.

The practice of medicine must never devolve to the point of recommending — or imposing — death as a treatment “option” in pursuit of systemic efficiency above patient autonomy and consent. This is especially true when these efficiency considerations are built upon systemic discrimination.

Our laws and legal system exist to provide order, equality, consistency and protection against arbitrariness, discrimination and confusion. We cannot simply opt out of our laws — and Supreme Court decisions — when times get tough. Indeed, it is during difficult times that we most need our laws and our legal system. Now, more than ever, we cannot afford to lose our way.

The Faculty’s Selection Committee shared that one of the nominations for Dr. Khoday described the professor of Criminal Law and Procedure, and Administrative Law as “well-known to students at Robson as one of the most affable, approachable, caring, and genuinely engaged professors in the faculty. His enthusiasm for the law, this school, and his students, is clear. He makes us all proud to be part of Robson Hall.” Committee chair Dr. Mary Shariff in reply stated that, “The committee couldn’t have agreed more.” Dr. Shariff further commented, “Known for his excellent classroom instruction, his encouragement of students, and innovative teaching methods, the committee was pleased to recognize Dr. Khoday as an “outstanding” teacher.”

Citing nominations for the Dean’s Award, Shariff shared that, “The committee was delighted to recommend Natasha Brown for this teaching award,” with the committee describing her phenomenal commitment to students as “above and beyond”.”

“Natasha Brown is a true mentor to students both inside and outside the classroom setting, supporting students with compassion and generosity,” said Dr. Shariff. Dr. Shariff continued, “[A]nd as described in the nominations, Natasha Brown is a “passionate” Family Law teacher who brings her wealth of experience to “bridge the gap between the academic side of the law and the actual practice of law”.” Natasha Brown was one of the “driving forces in establishing the Western Canada Family Law Negotiation Competition” held in March 2020 with students describing it as a “huge success” and an “incredible experience”.

Committed to an “intellectually engaging learning experience”

“I am tremendously honoured to have been nominated and selected for this award,” said Khoday, who joined the Faculty in 2012. While he had never met Sneiderman, Khoday said he had heard anecdotes from colleagues who knew the beloved professor as an excellent teacher and good-humoured person. As such, he felt “privileged” to have received the award. “Like many of my colleagues, I am passionate about working with students as we examine various subjects. Whether it is in a lecture-style or seminar course, I strive to make it an intellectually engaging learning experience,” Khoday shared. “I’ve been grateful that numerous students have responded positively and with enthusiasm. I’d like to express my gratitude to the students who nominated me and who took time to do so even in the midst of a pandemic, as well as all those who helped make me a better teacher during my time at Robson Hall.”

A graduate of Robson Hall herself, Brown has taught Family Law as a sessional instructor for a number of years. “Working with law students brings me such joy and fulfillment,” said Brown. “It is especially meaningful to receive this award now as I have missed engaging with the students in person this fall. When I switched careers paths from education to law, I would never have guessed that the paths would connect one day. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to use both of my degrees at the same time. I wish to express my sincere thanks to those who nominated me.”

The Barney Sneiderman Award was named in memory of the much-loved Robson Hall professor who taught from 1969 to 2006, and was a devoted educator both in the classroom and beyond. His family and friends thought it fitting to start a fund to honour one faculty member annually who demonstrates excellence in teaching.

The Dean’s Award is presented each year to a practicing professional who has taught at Robson Hall and made great contributions through commitment beyond the call of duty to the student experience.

The paper, titled Reforming Canada’s intellectual property laws: The slow path to reconciliation examines to what extent Canada’s intellectual property (IP) laws protect Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in relation to its international obligations, domestic laws, and compares it with two other nations’ examples. The paper concludes that Canada can do more to further reconciliation with Indigenous people by improving its IP policy and laws to respect their IP rights in their cultural property and Traditional Knowledge.

Lakusta came to Robson Hall from Hay River, Northwest Territories in the fall of 2018 after completing a Master of Science degree at the University of Calgary. Since his family moved to the NWT when he was 10 years old, he’s been fascinated with Indigenous culture. “Whether it was going dogsledding, observing caribou hunting in the tundra, or taking a long canoe trip through the Mackenzie Mountains, I’ve always enjoyed learning about the different aspects of Indigenous cultures,” he said.

In 2019 during a visit from Dr. Tobi Moody, who gave a talk on misappropriation of culture as intellectual property, Lakusta said he really got thinking about the topic. “Before then, I had kind of taken for granted that Indigenous traditional knowledge was adequately protected. Following his talk, I did some research on the topic and found that there were essentially no IP protections for traditional knowledge.”

These ideas followed Lakusta into Dr. Mary Shariff’s Bioethics course, where he initially wrote on the subject of Indigenous rights to resources. “As science advances and our understanding of the natural world grows, all sorts of resources are being found at the molecular level in plants and animals,” he said. “Pharmaceutical companies in particular are taking advantage of these new technologies by finding out the different mechanisms of traditional medicines and then attaining patents for them. All too often, they patent their drugs without providing anything back to the Indigenous people who knew about the remedy for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.”

On learning that there were no known Canadian examples of companies exploiting genetic resources as is done elsewhere in the world, he wrote about other examples of misappropriation of Indigenous traditional knowledge in Canada, such as in the Cowichan Sweater case where both the Hudson’s Bay Company and Ralph Lauren tried to sell mass-produced versions of traditionally knitted sweater designs. He then did a comparative analysis between Canada and similar incidents in other jurisdictions.

Although he got a B on the paper, Lakusta believed he could do better. “I knew I had something with my paper, and I just needed to push myself that little bit extra to turn it into something exceptional. While an A would have been nice, I ended up learning a lot more about myself and the subject of my paper by receiving the grade that I did,” he said.

Currently working as a summer student for the Vancouver office of Canadian Intellectual Property law firm of Smart & Biggar, Lakusta plans to practice in the area of intellectual property upon graduation – but also hopes to continue writing research articles in areas that interest him, including the subject of traditional knowledge.