The Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

Ours to Protect Virtual Summit
2026-06-23 12:30 - 15:30 (America/St_Johns) | Online
Hosted by Navigator, the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and the cross-country coalition of Canadian law societies behind the Ours to Protect campaign, this series of guided discussions will take place over Zoom, and feature groups and experts dedicated to teaching democracy to youth in Canada.
The goal is to bring likeminded groups together, learn about domestic and international efforts to engage youth on the key pillars of democracy and explore best practices for promoting real learning and student engagement on the rule of law in Canada.
Participants will get a sneak peek at our new national youth research (ages 12-20), with insights into young Canadians’ understanding of the rule of law as well as their perceptions and concerns in the current political and cultural context.
Please RSVP to rsvp3@navltd.com by 15 June if you are planning to join. A Zoom invitation will follow.
Additional background:
Last year, research commissioned by Canada’s law societies showed younger Canadians are less likely to understand the rule of law. Informed by that data, the Ours to Protect campaign targeted those 18 and over with social media and television ads to help spread awareness and understanding of the rule of law among Canadian adults. This virtual summit event will follow new research aimed at youth, ages 12-20, to gauge their understanding of the rule of law. Discussions will be informed by this new data and will help determine next steps for educating young people about the rule of law in Canada.

An Afternoon with The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada
2026-09-22 14:30 - 16:00
Location: Emera Innovation Exchange – Conference Hall B-2007 Center. 100 Signal Hill Rd, St John’s – Virtual Attendance Available via Zoom
Overview:
Courts across the country are facing significant pressures as they endeavour to fulfil their essential role in society. In Newfoundland and Labrador, these pressures are reflected in growing case backlogs and were brought into sharper focus when the Provincial Court was required to indefinitely adjourn certain civil hearings, traffic matters, and Contraventions Act cases. Circuit court sittings have also been reduced indefinitely in some regions. These developments highlight broader challenges facing the justice system and the impacts that delay and limited court capacity can have on litigants, lawyers, and the public.
Against this backdrop, the Law Society is pleased to host the Chief Justice of Canada for a special event featuring remarks on the challenges currently facing Canada’s courts. Drawing on his national perspective, the Chief Justice will situate these developments within broader trends affecting courts across the country. The discussion will consider issues such as delay, accessibility, modernization of court processes, and maintaining public confidence in the administration of justice.
The session will also explore the respective roles of courts, governments, and the legal profession in responding to these challenges and strengthening the justice system.
Following his remarks, the Chief Justice will engage in a moderated discussion and respond to questions from attendees.
The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada
The Right Honourable Richard Wagner is the 18th Chief Justice of Canada. In this role, he presides over the Canadian Judicial Council, National Judicial Institute and chairs the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. Chief Justice Wagner was president of the Association des Cours Constitutionelles Francophones from 2019 to 2022. The Chief Justice also fulfilled his duty to serve as administrator of the Government of Canada from January 23 to July 26, 2021.
Born and raised in Montreal, Chief Justice Wagner earned his Bachelor of Social Science and Licentiate in Laws at the University of Ottawa. He returned to his home town to practice law from 1980 to 2004. His areas of specialization included professional liability, commercial litigation and class action lawsuits. As a litigator the Chief Justice argued cases before every level of court in Quebec, quasi-judicial tribunals, as well as the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. Throughout his legal career, Chief Justice Wagner led initiatives to help lawyers constantly upgrade their skills and knowledge, such as the creation of the Centre d’accès à l’information juridique in 2002, for which he was awarded the Mérite du Barreau du Québec in 2005. In 2022, in recognition of his longstanding contribution to the advancement of the law, the Bar of Montreal awarded him its highest distinction, the Medal of the Bar of Montreal. In addition, for his outstanding contribution to upholding and promoting the rule of law, the World Jurist Association presented him with its Medal of Honor at a ceremony at the United Nations in New York in 2023. Most recently, in 2024, France awarded him with the insignia of Commander of the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest decoration, for his exemplary services to the cause of justice.
Chief Justice Wagner was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in 2004 and was named to the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2011. On October 5, 2012, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. He was sworn in as Chief Justice of Canada on December 18, 2017. At his Supreme Court welcoming ceremony, Chief Justice Wagner spoke of the need for more transparency in the justice system, “Judges and courts must adjust and must explain who they are, what they do and how they do it.”
In that regard, the Chief Justice works very closely with the Supreme Court Registrar. The Court has introduced plain language summaries of decisions called Case in Brief and produces an annual report called the Year in Review. The Chief Justice now holds an annual news conference and has directed the Supreme Court, for the first time in its history, to hear cases outside Ottawa. In 2019, it traveled to Winnipeg where it heard two cases and judges conducted activities in the community. The Court conducted a similar trip to Quebec City in 2022.
Chief Justice Wagner is a steadfast advocate for better access to justice for all Canadians. He encourages better funding for legal aid, urges lawyers to do more pro bono work and supports structural reforms to further modernize the justice system.
As a litigator and a judge, the Chief Justice has championed civility in and outside the courtroom, “Even if people reading our decisions don’t agree with an outcome, we have to ensure they respect them. If we let emotion get the best of us, our decisions become suspect, and so do we.” Civility and collegiality were the focus of his speech at the 2019 Cambridge Lectures.
A passionate defender of the principle of judicial independence, the Chief Justice and Minister of Justice David Lametti signed an Accord in 2019 to formally recognize the Supreme Court’s full independence from the federal Department of Justice. “A judiciary that is independent – and seen to be independent – benefits all Canadians,” said the Chief Justice.
Registration Fee: $115.00 ($100.00 + HST)
HST # R108086463
Space is limited. To register for this event, please click here.
CPD Credit: 1.5 hours
