International Law Research Guides from the Peace Palace Library in The Hague

I often write about the law guides published by GlobaLex, a very good electronic collection created by the Hauser Global Law School Program at the New York University School of Law.

I came across another interesting source: the Peace Palace Library in The Hague. The Library serves the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice and The Hague Academy of International Law.

It has published excellent research guides on public and private international law, international organizations, trade, peace and security issues, and much more.

Supreme Court of Canada Calendar of Upcoming Hearings

The Supreme Court of Canada has published its calendar of upcoming appeals that will be heard in November 2022.

To find out more about any particular case, click on the docket number in parentheses next to each case name to find docket information, case summaries as well as factums from the parties. 

New Statistics Canada Reports on Crime

Statistics Canada has recently published a number of reports related to crime.

They are:

• Victims of police-reported family and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2021
• Impact of cybercrime on Canadian businesses, 2021
• Bullying victimization among sexually and gender diverse youth in Canada

October 2022 Issue of In Session E-Bulletin of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries

The October 2022 issue of In Session is available online.

It is the monthly e-newsletter of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) and contains news from CALL committees and special interest groups, member updates and events.

Federal Government Standing Committee Report on Facial Recognition Technology

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics has released a report on Facial Recognition Technology and the Growing Power of Artificial Intelligence:

"The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing use of facial recognition technology (FRT), as well as recent investigations by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) into FRT, led the Committee to study FRT and the growing power of AI."

"This report looks at the benefits and risks of FRT and its use in specific contexts, such as law enforcement. It explores other AI governance issues, such as procurement and public investment in this area. It also looks at legislative and other solutions to reassure Canadians that the use of FRT or other AI tools in Canada is done responsibly and respects their rights."

"Taking into account witness testimony, the Committee makes several recommendations to improve the federal legislative framework that applies to FRT and AI technologies, including the recommendation to impose a moratorium on the use of FRT in Canada, as recommended by a majority of witnesses."

The Committee held 9 public meetings as part of this study and heard from 33 witnesses, including the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and other experts and stakeholders. It also received 8 briefs. The witness testimony heard by the Committee is available on the Parliament of Canada’s website.

English Law Commission Proposals to Ensure UK Remains Centre of International Arbitration

The Law Commission of England and Wales recently released a consultation paper with provisional reform proposals to update the Arbitration Act 1996 and to ensure London remains a world-leading seat in arbitration.

From the description of the project:

"Arbitration is a form of dispute resolution. If two or more parties have a dispute which they cannot resolve themselves, instead of going to court, they might appoint a third person as an arbitrator to resolve the dispute for them by issuing an award. They might appoint a panel of arbitrators to act as an arbitral tribunal."

"Arbitration happens in a wide range of settings, both domestic and international, from family law and rent reviews, through commodity trades and shipping, to international commercial contracts and investor claims against states."

"Arbitration is a major area of activity. For example, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, headquartered in London, has more than 17,000 members across 149 countries. Industry estimates suggest that international arbitration has grown by about 26% between 2016 and 2020, with London the world’s most popular seat." 

"The Arbitration Act 1996 (“the Act”) provides a framework for arbitration in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. It has been 25 years since the Act came into force. This anniversary presents a good opportunity to revisit the Act, to ensure that it remains state of the art, so that it provides an excellent basis for domestic arbitration, and continues to support London’s world-leading role in international arbitration."

The consultation paper examines areas such as confidentiality, independence and immunity of arbitrators, jurisdictional challenges against arbitral awards, appeals and more.

New and Updated Globalex Research Guides on Foreign and International Law Topics

GlobaLex, a very good electronic collection created by the Hauser Global Law School Program at the New York University School of Law, has published and updated a number of research guides recently:

• Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights: Four Realms of Discussion, Research, and Annotated Bibliography
• UPDATE: A Review of the Progressive Development of International Human Rights Framework on Capital Punishment
• UPDATE: Religious Legal Systems in Comparative Law – A Guide to Introductory Research
• UPDATE: A Research Guide to Cases and Materials on Terrorism

Canadian Federation of Library Associations Fall 2022 Update

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CLFA) has published an update about its recent activities.

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries is a member of the Federation.

The update includes news about advocacy activities on behalf of the Canadian library community, copyright reform, consultations relating to the 2023 federal budget, the release of residential school records, a new cataloguing code of ethics, the education of library technicians, and more

Federal Government Releases Report on Appointment of Justice Michelle O'Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada

The Independent Advisory Board for Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments which makes recommendations to the Prime Minister has submitted its report on the selection process that led to the appointment of Michelle O'Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justice O'Bonwasin joined Canada's highest court on September 1.

The Advisory Board's report includes sections on:

• meetings, review process and recommendation process of the Advisory Board;
• a summary of consultations and outreach activities by the Advisory Board;
• statistics about the demographics of applicants

University of Victoria Podcast on Indigenous Perspectives

The University of Victoria Libraries in British Columbia have launched a new podcast series entitled Taapwaywin: Talking about what we know and what we believe.

"Hosted by Associate University Librarian – Reconciliation Ry Moran, Taapwaywin features conversations with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Survivors, academics, artists, activists and community leaders about the role truth-telling can play in societal healing (...)"

"Moran’s path to produce this podcast builds on decades of work. From his recent role as the founding director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation prior to his arrival at UVic, to statement-gathering work with the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission], and the important efforts to honour and remember the children who never returned from the residential schools, Moran has listened to thousands of hours of residential school Survivor statements. These hard and often devastating truths—and the teachings contained within the work of the TRC—have shaped Moran’s perspectives on what Canada is, and the change that’s necessary. "

 

Law Society of Ontario Resource Centre for Legal Tech

The Law Society of Ontario has created a Technology Resource Centre to help Ontario lawyers and paralegals understand technologies for their practice, security and data protection, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and working remotely.

There are sections on:

• Practice resources and supports (technology topics)
• Training and tutorials
• Continuing professional development programs offered by the Law Society

Canadian Association of Law Libraries Webinar: Preservation, Discovery, and Accessibility

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) is organizing a webinar on Thursday, October 20 at 1:00PM Eastern on Preservation, Discovery, and Accessibility: A Toolkit:

"During the 2021 Annual NELLCO Symposium, the Collection Development and Acquisitions Interest group chairs appointed a small working group to draft a document highlighting three specific areas of concern about electronic resources, particularly as publishers and libraries increasingly transition from print to electronic format.  The group developed a toolkit, Preservation, Discovery, and Accessibility (PDA).  This toolkit, designed to assist librarians during vendor negotiations, raises awareness of our problems in the electronic era. "

"The program will explore each of the three elements highlighted in the document and provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences and concerns regarding preservation, discovery, and accessibility."

 Registration is free for CALL members, $50 for non-members and $15 for student non-members.