The inquiry, headed by Justice William Hourigan of the Ontario Court of Appeal, was instigated by the Ontario government to investigate the commercial and technical circumstances that led to the Stage 1 breakdowns and derailments of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit system (OLRT1).
The inquiry will hold its public hearings from June 13 to July 8 in the Faculty’s Ian G. Scott Courtroom.
The students will serve as registrars; they will open and close the sessions, take minutes, and since they will be sworn in as commissioners of oaths, they will swear in witnesses.
“The Commission is pleased to partner with the University of Ottawa by using its state-of-the-art courtroom to hold public hearings,” said Hourigan.
“Holding the hearings at the University will provide easy access for people to attend and watch and serve as a teaching tool for law students.”
Andrew Clark-Alfaro, who is in his fifth year in the joint BCom/JD program, says his involvement in the inquiry will play an important role in furthering his legal education.
“Working with the Commission team is an invaluable opportunity to get real-world exposure to public inquiries, which is particularly compelling to me given my interest in public law. Also, the fact that the public inquiry investigates the project procurement process is highly relevant to my interest in business law. I am very grateful to the Commissioner, the Office of the Dean, and everyone else who has made this learning opportunity possible.”
Bassel Sabalbal, a mature student entering his second year, is also excited to be part of the inquiry.
“The staff have welcomed us since day one and have been treating us as peers rather than just law students; they often ask our opinions and take our suggestions on implementing various aspects of the commission.
“So far, it has been an eye-opening experience to see how much the citizens of Ottawa care about an effective public transit, including a reliable light rail system. In addition, I am also so happy to see how the Commissioner and his staff truly care and take every word expressed by the public very seriously.”
The fully functional courtroom, the first of its kind at a Canadian university, is named after former Ontario Attorney General Ian Scott. It is overlooked by a classroom, from which students can observe the court proceedings behind a glass window.
In addition, three Fauteux classrooms will host members of the public so they can observe the hearings.