The annual ACFAS Conference is one of the world’s foremost gatherings of Francophone academics. This year, for the 91st edition of the conference (in French), the event will focus on knowledge mobilization in French.
A large number of panels will explore an exceptionally wide range of topics, including several day-long panel events led by members of the Civil Law Section. From private law to international law, and from social services to artificial intelligence, researchers from the Faculty of Law will examine some fascinating topics from detailed and innovative perspectives. These contributions will contribute to the overall conference goal of advancing the frontiers of research conducted in French, fostering critical dialogues on pressing issues, and propelling knowledge mobilization to new heights.
Below are the five sessions that are being led by researchers from the Civil Law Section. Be sure to follow the included links for more information on registering for each event.
La recherche engagée en droit privé : perspectives et contributions de la relève étudiante
Monday, May 13, 2024
This session, led by Professor Pascale Cornut St-Pierre, Professor Audrey Ferron Parayre, Professor Mariève Lacroix, and doctoral student Alexandra Bahary-Dionne, will explore how researchers can engage with complex issues in private law while being mindful of the myriad challenges that arise when researching issues on sensitive social problems. Is it necessary to stay neutral when conducting research that may contribute to social transformation? Is it possible? The discussions planned for this day will help students and early career researchers reflect on their roles as researchers in private law.
La santé, les services sociaux et la justice au prisme de la Nouvelle Gestion Publique : approche transversale
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Civil Law’s Professor Emmanuelle Bernheim will lead this session alongside Delphine Gauthier-Boiteau, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Law, Professor Mélanie Bourque of the Université de Sherbrooke, Professor François Bolduc of Université Laval, and Professor Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau of the Université de Montréal. The day’s discussions will explore the evolution of public policies and their implementation in the fields of health, social services and justice, looking at how our conception has changed regarding what public services actually are, and how marginalized communities have been affected by this evolution.
L'encadrement de l'intelligence artificielle : enjeux éthiques, techniques, juridiques et perspectives futures
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
This session, led by Professor Céline Castets-Renard, and featuring presentations from Professor Jennifer Quaid, will explore the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the regulation of AI. Both Canada and the European Union have developed draft laws on artificial intelligence. But are the laws precise enough to be effective? How do we ensure they won’t rapidly become obsolete? This day’s discussions will examine the law and ethics of numerous AI-related issues, while inviting the perspectives of AI scientists to generate a truly multidisciplinary dialogue.
Droits des enfants et des jeunes : défis actuels et objectifs de développement durable
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
This session is led by Professor Mona Paré alongside Professor Nathalie Mondain of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Anta Niang of the Institut universitaire de première ligne en santé et services sociaux. The day’s discussions will explore how children and young people continue to face situations that prevent the full realization of their rights, in spite of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This event will build upon the work of the Laboratoire de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les droits de l'enfant (LRIDE) to take a critical look at the Convention and examine alternative approaches to children’s rights in the context of current issues. As part of the programme, Professor Anne Levesque of the Common Law Section will present a paper alongside Professor Paré and doctoral student Jean-Frédéric-Hübsch
Le devoir de vigilance : regards croisés en droit international, droit comparé et au Canada
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
This session, led by Professor Geneviève Dufour and doctoral student Valériane Thool, examines the principle of “duty of care”, which recognizes that the choices made by multinational companies can have far-reaching effects on human rights and environmental protection. The day’s discussions will examine how certain countries from around the world have chosen to regulate the activities of multinational companies. What role do national regulations and legislative initiatives play in promoting due diligence and corporate social responsibility on a national scale? This symposium will compare Canada’s approach to frameworks established by other countries. As part of the programme, Professor Lynda Hubert Ta will present a paper dealing with the mining sector.
Registration is open for all of the events of ACFAS 2024. Consult the full program (in French).