Justice as a Common Good: Moving from Vision to Action

November 23-25, 2026
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington St, Ottawa, ON K1A 0N4

2026 SUMMIT AGENDA

Monday, November 23, 2026

TIME

5:00-7:00PM

Opening reception at the Supreme Court

5:30 p.m. Welcome remarks from the Honourable Justice Andromache Karakatsanis, Chair of the Action Committee on Access to Justice.

5:35 p.m. Keynote address from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Louise Arbour, Governor General of Canada.

Note: Please allow extra time for security screening upon arrival at the Supreme Court of Canada. Please review the Court’s security screening information in advance.

Business attire is recommended.

PROGRAM

SUPREME COURT OF CANADA

West Memorial Building

344 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON

ROOM

Tuesday, November 24, 2026

PROGRAM

TIME

8:30-9:00

ROOM

Breakfast

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

9:00-9:20

Welcome and housekeeping

Emcees Christine O’Doherty and Patricia Hebert welcome guests and go through housekeeping items.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

9:20-9:25

Land Acknowledgment

9:25-11:00

A Renewed Vision for Access to Justice

Justice Karakatsanis opens the Summit by introducing the Action Committee’s renewed vision, Toward Justice as a Common Good, and the principles that guide it. She will speak to why this moment matters, the priorities and opportunities taking shape, and what success could look like in the years ahead. The session sets the stage for the days to come by highlighting where our shared commitments lie and how we can act on them together.

11:00-11:15

Morning break

11:15-12:15

The Role of Universities in Advancing Justice as a Common Good

This panel explores how universities can advance justice as a common good, from the ways they teach and train future professionals to the research and knowledge they mobilize. It also considers how universities engage with their communities and foster public dialogue and civic participation.

Moderator: Trevor C.W. Farrow, Dean and Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University

  • Sophie Thériault, Dean, Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section, University of Ottawa

  • Joel Westheimer, Full Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa

12:15-1:15

Lunch

1:15-2:15

Government Leadership and Public Policy

INSERT BLURB

Moderator: Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, McGill University

  • Marie-Josée Hogue, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada

  • Philippe-André Tessier, Associate Deputy Minister, Ministère de la Justice du Québec

  • Andrew Pilliar, Research Director, Access to Justice Centre for Excellence, University of Victoria

2:15-3:00

Collaborative Conversation 1: From Ideas to Collective Responsibility

Details forthcoming.

3:00-3:15

Tables Report Back

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

3:15-3:30

Afternoon Break

3:30-4:30

Fireside Chat: Building Public Support for Justice Reform

Details forthcoming.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

Wednesday, November 25, 2026

PROGRAM

TIME

8:30-9:00

ROOM

Breakfast

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

9:00-9:20

Keynote address

Details forthcoming.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

9:20-10:30

Cross-Sector Lessons on Innovation and Systems Transformation

Insert blurb

Moderator: Catherine McKinnon, Senior Counsel, Access to Justice Secretariat, Department of Justice Canada

  • Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister of Health, Health Canada

  • Brian Golden, Sandra Rotman Chaired Professor in Health Sector Strategy, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

10:30-10:45

Morning break

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

10:45-12:00

Leadership for Justice System Change

Insert Blurb

Moderator: The Honourable Lise Maisonneuve, former Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice

  • The Honourable Tracey K. DeWare, Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick

  • The Honourable Shannon H. Smallwood, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories

  • The Honourable Justice Frédéric Pérodeau, Coordinating Judge, Civil and Family Divisions, District of Montréal, Superior Court of Quebec

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

12:00-1:00

Lunch break

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

1:00-2:00

Generative AI and the Future of Access to Justice

Insert blurb

Moderator: Margo Nightingale, Lawyer, Nightingale Law Office, Yellowknife

  • Tim Brown, K.C., Chief Executive Officer, Law Society of Saskatchewan

  • Amy Salyzyn, Associate Professor and Dean’s Research Professor in Technology and Justice Futures, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section, University of Ottawa

  • Abdi Aidid, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

2:00-2:15

Afternoon break

MARGARET AVISON ROOM

2:15-3:00

Collaborative Conversation 2: From Ideas to Action – Sector-Based Implementation Discussions

Participants meet in small groups by sector to explore what justice as a common good means for their work. Each group will identify the greatest opportunities for action and the supports, partnerships and conditions needed to seize them, including how the Action Committee can help move this work forward.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

3:00-3:30

Sectors Report Back

Sector groups share key insights and recommendations.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

3:30-3:55

Closing Panel: Commitments, Partnerships, and Next Steps

Insert Blurb

Moderator: Mark Benton, K.C., former Chief Executive Officer, Legal Aid BC

  • The Honourable Justice Andromache Karakatsanis, Supreme Court of Canada, and Chair, Action Committee on Access to Justice

  • Trevor C.W. Farrow, Dean and Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University

  • Véronique Morissette, Executive Director, Action Committee on Access to Justice

  • Brea Lowenberger, Strategic Advisor, Action Committee on Access to Justice 

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

3:55-4:00

Closing remarks

Justice Karakatsanis closes the Summit by reflecting on what we have heard together and how we can carry this shared commitment to justice as a common good into the work ahead.

WINIFRED BAMBRICK ROOM

Recorded session

Simultaneous Interpretation and transcript available

Note: The conference agenda is subject to change as programming is finalized.