• Designed for: Lawyers, Accountants and other Professionals

  • Accredited: 1 hour (EDI Professionalism) by Law Society of Ontario - Certificate upon completion

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Program Language: English

  • Program Fee: $149 + Tax

Course Summary

This program focuses on the importance of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Human rights, mutual respect and dialogue to foster equality, diversity and inclusion and counter the rise of populism and racism in our Canadian society.

You will first watch a case study featuring the Hot Docs original short documentary film Notwithstanding from the Hot Docs series: In The Name of All Canadians. Adopting a creative approach to documentary film-making, the film depicts a doomsday scenario when Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, weaponizes the Charter against itself.

The documentary film is followed by a post-screening discussion with legal scholars and human rights legal practitioners about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the Canadian society and the importance of acquiring cultural competencies to transpose these values in the professional workplace. You will be invited to reflect on how the rise of populism and racism jeopardizes the values of equality, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian society and how, as professionals, we all have a responsibility in taking proactive measures to address that risk in our workplace.

In order to receive your certificate of completion, you will have to complete a self-assessment quiz based on the topics discussed in the film and post-screening discussion.

Specific Learning Objectives

  • Understanding the human consequences of unconscious bias against racialized professionals

  • The interest-based and multi-stakeholder approach to common problems

  • What organizations can do to prevent discrimination and racism

  • Review key concepts of cultural competence

Post-Screening Experts

Paul Champ

Lawyer, Criminal, Immigration and Citizenship Law

Paul Champ is an Ottawa-based litigation lawyer with a focus on human rights, employment, labour, and public interest law. Paul has acted as counsel in several important constitutional law cases dealing with fundamental human rights, and has developed a practice in national security law. In representing his clients, Paul has appeared before all levels of the Federal and Ontario Courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as numerous boards and tribunals. Paul studied law at the University of British Columbia (LLB) and McGill University, and holds a journalism degree from Carleton University (B.J.).


Yavar Hameed

Lawyer, Human Rights Law

Called to the Ontario Bar in 2001, Yavar is
a human rights advisory counsel and litigator. He has completed his Common Law degree at the University of Ottawa and an M.A. at the Normal Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA). As a human rights advocate, Yavar Hameed focuses his law practice on empowering his clients to understand their rights and offers strategies to help them navigate, simplify and overcome dis-empowering and oppressive legal and social challenges. Yavar Hameed is an active member of the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association (CMLA), on the board of iSisters Technology Mentoring and volunteering with the Parkdale Food Centre..


Martha Jackman

Professor, Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa

Professor Jackman specializes in the area of constitutional law, with a particular focus on issues relating to women and other marginalized groups. She has held various positions within the law school including Vice-Dean of the French Common Law Program, and Shirley E. Greenberg Chair for Women and the Legal Profession. She publishes primarily in the areas of socio-economic rights, equality, and the Canadian Charter. She appears regularly before law reform bodies, lawyers, judges and parliamentary committees and is a member of the National Steering Committee of the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL/ANFD) and is a former member of Equality Rights Panel of the Court Challenges Program of Canada and of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF/FAEJ).


Alycia Shaw

Lawyer, Human Rights and Labour Law

A respected practitioner with Jewitt McLuckie & Associates LLP (JM&A), she represented public and private sector locals at grievance arbitrations and administrative tribunals on a wide range of matters. She is also an adjunct professor of law at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. Alycia is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers and an active member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers. She also sits on the board of iSisters Technology Mentoring and volunteering with the Parkdale Food Centre in Ottawa.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Notwithstanding - Documentary Case Study

    • VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

    • Notwithstanding - Full Movie

  • 2

    Chapter 1 – Introduction of experts and initial reactions to the case study

    • Introduction of experts and initial reactions to the case study

  • 3

    Chapter 2 – The notwithstanding clause in the current political and social context

    • The notwithstanding clause in the current political and social context

  • 4

    Chapter 3 – Mitigating the risks of populism

    • Mitigating the risks of populism

  • 5

    Chapter 4 – Protecting equality, diversity and inclusion in our Canadian society

    • Protecting equality, diversity and inclusion in our Canadian society

  • 6

    Chapter 5 – How organizations can prevent xenophobia?

    • How organizations can prevent xenophobia?

  • 7

    Chapter 6 – The future of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

    • The future of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

  • 8

    Notwithstanding – Post-Screening Quiz

    • Notwithstanding – Quiz