Law Syrup

This week on Law Syrup, we explore the growing role of artificial intelligence in Canada's criminal justice system with Ryan Fritsch of the Law Commission of Ontario. From AI-powered policing tools and facial recognition technology to privacy, Charter rights, and access to justice, Ryan breaks down the opportunities and risks presented by rapidly evolving technologies. We also discuss the Law Commission's major new report on AI and criminal justice, including 29 recommendations aimed at ensuring these tools are governed in a way that reflects Canadian law and values.

Interested in learning more? Check out the Law Commission of Ontario's report, AI in Criminal Justice: Final Report and Recommendations.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

This week on Law Syrup, we're talking class actions. Remissa Hirji and Nathalie Gondek of the Law Foundation of Ontario join us to explain how class actions work, how the Class Proceedings Fund helps people pursue them, and why they matter for access to justice. From major settlements and Charter challenges to common misconceptions about who actually benefits from class actions, this episode offers an accessible introduction to a complex and often misunderstood area of law.

The conversation also explores the Law Foundation of Ontario's recent report, Advancing Access to Justice: A Review of the Class Proceedings Fund's Impact, which examines more than 30 years of the Fund's role in shaping class actions and advancing access to justice in Ontario.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

This week on Law Syrup, we sit down with Harvey Brownstone: Canada's first openly gay judge, memoirist, interviewer, and trailblazer. Harvey reflects on his journey from rejection and hardship to the bench, discusses why he believes Canada's justice system needs reform, and shares how his life story is being adapted into a feature film. Along the way, he offers powerful advice for anyone facing barriers because of who they are or where they come from.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

In this week’s episode, Herman speaks with Meaghan Cunningham, Crown Attorney and one of the prosecutors on the recent Hockey Canada trial. Together, Herman and Meaghan speak about the pressures of working amidst a highly publicized criminal trial, what it really means to serve the public interest, and the possibilities and potential pitfalls in restorative justice approaches to cases involving sexual assault.

Disclaimer: Meaghan Cunningham appears on this episode in her personal capacity and is not intended to be a representative of the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup’s first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for their support.

This program contains 0 hour(s) and 30 minutes of Professionalism Content.

This program contains 0 hour(s) and 15 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content.

One of the most popular sessions from OJEN’s Summer Law Institute is now available to all listeners. In this episode, Court of Appeal Justice Lorne Sossin highlights his Top 5 Supreme Court of Canada decisions of the past year, explaining why they matter and what they reveal about the evolving landscape of Canadian law.

Justice Sossin walks through impactful rulings on Charter rights in correctional settings (John Howard Society), treaty interpretation and Crown obligations (Restoule), public contracts and administrative law (Sanis Health), police powers and digital evidence (Campbell), and federal administrative authority (Power). He also briefly discusses other notable decisions that shaped public, constitutional, and Indigenous law in 2024–2025. This episode offers teachers, students, and legal enthusiasts an accessible overview of key legal developments and the stories behind them.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

At the most recent Summer Law Institute, OJEN’s annual flagship professional development event for educators, OJEN-er Jean-Paul Bevilacqua sat down for an in-depth conversation with criminal defence lawyer Megan Savard.

In this wide-ranging interview that took place on August 26th, 2025, Megan reflects on her path into criminal law, the early challenges she faced, and the skills and strategies she developed to establish herself in a demanding profession. She also discusses the essential role of defence counsel in protecting Charter rights and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

The conversation then turns to the recent Hockey Canada trial, in which Megan represented one of the five defendants. She offers insight into the unique legal, evidentiary, and societal issues raised by the case and reflects on the broader public conversation surrounding sexual assault trials in Canada. All five accused were ultimately acquitted.

This episode will interest listeners from multiple perspectives, offering a candid look at criminal law, advocacy, professional resilience, and the real-world impact of legal processes on Canadian society.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

This program contains 0 hour(s) and 35 minutes of Professionalism Content.

This program contains 0 hour(s) and 25 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content.

Earlier this year, in partnership with Ontario Tech University, OJEN ran its first annual essay contest asking high school students: What role does law reform play in creating positive social change? In this episode of Law Syrup, we hear from the winners, Zainab, Jal, and Marwa, as they share what inspired their essays, what they discovered about law’s impact on society, and how they see their own educational and professional futures unfolding.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

This week on Law Syrup, we finally dive into a much-requested topic: family law. Our guest, Dara Khoeum, family lawyer and friend of host Herman through their work with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL), brings sharp insight and plenty of heart to the conversation. From the path that led him into this field to the realities of the courtroom, Dara shares how he balances legal strategy with empathy, navigates the overlap between family and criminal law, and advocates for clients through some of their most challenging moments.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.

This program contains 0 hour(s) and 30 minutes of Professionalism Content.

What does it take to make law come alive for high school students? In this episode of Law Syrup, Marija Apostolovski, Luís Filipe and Matthew Wilks, three dedicated high-school educators, share what drew them to the profession, how they build engaging classrooms, and the challenges and surprises that come with teaching legal topics to young people. They also reflect on the utility of OJEN resources, the importance of legal professionals getting involved, and why students should consider taking law as an elective.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for their support.

In this episode, Herman and Douglas Kwan dive into housing law, specifically landlord and tenant rights, responsibilities and resources, and how a Live Aid concert sparked a career in advocacy.

Douglas is the Director of Advocacy and Legal Services at ACTO (the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario) (https://www.acto.ca). He is a lawyer with decades of experience in public interest, social justice and legal aid, having worked for years at Mississauga Community Legal Services, a legal aid clinic providing access to justice for people with low incomes.

Accompanying classroom resources for every episode of Law Syrup's first season can be found on www.ojen.ca.

We’re open to questions, comments, and ideas! Send them to us at [email protected].

Thank you to The Law Foundation of Ontario for its support.