Chief Justice Tulloch and Yola Grant share reflections from their journeys through the justice system in honour of Black History Month
March 13, 2024
Photo LTR: Tega Odjevwedje, Yola Grant, Chief Justice Michael Tulloch
Western Law and the Western Law Chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada were honoured to welcome Chief Justice of Ontario Michael Tulloch and Yola Grant, former Associate Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) to campus on March 4 to celebrate the culmination of Black History Month.
Chief Justice Tulloch addressed a standing-room-only crowd with a lecture on The Importance of Building Public Trust and Confidence in Policing. In his talk, he offered reflections on the two independent reviews on policing he was called to conduct by the Ontario government — the Independent Police Oversight Review in 2017 and the Independent Street Checks Review in 2018.
He shared that the major takeaway from both reviews was his belief that the stability of democratic institutions depends on public trust in policing. He added that while Canada has one of the best police services, over-policing in equity-deserving communities and social media are among factors that contribute to an element of public distrust in policing.
“What happens in policing affects the view of the public towards all institutions. Public trust is essential for all institutions: government, police, and the courts,” said Chief Justice Tulloch. “Public trust must be built through mutual respect, honest communication, and mutual understanding. Without trust in public institutions, lawyers are questioned, and it affects how people view the courts.”
Following his lecture, co-president of the Western Law Chapter of BLSA Canada, Tega Odjevwedje, sat down for a question and answer period with Grant whose distinguished career spans over 30 years of dedicated service in human rights, labour, and employment law.
Grant shared valuable insights from her advocacy on behalf of the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund at the Supreme Court of Canada in RDS (a significant case which explored whether a judge’s comments referencing racism by police officers demonstrated bias by the judge). She also spoke about her landmark decision as Associate Chair, HRTO in Hosein (a case about a broad police DNA sweep of migrant workers of colour and whether their late-filed human rights applications should be allowed to be heard in light of their vulnerability).
When asked for advice on the role of law students and lawyers in addressing racism she called attendees to “not be a safe space for racist and misogynist comments” and to “not give people permission to act improperly around you.”
As a highlight of this inspiring event, BLSA members had the opportunity to be introduced to Grant and Chief Justice Tulloch on a personal level as they both generously gave of their time to join students for a meal, sharing invaluable stories and advice.
