The theme of the Canadian Council on International Law Conference is “Canada at 150: The Return of History for International Law”. The key premises and institutions of the international order, which have endured since the end of the Second World War, are increasingly being challenged by powerful states, rising powers, populist movements, non-state organizations and multinational corporations. Fundamental questions are being asked in all areas of international law as to how the international legal framework and institutions may be reshaped.
In this context, the CCIL’s Annual Conference will encourage discussion and analysis on the following questions:
- What is the impact on international law of these changes? Where does Canada fit in the international order at a crucial point in history?
- How have experiences over the past 150 years prepared Canada for this evolving environment and affected Canada’s current approach to international law?
- What should Canada contribute to the reshaping of the international legal framework and institutions and how should Canada engage in this respect?
The International Law Research Program (ILRP) of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is delivering a plenary session that reflects on Canada’s past successes and failures in international law and will consider what the opportunities are for Canada to provide international law leadership now and looking forward another fifty years. The contributions will focus on the ILRP’s core research themes of International Economic Law, International Environmental Law and Intellectual Property Law and Innovation.
In addition, ILRP will present on the following two panel discussions: Canada’s Role in International Environmental Law and The Life Span of a Trade Agreement: NAFTA Revisions.
