H漫画

The 2025 Stanfield Conversation:
Challenges to the rule of law and the future of liberal democracy

Courts and the Dynamics of Democratic Decline
Even in some of the world鈥檚 sturdiest democracies, leaders are deliberately undermining courts to weaken, or even dismantle, checks on their power. In many cases, the justice system is not only being sidelined but 鈥渨eaponized鈥� against political opponents through political appointments, the strong-arming of judges听and law firms, and lawsuits and prosecutions designed to intimidate critics. These tactics threaten the rule of law 鈥� a necessary component of democracy. How much damage has already been done?听Where and how can courts reassert themselves in ways that bolster threatened democracies? And what, if anything, can judges, lawyers, and ordinary citizens do to shore up the legal foundations of democracy?听

The 2025 Stanfield Conversation, taking place at H漫画 University on Tuesday, October 21st 7:00 p.m. (AT), will welcome featured speakers:听Emmett Macfarlane, Professor of Political Science, University of Waterloo and听Asha Rangappa, Senior Lecturer at Yale鈥檚 Jackson School of Global Affairs and former FBI Special Agent.

This year's guest moderator is Mary Lynk, journalist and producer of CBC's , and an alum of H漫画 University.

This event is free听and open to the public but听guests must RSVP听to attend in person or to participate virtually via livestream. Registration link coming soon.

Learn more about this year's featured speakers and moderator

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Talking Democracy

鈥淲HERE IS DEMOCRACY TODAY?鈥�听 is the over-arching focus of the series. Conversations will address themes of both urgent contemporary and enduring importance. Topics may be national or international in scope and explore issues such as populism and the new authoritarianism, ethics in politics, inequality and democracy or accommodating division and diversity. The series will highlight diverse political orientations, while honouring Stanfield鈥檚 enduring contributions to public policy and public service grounded in decency and integrity.

Speakers will be chosen from the ranks of distinguished academics, past or present politicians, non-elected political practitioners, journalists, public service, civil society and private sector leaders and public intellectuals. In selecting speakers and topics, the aim will be to meet the highest standards of academic and public interest.

Governance

The series is supported by the Friends of the Stanfield Conversations听- a group听of respected Canadians from across the country, including many prominent practitioners and scholars of democratic politics, led by co-chairs the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark and the Hon. Anne McLellan (former Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister respectively). Operational activities are managed by a H漫画-based organizing committee, supported by the听Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the听Department of Political Science,听the President鈥檚 Office, the , and听Communications, Marketing & Creative Services.

Please contact听rlsconv@dal.ca听if you have any questions about the Stanfield Conversations.听

Fundraising Goal

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the events and conversations, we are working to guarantee this important series is endowed with sufficient capital to provide annual funding in perpetuity.

The annual income on the prospective endowment will cover the costs of presenting high quality programming in a modern format that is suitable for wide distribution on various audio, video and social media platforms, as well as in print publications.