Has the Charter strengthened Canadian constitutionalism, or has its interpretation by courts undermined the relationship between citizens, legislatures, and the judiciary?
In this episode of Runnymede Radio, we visit Runnymede's UBCO Student Chapter, where Prof. Mark Mancini (TRU) explores one of Canada's most important constitutional debates with undergraduate students.
Responding to ongoing academic debates and media commentary questioning the Charter's impact on Canadian society, Prof. Mancini compares recent judicial decisions with early Charter jurisprudence to examine whether today's criticisms of the Charter reflect problems inherent in the Charter itself, or in how courts have interpreted it.
Introduced by Student Chapter leader Jenna Bierwirth, the session offers an accessible and interactive introduction to constitutional law, with undergraduate students engaging in discussion with Prof. Mancini—along with a guest appearance by Prof. Geoff Sigalet (UBCO).
The event demonstrates Runnymede's commitment to bringing constitutional conversations to undergraduate campuses, introducing students to the questions, principles, and competing perspectives that animate Canadian legal debate, even before they enter law school.
14 Oct 2026
Parliamentary Privilege Before the Supreme Court
Can Parliament restrict what its own members are permitted to say without violating the Constitution?
Prof. Ryan Alford of Lakehead University's Bora Laskin Faculty of Law brought that question before the Supreme Court of Canada in a constitutional challenge to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act. The Court delivered its decision in Alford v. Attorney General of Canada on May 1, 2026.
In this episode of Runnymede Radio, Prof. Alford reflects on his experience bringing the case and the competing interpretations of parliamentary privilege, including whether Parliament can restrict parliamentary speech through ordinary legislation.
The discussion examines the historical origins of parliamentary privilege, from the English Bill of Rights 1689 to section 18 of the Constitution Act, 1867, and the Supreme Court's interpretation of Parliament's authority to define and limit its privileges.
Prof. Alford also considers the Court's approach to constitutional interpretation and the distinction between parliamentary sovereignty and supremacy, a central theme of his new book, By Authority of Parliament: The Constitutional Boundaries of Legislative Power in Canada (2026).
Purchase By Authority of Parliament wherever books are sold.
30 Sept 2026
Law & Freedom Flashback: Democratic Rights and Third-Party Participation
This Law & Freedom Flashback returns to a panel discussion from Law & Freedom 2026 examining recent jurisprudence and doctrinal developments concerning democratic rights and electoral fairness.
Drawing on Fair Voting BC and Working Families, the panel considers these developments with particular attention to courts’ treatment of third-party participation in the electoral process.
The discussion features Prof. Jamie Cameron (Osgoode Hall Law School), Devin Drover (Canadian Taxpayers Federation), Prof. Michael Pal (University of Ottawa), and Kerry Sun (University of Oxford), moderated by Prof. Gerard Kennedy (University of Alberta).
Law & Freedom returns to Hart House at the University of Toronto on February 5–6, 2027, culminating in a Saturday night keynote featuring the Hon. Russell Brown, retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Tickets go on sale October 1, 2026.
Who has been a guest on Runnymede Radio
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Christoph Pike
Stéphane Sérafin
Alexi Wood
Asher Honickman
Malcolm Lavoie
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Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100
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Engagement
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