Pro Bono Radio

Summer jobs are a part of almost every young adult’s life. As we leave behind the carefree innocence of our youth, we begin to take on the responsibilities of being an employee. Despite this, we often don’t stop to consider what responsibilities we are actually taking on. Whether you’re a scooper at your local ice cream shop, a coach for a soccer team, or a staff member at a day camp, you are not...

In 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released its landmark decision in Nevsun Resources Ltd. v. Araya ( Nevsun ), a case that reshaped how Canadian courts engage with international law in domestic litigation. The case arose from allegations that a Canadian mining company, operating abroad, was complicit in serious human rights abuses, including forced labour, at the Bisha Mine in Eritrea.  The Cou...

In this episode, Mehik and Eniayo examine white-collar crime and, more specifically, Ponzi schemes. The discussion begins by challenging common assumptions about what crime looks like and who commits it. While crime is often associated with violence and visible harm, white-collar crime operates quietly, often within trusted community spaces, and can cause devastating financial and emotional conseq...

When you hear of civil forfeiture, you may think back to John Oliver’s viral critique of its use in the United States. Perhaps you have never heard of this statutory scheme before. What few realize is that civil forfeiture has been the subject of public debate for decades, with policy objectives like crime deterrence forming the foundation of its supporters’ arguments and due process and pro...

Most consumers are unaware of how corporate law and antitrust enforcement directly shape the fairness of the marketplace they rely on. Practices such as price‑fixing, bid‑rigging, and market allocation can quietly distort competition, inflate prices, and limit consumer choice. Cartel cases and broader competition‑law disputes reveal how coordinated corporate behaviour can undermine free markets an...

In 1999, the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Gladue described the over-incarceration of Indigenous peoples as a “crisis” and a “staggering injustice.” More than two decades later, that crisis has only deepened. According to the Office of the Correctional Investigator, the proportion of Indigenous people in federal prisons has continued to rise, with particularly alarming numbers for Indigenous wome...

As nearly 80 percent of Canadian households now include at least one pet, the role of animals in our lives has never been more significant. Yet under Ontario law, animals are still largely treated as personal property, a legal classification that fails to reflect their emotional, social, and even therapeutic value to their human companions. In this episode, Misha Srnec explores the evolving landsc...

In this episode of Queen’s Pro Bono Radio, host Andrei Uzumtoma dives into the murky legal waters surrounding psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms. Despite being illegal under the  Controlled Drugs and Substances Act , mushroom dispensaries are cropping up across Canadian cities. So what gives?  Through an exploration of the relevant law, Andrei breaks down the p...

Plea bargains play a vital role in Canada’s justice system. By reducing the number of cases that go to trial and providing greater certainty in outcomes for accused persons, they help improve the system’s overall efficiency. However, plea bargains present some serious concerns. When vulnerable individuals—facing financial hardship, inadequate legal support, and compelling evidence against them—are...

The world as we know it is rapidly transforming as artificial intelligence integrates into daily life; streamlining tasks, generating content, and even making decisions once reserved for humans. From self-driving cars to AI-powered customer service, the lines between human ingenuity and machine efficiency continue to blur. In the midst of it all is the music industry, where AI-generated songs thre...