This year, the 6th Edition of Quebec’s Legal Education week takes place on November 10th to November 14th. It’s organized by Éducaloi with the support of the Minister of Justice of Quebec. On this occasion, over 220 classes participate to introductory law workshops across the 17 administrative regions of Quebec, reaching over 5700 students.
These workshops are offered for free and animated by volunteers, some of them legal professionals. They allow students to learn about the law, their rights and responsibilities.
The minister of Justice of Quebec, Simon Jolin-Barrette said he’s honoured to once again support the national Legal Education week, an Éducaloi initiative that ‘‘contributes to teaching students about the law, from elementary school to high school.’’
Year after year, students that we meet through workshops impress us with their quick thinking, their sharp minds and curiosity. They are always interested in better learning their rights and responsibilities, especially when it comes to their interaction with peers or concerning their first jobs.
– M. Simon Jolin- Barrette, Minister of Justice and Quebec Attorney General
Legal education helps people understand the law and make our legal system more accessible, adds the minister. He says it’s a ‘‘priority that motivates us’’.
Inspiring the next generation of citizens
The interactive and engaging workshops of the nation Legal Education week encourage students to reflect on the roles of laws, rights, and institutions in building a fair and democratic society. Students discuss, debate and take a stance on real-life issues that directly affect them, such as:
- Should a politician be allowed to create any law they want?
- Can the police search my things and my social media accounts whenever they want?
- Should cosmetic surgery be banned for teenagers?
The goal of these workshops is to develop students’ critical thinking, help them better understand their role as citizens and help them gain confidence in navigating legal situations.
According to the executive director of Éducaloi, these meetings with lawyers, judges, notaries and paralegals allow young people to discover that the law isn’t only a matter of tribunals. They learn that it’s also a tool to understand and transform their daily lives.
I would like to sincerely thank the minister of Justice for their continued support of this initiative for the sixth consecutive year, and to the volunteers that share their knowledge. Together, we are building a fairer society and are fighting misinformation and ‘‘legal hallucinations’’ generated by artificial intelligence.
– Me Frédérick Roussel, executive director of Éducaloi
Legal education for everyone, all year
A leader in legal education, Éducaloi has been accompanying Quebecers for 25 years on their journey to learn about their rights and responsibilities . The organization supports teacher in giving the Québec Culture and Citizenship course, which introduces students to legal concepts that equip them for everyday life. It offers in class activities, learning tools and free resources and training to help teachers teach this new program with confidence.
In addition to workshops offered during national Legal Education week, Éducaloi relies on a network of thousands of volunteers trained in law to offer workshops to high school students all year long. Since its beginnings, over 123 000 students have joined. That’s before counting workshops that were offered to the general public since last year in community organizations and libraries.
The interview with M. Simon Jolin-Barrette and Me Frédérick Roussel were conducted in French. All quotes in this text have been translated into English.