Canadian Partnership for International Justice wins Governor General's Innovation Award

Today, the Rideau Hall Foundation announced that the Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ) is one of the six winners of this year's Governor General's Innovation Awards. 

Professor Joanna Harrington of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law has been involved with the partnership since its inception and served throughout on its governance committee.

"I'm absolutely delighted to see the work of the Partnership recognized by this award," says Harrington.

The GGIA awards recognize and celebrate exceptional and transformational Canadian innovations, which create a positive impact in Canada and inspire the next generation of innovators.

"It began with a SSHRC Partnership Grant, which we've then used to build bridges between law schools, between different areas of law, between research and practice, between legal clinics and scholarly work, and between advocacy, NGOs and academia. We've also built bridges between teaching, training, research and scholarship, and now it's amazing to realize that through all of this, over 600 students from across Canada and beyond have become equipped to become the future for international justice."

Led by Professor Fannie Lafontaine from Université Laval, the partnership brought together 25 researchers and practitioners from 8 universities, including 4 university-based legal clinics and 4 non-governmental organizations. Its activities emphasize the utility of law for the prevention of atrocities, the punishment of perpetrators, and the recognition of the needs of victims to secure post-conflict peace and stability.

In addition to more than 200 scholarly works, the partnership has engaged extensively with those working in the field and with civil society. Its researchers have worked on legal tools, engaged with the media, contributed to training events, submitted amicus briefs, appeared in court as expert witnesses and testified before parliamentary committees — all with the aim of increasing knowledge on international justice and raising awareness of the fight against impunity for the most serious international crimes.

"And throughout, it's been such a collegial experience," says Harrington. "We each contribute in different ways, on different topics, to what has become an incredible cohesive whole — and that's also part of the innovation. We've focussed on social innovation, on addressing pressing social needs, and on putting people first, especially the victims of the world's most serious international crimes."