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Debra Haak

@debrahaak.bsky.social
827 followers 652 following 199 posts

law prof @queensulaw.bsky.social: constitutional and criminal law, (in)equality, autonomy and social change research: prostitution/sexwork, sex/gender, sex/violence retired litigator SSRN: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAu…

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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
🏆 Nominations are now open for the CBA Awards of Excellence! Do you know an individual making an exceptional contribution to the legal profession, the judiciary or the legal community in Canada? Nominate them by December 16. 🔗 Learn more: bit.ly/3A9pp5q
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Today in Canadian transportation news @aircanada - 90 minute direct flight ended up as 10 hours due to - cancelled flight, rebooked as hubbing, delayed first flight = missed connection, rebooked again, another delayed flight. But hey - $30 in vouchers to use at an airport I did not plan to visit…
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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The debate over puberty blockers needs more science and less politics. There is a data vacuum in this country, even as several European countries adopt more cautious practices to treating youth gender dysphoria. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit... via @theglobeandmail.com
theglobeandmail.com
Globe editorial: The debate over puberty blockers needs more science and less politics
There is a data vacuum in this country, even as several European countries adopt more cautious practices to treating youth gender dysphoria
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
We are so broken
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Just finished reading Flesh by David Szalay. Winner of the 2025 Booker Prize. It’s hard to put the experience of emptiness into words. It’s a meditation on what’s missing. Anyone else have thoughts?
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Retired Nunavut Chief Justice Neil Sharkey worries Gladue sentencing principles are failing to protect Inuit victims of gender-based violence. He and Qajaq Robinson join @alisoncrawford.bsky.social on a new Verdicts & Voices. 🎧 Listen now: bit.ly/4ucpFHG
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uOttawa CREDP-HRREC @uottawahrrec.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
📢 COMPETITION | Gordon F. Henderson #Postdoc at @uottawa.ca HRREC! For a researcher who will develop a research project on #Business & #HumanRights. 📆 May 31, 2026 🔗 www.uottawa.ca/research-inn...
Decorative image.
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Prime Suspect The Bridge The Bear West Wing The Diplomat The Good Wife Succession Suits Peaky Blinders The Marvellous Mrs Maisel The Pitt Fleabag Slow Horses Scandal Love is Blind Ted Lasso
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
A great opportunity for students in the Feminist Legal Studies workshop @queensulaw.bsky.social
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
"working conditions of faculty are learning conditions of students" 32% of Queen's faculty are non-tenure-stream. Adjuncts taught more than 1,200 courses at Queen's last year (base compensation = $9,544/course). They often lack job security & access to benefits www.queensjournal.ca/faculty-unio...
queensjournal.ca
Faculty union highlights priorities ahead of bargaining period - The Queen's Journal
With a collective agreement on the horizon, the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) is preparing to negotiate.In an interview with The Journal, QUFA President Karen Rudie explained their cur...
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Kate Puddister @katepuddister.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
“More than 600 RCMP officers faced gender-based violence disciplinary charges since 2014.” Valuable data provided by Julie Ireton and her team at the CBC and featuring insight from my research partner @daniellemcnabb.bsky.social www.cbc.ca/news/investi...
cbc.ca
More than 600 RCMP officers faced gender-based violence disciplinary charges since 2014, CBC analysis finds | CBC News
A CBC investigation of RCMP disciplinary records reveals hundreds of cases of alleged gender-based violence by members. Through a series of access requests, CBC received more than 10 years of discipli...
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Do you know an individual or an organisation who has excelled in promoting equality in the legal profession, the judiciary, or the legal community in Canada? If so, we want to honour them! Learn more: bit.ly/4ou6khx
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
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Paul F Scott @paulfscott.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
A public law job at Sheffield: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPW952/l...
jobs.ac.uk
Lecturer in Public Law at University of Sheffield
An opportunity for an academic position as a Lecturer in Public Law is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Good read on AI mediated scholarship and the provenance problem share.google/RqTgSFi8M2zA...
share.google
LLM use in scholarly writing poses a provenance problem
Nature Machine Intelligence - LLM use in scholarly writing poses a provenance problem
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
For some further thoughts on Kloubakov and what has now been decided relevant to assessing the constitutionality of criminal prostitution laws in Canada, I have an article forthcoming in the Supreme Court Law Review dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
dx.doi.org
R v Kloubakov: Three Significant Clarifications about Canada's Criminal Prostitution Laws
This article identifies three significant shifts in the legislative landscape applicable to adult prostitution in Canada brought about by the Protection of Comm
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Full text of C-16 - Protecting Victims Act now available www.parl.ca/DocumentView...
parl.ca
Government Bill (House of Commons) C-16 (45-1) - First Reading - Protecting Victims Act - Parliament of Canada
Government Bill (House of Commons) C-16 (45-1) - First Reading - Protecting Victims Act - Parliament of Canada
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
🏆Recognize Legal Scholarship – Nominate a candidate for the CBA's Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award! Send us your nominations by February 9: bit.ly/3QrysUC
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Watch for the Protecting Victims Act today www.youtube.com/live/7_dAbzr...
youtube.com
Protecting Victims Act/ Loi visant à protéger les victimes
YouTube video by Department of Justice Canada
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Today we remember the best known example of sex-motivated killing in Canada. On Dec. 6, 1989, a lone white male armed with a gun entered École Polytechnique at Université of Montréal and killed 14 women because they were women, towards whom he expressed hatred. theconversation.com/sex-motivate...
theconversation.com
Sex-motivated violence should be treated as a hate crime
For hate crime legislation to be more than symbolic, crimes motivated by hatred must be reported, recorded, prosecuted and sentenced as hate crimes
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Reposted by Debra Haak
CDTS | CLTS • uOttawa @cdtsuottawaclts.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law is inviting applications for an Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor who will also serve as Director of the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC). › www.uottawa.ca/research-inn...
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
It’s not certain that the invocation of the notwithstanding clause shields the laws from constitutional challenge. It is important for citizens to know IF/HOW/WHY rights have been violated. It is likely that invocation shields rights violation from remedy by courts. The remedy is at the ballot box.
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Just arrived. Cannot wait
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
PSA: sex work law in Canada Kloubakov clarified the law but researchers continue to misstate the law Sex work (involving sexual touching) is illegal. Purchasing is an offence. Providers are a party to that offence (however they will not be prosecuted) 1/2
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
One of the most frustrating things about commentary on Canada's criminal prostitution laws & constitutional challenges is the consistent claim that sex work is legal. It is not legal 1/ Sex work on trial: What the recently dismissed Constitutional challenge means theconversation.com/sex-work-on-...
theconversation.com
Sex work on trial: What the recently dismissed Constitutional challenge means
Canada’s criminalization framework continues to undermine sex workers’ safety and exclude their voices from shaping laws that govern their lives.
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Call for proposals is live! Join us!! Women, Disability, and Intersectionality: Designing for Equality and Leaving No One Behind Mar 13-14, 2026 #flsq #women #disability #intersectionality #feministlegalstudies #disabilitystudies femlaw.queensu.ca/sites/flswww...
femlaw.queensu.ca
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
In case you missed it ➡️ One exceptional post-grad law student will be awarded the $25K CBA Viscount Bennett Fellowship. Don't let this opportunity pass you by! Deadline: November 18. bit.ly/46y2RG6
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LEX Network @lexnetwork.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Opportunity! See Gender & Justice website for details-please circulate in your networks @drlandislife.bsky.social @afipcollective.bsky.social @marissaesque.bsky.social @veronicagago.bsky.social @requenaaguilar.bsky.social @oxfordcsae.bsky.social @fosfeminista.bsky.social @thinkcrea.bsky.social
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Reposted by Debra Haak
LEX Network @lexnetwork.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
📣General registration for4th joint annual conference 'A feminist Politics of Radical Hope in a Time of Oppression' is now open. Details: www.lexnetwork.org/radical-hope... LEX now reviewing membership applications Details: lexnetwork.org @sharronfitz.bsky.social @genderandjustice.bsky.social
lexnetwork.org
Radical-hope-conference – LEX Research Network
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Peter A. Allard School of Law - University of British Columbia @allard.ubc.ca · 27/10/2025
Join us Oct 31-Nov 1 for the Vulnerability, Inequality and Justice Workshop, in person or virtually. This workshop brings together scholars from across Canada to explore the concept of vulnerability in law and its role in the equality & justice project. Register now: allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...
allard.ubc.ca
Vulnerability, Inequality and Justice Workshop
This workshop brings together scholars from across Canada to critically engage with the concept of vulnerability in different areas of law and its role in the equality and justice project.
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Adam Radwanski @aradwanski.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
I’m in standing room at @torontobluejays.bsky.social , behind accessible seating, where a kid/teen in a wheelchair is distraught because he can’t see anything with everyone standing up. If anyone happens to be in a box or something with extra seats, this is your chance to do a good deed.
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Bar Association @cba-news.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Help us spread the word! The $25,000 CBA Viscount Bennett Fellowship for post-grad law students is seeking applications. Deadline to apply is November 18: bit.ly/46y2RG6
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Save the date! Feminist Legal Studies Queen's Annual Conference: March 13-14, 2026 @queensulaw.bsky.social Women, Disability, and Intersectionality: Designing for Equality and Leaving No One Behind Watch this space for further information including call for papers! femlaw.queensu.ca/conferences/...
femlaw.queensu.ca
FLSQ Conference 2026 | Feminist Legal Studies
Women, Disability, and Intersectionality: Designing for Equality and Leaving No One Behind International Women's Day Annual Conference, Feminist Legal Studies Queen's and the  Queen's Faculty of Law, ...
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
From a review of Jurist in Context William Twining: the man who radicalised the middle ground by David Sugarman
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
I was sad to learn of William Twining’s death. He was my partner’s LLM supervisor; we spent time together most recently in 2019 before the world locked down. I’m sure I have a better photo somewhere, but this one captures that one simple day at his home. My deepest condolences to Penelope and family
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
An excellent read! To serve future needs beyond those AI can meet, lawyers will require a new foundation that puts their humanity at the centre of who they are and what they do, expressed through (1) their legal intuition, (2) their professional integrity, and (3) their personal trustworthiness
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Reposted by Debra Haak
lucindasoon @lucindasoon.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
My article for the Law Institute Journal (LIJ) October 2025 special issue on lawyers’ wellbeing is now available on my Substack. Please have a read and if you can help me grow my audience, I’d be very grateful for a share if you like the article 🙏🏼 open.substack.com/pub/lucindas...
open.substack.com
On ethics and wellbeing
Global perspectives on regulating lawyer wellbeing
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
It begins, it has an end, this is what you will come back to, this is your hand. -You Begin @margaretatwood.bsky.social readalittlepoetry.com/2011/03/22/y...
readalittlepoetry.com
You Begin by Margaret Atwood • Read A Little Poetry
March is almost ending, and I haven't written anything I could be proud of. Drought, drought, says the Muse. But it's a lie. I am running away because I don't
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
And yet as a Toronto sports fan, the risk of loss was real
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Sex-motivated violence should be treated like a hate crime www.brandonsun.com/opinion/2025...
brandonsun.com
Opinion: Sex-motivated violence should be treated like a hate crime
Canada recently introduced the Combatting Hate Act, legislation that will create three new criminal offences intended to strengthen protections against hate. The first new offence targets hate crimes....
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
For hate crime legislation to be more than symbolic, crimes motivated by hatred must be reported, recorded, prosecuted and sentenced as hate crimes for all identifiable groups — not just some of them. With Myrna Dawson @theconversation.com theconversation.com/sex-motivate...
theconversation.com
Sex-motivated violence should be treated as a hate crime
For hate crime legislation to be more than symbolic, crimes motivated by hatred must be reported, recorded, prosecuted and sentenced as hate crimes
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Canadian Paintings @canadianpaintings.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
The road to reconciliation begins with truth Mishiikenh Kwe ~ Anishinaabe c. 2022
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
Good discussion of balancing autonomy and harm. Also important: “The science of decision making tells us that there are two fundamental things. What do you think of the evidence, and what are your values and preferences around applying that evidence.” www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/e...
statnews.com
Author of reviews of gender affirming care decries ‘egregious misuse’ of the findings to justify bans
Gordon Guyatt, a co-author of systematic reviews of gender-affirming care, calls use of the findings to justify banning care "egregious."
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
I'm pleased to see that sex is included as an identifiable group for the purpose of proposed hate crime and intimidation offences. But see my co-authored article w Myrna Dawson addressing current failures to treat male violence as hate (link in comment) www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en...
parl.ca
C-9 (45-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada
C-9 (45-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Mr. Williams is alleged to have sexually assaulted more than 300 victims between the ages of 12 and 18 at a provincially run youth detention centre www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
Former swim instructor in Nova Scotia faces dozens of sexual-abuse charges
Donald Williams, 75, was arrested at his home last week in Dartmouth and faces 66 charges
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
ohchr.org
Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds
GENEVA – Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, a...
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
I wrote a thing. As someone who survived the 1970s and kept the receipts.
theguardian.com
Shocked by Epstein’s birthday book? That culture was everywhere before feminism | Rebecca Solnit
Feminism exposed the ubiquity of child abuse, rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence – and helped fight that culture
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
“The science on the subject is pretty clear: according to the New England Journal of Medicine, rape is about four times more likely to result in diagnosable PTSD than combat."
During those years at the end of my teens
and the beginning of my twenties, I was constantly sexually ha-
rassed on the street and sometimes elsewhere, though harassed
doesn’t convey the menace that was often present.
The former Marine David J. Morris, author of a book on ­ post-
­ traumatic stress disorder, notes that the disorder is far more com-
mon and far more rarely addressed among rape survivors than
combat veterans. He wrote me, “The science on the subject is pretty
clear: according to the New England Journal of Medicine, rape is about
four times more likely to result in diagnosable PTSD than combat.
Think about that for a ­ moment—​­ being raped is four times more psy-
chologically disturbing than going off to a war and being shot at and
blown up. And because there are currently no enduring cultural nar-
ratives that allow women to look upon their survival as somehow he-
roic or honorable, the potential for enduring damage is even greater.”
In war the people who try to kill you are usually on the other side.
In femicide, they’re husbands, boyfriends, friends, friends of friends,
guys on the street, guys at work, guys at the party or in the dorm, and,
the week I write this, the guy who called a Lyft and stabbed the
­ pregnant driver to death and the guy who went into a bank and shot
five women and the guy who shot the young woman who took him in
when his parents kicked him out, to name a few examples of the car-
nage that made it into the news. Morris calls PTSD “living at the
whim of your worst memories.”
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Debra Haak @debrahaak.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Pamela Cross on why we should pay attention to a Kingston sexual assault trial involving 98 charges and 28 complainants pamelacross.ca/taking-back-...
pamelacross.ca
Taking back the night - Pamela Cross
Why do some sexual assault trials catch the eye of the media and not others? There is much to be learned from a trial underway now in Kingston, but almost no one knows about it.
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Reposted by Debra Haak
Montreal Gazette @mtlgazette.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
Air Canada flight attendants overwhelmingly reject tentative agreement
bit.ly
Air Canada flight attendants overwhelmingly reject tentative agreement
The near-unanimous result saw 99.1 per cent of members vote against the deal, with 0.9 per cent voting in favour. The process will now proceed to mediation and — should that fail — binding arbitration.
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