International Bar Association Conference, Rule of Law Symposium

While we are usually looking at the developing world in discussing rule of law issues, it is necessary also to look at leading Western democracies. Are the US and Canada setting good examples to the rest of the developed world and to emerging democracies? What are the main challenges? How are these challenges currently being met and what is to be expected in the future?

It is the duty of a democratic society based on the rule of law to take measures to prevent crime and to safeguard human rights. The difficult task to balance and reconcile the tension between those objectives rests squarely with the legal profession and the judiciary. As academics, judges, lawyers and prosecutors we all have a duty to protect and preserve fundamental rule of law principles and to monitor laws conferring executive powers which have the potential of violating fundamental human rights.