The Rules We Live By: Making sense of the rule of law in today's world.
- Date
- November 19, 2026
- Time
- 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET
- Location
- Â鶹ÊÓƵ Reference Library, Bram & Bluma Appel Salon - 789 Yonge Street Â鶹ÊÓƵ, ON M4W 2M9
Who gets to make the rules we live by – and who gets to decide whether they are fair? Who does the law protect – and at whose expense? What happens when our ideas of fairness, accountability, and justice collide? These are the questions that strike at the heart of the rule of law - a principle fundamental to democracy in Canada, yet is often difficult to define and even harder to understand.
At a time of profound uncertainty, rising oppressive forces, and complex global challenges, making sense of the rule of law and its role in our collective lives is essential. What might we discover by thinking about law as a technology – a human-made system designed to organize society, negotiate competing interests, and shape how power is exercised? Making space for complexity, difference, and respectful disagreement is critical as we grapple with what the rule of law means today.
Join Dr. Alexandra Mogyoros, Assistant Professor at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, and Samantha Peters, human rights lawyer, legal educator and scholar, for an evening of exploration through art, lecture, and community conversation. With Jake Hirsch-Allen, Director of Partnerships at The Dais, as emcee and CBC's Falen Johnson, host of thepodcast, moderating the Q&A discussion, we'll examine what the rule of law means in everyday life, how power operates through our legal systems, and how we can engage more meaningfully with one another.
Guests will also have the opportunity to explore a special art exhibition featuring works from The Image Centre, alongside the Wildseed Art for Justice Project, a creative collaboration between the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) and Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS).
This is a free community event. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your questions. Challenge your assumptions. Add your voice to the conversation.
Dr. Alexandra Mogyoros is an Assistant Professor at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. She is a trademark law scholar with a speciality in certification marks and sustainability logos. Her current research explores issues arising at the intersection of brands, trust, intellectual property, and expression in our media ecosystem. She is a lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. She volunteers her time on the Gallery TPW’s Board of Directors and as a mediator with The Neighbourhood Group Community Services.
Samantha Peters (they/them, she/her) is a lawyer, workplace investigator, and scholar working at the intersection of human rights, access to justice, law, and education. Currently Staff Lawyer and Partnerships Manager at Pro Bono Ontario, Samantha previously served as Legal Counsel at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre and as a Human Rights Expert Panel Member for the Court Challenges Program of Canada. Samantha also founded Black Femme Legal, an initiative advancing legal education, systemic advocacy, and public interest litigation. A recipient of the 2024–2025 OBA Foundation Chief Justice of Ontario Fellowship, Samantha’s scholarship explores judicial ethics, intersectionality, and legal decision-making.
Falen Johnson is Mohawk and Tuscarora from Six Nations Grand River Territory. She is a CBC host, writer and producer. Her play Two Indians was a finalist for the Governor General Awards in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Book Awards in 2022. Other theatre works include Salt Baby and Ipperwash. She was also the co-creator and co-host of the CBC podcast . Her new CBC podcast just released its 2nd season.
Jake Hirsch-Allen is the Director of Partnerships at The Dais at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Jake’s recent work is on inclusive technology, ethical data, responsible AI and skills. Most recently he built public-private partnerships in workforce development and higher education for LinkedIn. Jake advises impact investors, public sector leaders and start-ups, including on responsible tech and AI governance. He co-founded Lighthouse Labs and has acted as a director on many boards. A former intellectual property and international criminal lawyer, Jake was also chair of the Technology Committee of the Global Education Platform, taught Global Health at McMaster University and clerked at the Supreme Court of Israel.