Recent changes to the law are signs of an emerging shift in the culture and practice of bail in Ontario and Canada, i.e. Zora, Myers, Balfour and Young, Bill C-75 ,Tunney, Antic. To realize the promise of system-wide reform, this cultural momentum must be built upon and sustained.

The "Unlock Bail Reform" project began with a simple question: how might creative media build public understanding and support for meaningful change to our bail system?

At this online event, the Law & Design CoLab will launch our beta website Unlock Bail Reform to the legal community and then host a lively discussion among leading advocates on the future of bail reform in Ontario, featuring:

• Boris Bytensky, Partner at Bytensky Shikhman
• Abby Deshman, Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
• Jacqueline Tasca, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at John Howard Society of Ontario
• Promise Holmes Skinner, Criminal Defence Lawyer

Agenda

2:00 - 2:30 PM

• Recap of the Unlock Bail Reform project
• Walk through the beta website
• How you the legal community can provide feedback

2:30 - 3:45 PM

• Panel discussion

About the Panelists

Boris Bytensky, Partner at Bytensky Shikhman

Boris Bytensky received his LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and proceeded to summer, article and associate for a major Toronto law firm before starting his private practice. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1993 and is now a partner at Bytensky Shikhman criminal law firm.

Mr. Bytensky has conducted both criminal and civil trial and appeals, and has appeared before all levels of Court in Ontario and at the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as before the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. While Mr. Bytensky’s practice has primarily focused on the defence of persons charged with criminal offences, he has also assisted numerous victims of crime and trial witnesses in third-party criminal proceedings and has conducted prosecutions on behalf of the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Mr. Bytensky is an Adjunct Professor in Trial Advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School, and a guest lecturer at Osgoode’s Intensive Programme in Criminal Law, and has delivered its annual lecture on bail. He is a former member of the Provincial Justice on Target Expert Advisory Committee on Bail. A long-time member of the Ontario Criminal Lawyers’ Association, Mr. Bytensky is currently serving his sixth term as a member of the organization’s governing body, and is currently the Treasurer and a member of its executive.

Mr. Bytensky is currently the Media Analyst for CTV News and the Chief Legal Analyst for 1010 Newstalk radio in Toronto. He has been quoted frequently both in print and television media regarding many of his own high-profile cases while also being called upon to provide insight and commentary on other cases of interest to the press. He is a three-time past President of the Downsview Community Legal Services legal aid clinic.

Abby Deshman, Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Abby Deshman is a lawyer and the Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. She also teaches at the University of Toronto, and has previously served as a Corrections Advisor on the Ontario government’s Independent Review of Corrections and as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

At CCLA, Abby has led advocacy and analysis in a wide range of issue areas including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, police powers and oversight, and the criminal justice system. The author of numerous reports, articles and opinion pieces, her most recent work focuses on COVID and law enforcement, the bail system and police record checks. Abby graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law with an Hons J.D. in 2008, and obtained an LL.M. from New York University in 2010.

Jacqueline Tasca, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at John Howard Society of Ontario

Jacqueline brings over nine years of strategic leadership experience in the development and coordination of criminal justice policy and legal reform at senior levels in provincial government and the non-profit sector. Serving most recently as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Attorney General, Jacqueline led reforms to Ontario’s bail system, correctional institutions, and criminal law. Jacqueline has a strong understanding of government decision-making and legislative processes and is passionate about building relationships with stakeholders across sectors. Jacqueline previously led successful public education initiatives, presented at conferences and before Legislative committees, and acted as media spokesperson for JHSO. She has also authored a number of reports, submissions and media articles on issues such as police record checks, bail and the criminalization of mental health issues. Jacqueline received her B.A. and M.A. in Criminology from the University of Toronto. During her graduate studies, she focused on public policy and politics around crime and criminal justice in Canada, as well as gender and crime.

Promise Holmes Skinner, Criminal Defence Lawyer

Promise Holmes Skinner represents a diverse group of clients with unwavering commitment. She has appeared at all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada and Ontario Court of Appeal. She assists clients with a wide range of criminal and quasi-criminal offences. She also represents clients on issues of police misconduct and assists clients in conflict with individuals and institutions. She works on various high-profile matters and shares the value her clients place on their privacy.

Promise graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, articled at Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein and served as a senior manager at Aboriginal Legal Services before opening her own law firm.

In addition to managing her thriving practice, Promise is an Adjunct Law Professor at the University of Toronto, an Instructor at Osgoode Hall Law School and regularly lectures across Canada on criminal law and restorative justice, including at the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators, the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, The Advocates’ Society, and the Assembly of First Nations. She has also lectured internationally in California and New Zealand.

About the Speakers

Avery Au, Director, Law & Design CoLab

Avery is a lawyer who founded and directs the Law & Design CoLab: a nonprofit that unites professionals in design, tech, and strategy with justice advocates to conceive and develop creative communications. The CoLab's mission is to help justice sector advocates reimagine and redesign their communications for greater impact.

Francesca Oprandi, Design Lead, Law & Design CoLab

Francesca, an Italian visual designer, currently based in Toronto. After a few years as a designer in a communications agency, she gained expertise in various areas of the graphic design practice (branding, editorial design, packaging, web design) and now works as a freelance designer. She's part of the fondaco collective and leads a team of designers at the Law & Design CoLab.