Baxter Family Competition on Federalism

2025 edition:听Thinking Outside the Box

Winners of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism 2025:听听Federalism: Thinking Outside the Box鈥�听

黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Faculty of Law and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism are delighted to announce the winners of the 2024-2025 Baxter Family Competition on Federalism. Organized by Professor Johanne Poirier, this international essay Competition was open to students and recent graduates in law and political science.听

We received numerous submissions of an exceptional quality from scholars and junior practitioners from many countries, including Belgium, Canada, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Amongst those, the international jury attributed the following prizes:鈥�听

• First Prize: Zachary Jericho Couture (JD Student at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, Canada) 鈥� 5,000$鈥�听

鈥�Weaponizing Federalism to Deny Pluralism: Canadian Court (Mis-)Use of Federalism Principles Against Indigenous Jurisdiction鈥澨�

For its original and novel argument, tackling a very important topic through a critical lens, a strong empirical focus, and superb writing style.鈥�听

• Second Prize: Johann-Jakob Chervet (PhD Candidate in law, University of Fribourg, Switzerland) 鈥� 3,000$鈥�听

鈥�The Elusive Promise of Unity and Diversity in the Legal Order: The Rule of Law and Federalism鈥�鈥�听

For its important contribution to theory in sustaining legal diversity in federal systems, through accessible language and a powerful comparative approach.听

• Third Prize: Julian Clarenne (Postdoctoral researcher in law at Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur la diversit茅 et la d茅mocratie (CRIDAQ) and 黑料不打烊 University, visiting professor at UCLouvain Saint-Louis (Brussels), Belgium)鈥�听

鈥�The Democratic Deficit of Executive Federalism: Where Are the Parliaments?鈥濃��听

For its interesting comparative approach and innovative "interparliamentary" approach to trying to reduce the democratic deficit.鈥�鈥�听

• Special Mention from the Jury: Colin Coon (JD Student, University of Ottawa, Canada)鈥�鈥�听

鈥�A Divided Environment: Canada鈥檚 Inability to Meet the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change鈥檚 Commitments as a Result of Division of Powers Jurisprudence鈥濃��听

For its insightful treatment of the intersection between international commitments and division of powers鈥� issues in tackling climate change.听听

• Special Mention from the Jury: Josep M. Tirapu-Sanuy鈥�(PhD candidate in Law, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)鈥�听

鈥�Courts in Plurinational Federalism: The Judicial Role in the Accommodation of Minority Nations鈥澨�

For its well researched and strong theoretical grounds, along with its skillful multilevel analysis of plurinational federations.听听

We are deeply grateful to the distinguished members of our international jury, who thoroughly considered the submissions for the 2025 Competition:鈥�鈥�听

• The Honourable 鈥�Marie Deschamps, former Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada.听

• Shahal Khoso, winner of the 2023 edition of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism,鈥疨hD candidate and researcher at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (Spain), Visiting Scholar at Yale University and Ronald L. Watts Young Researcher Award (2023).听

• Prof. John Kincaid,鈥�Professor of Government and Public Service, Director of the Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government, President of the Center for the Study of Federalism, Lafayette College (Easton, USA).听

• Prof. C茅line Romainville,鈥�Professor of Constitutional Law and member of the Centre de recherches sur l鈥櫭塼at et la Constitution, UCLouvain (Belgium).听

• Prof. Cheryl Saunders, Laureate Professor Emeritus, President Emeritus of the International Association of Constitutional Law, Melbourne Law School鈥�(Australia).听

• Prof. Marie-Jo毛lle Zahar,鈥�Professor of Political Science, Director of the Research Network on Peace Operations and Fellow at the Centre for International Research and Studies, Universit茅 de Montr茅al (Canada).听

Winners will present their paper at the Baxter Family Symposium on Federalism, which will be held at 黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Faculty Club on Friday, May 23rd, 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 PM. More information will soon be shared on the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism鈥檚 website and through social media. 鈥�鈥�听

To attend the Symposium, please RSVP at baxter-competition.law [at] mcgill.ca.听

For more information, please contact Ms. M茅lisande Charbonneau-Gravel, Coordinator of the Competition at baxter-competition.law [at] mcgill.ca.听

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2023 edition:听Federalism: What Makes it Work (or not!)听

The Faculty of Law and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism are proud to announce the return of the prestigious Baxter Family Competition on Federalism for a fourth edition in 2023.鈥疶his edition鈥檚 overall theme is Federalism: What makes it work (or not!).鈥�

Winners of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism 2023: Federalism: What Makes it Work (or not!)听

黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Faculty of Law and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism are delighted to announce the winners of the 2022-2023 Baxter Family Competition on Federalism. Organized by Professor Johanne Poirier, this essay competition was open to students and recent graduates in law and political science.听听听听

We received numerous submissions of an exceptional quality from scholars and junior practitioners from 13 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Haiti, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Amongst those, the international jury attributed the following prizes:听

• First Prize: Shahal Khoso (Pakistani PhD candidate in Political Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain) 鈥� 5,000$ . 鈥溾�澨鼺or its original and ground-breaking argument challenging Western-centric approaches to federalism, through a skillful comparative and historical angle.
• Second Prize: Arnaud Hoste and Ashley Saad (LLM candidates, 黑料不打烊 University, Montreal, Canada) 鈥� 3,000$.听鈥�Canadian Federalism and Environmental Protection: What Makes it Work (or Not!)鈥澨� For its important insights into a complex and relevant area of Canadian federalism, supported by a rich diversity of sources.听
• Third Prize: Nadine Dahou and Anne-Fr茅d茅rique Naud (MA candidates in Applied Political Studies, Universit茅 de Sherbrooke, Canada). 鈥淭he Evolution of Intergovernmental Relations in Immigration: Cooperative Federalism in Canada and Australia鈥�. For its skillful comparative approach to a crucial issue of facing federal states, supported by a profound analysis of secondary sources.听听
• Special Mention from the Jury: Andreas Samartzis (Greek PhD candidate in Law, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom). 鈥淛udicial Supremacy in the European Federal Union鈥�. For its novel perspective and instructive overview of theoretical approaches to the legitimacy of judicial power in this complex polity. Abstract of the paper.
• Special Mention from the Jury: Olivier Jacques (Assistant Professor in Public Health, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada). 鈥溾��. For its strong theoretical and practical contribution to the global debate on a crucial issue of redistribution and balance in the Canadian federal system.听听

We are deeply grateful to the distinguished members of our international jury, who thoroughly considered the submissions for the 2023 Competition:听听

• The Honourable鈥�Marie Deschamps, former Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada鈥�听
• The Honourable鈥�Cl茅ment Gascon, former Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada鈥�听
• 笔谤辞蹿.鈥�Maria Jesus Garcia Morales, Professor of Constitutional Law at the Autonomous University of Barcelona听
• 笔谤辞蹿.鈥�Rekha Saxena, Professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Delhi听
• 笔谤辞蹿.鈥�Sabine Kropp, Professor of German Politics at the Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science at the Free University of Berlin鈥�听
• 笔谤辞蹿.鈥�Yonatan T. Fessha, Professor of Law and Research Chair in constitutional design in divided societies at the University of the Western Cape听
• 笔谤辞蹿.鈥�Guy Laforest, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Laval University; Member of the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur la diversit茅 et la d茅mocratie (CRIDAQ); and independent scholar.鈥�听
• Josiah Wamwere-Njoroge, winner of the 2021 edition of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism, post-graduate student at the Kenya School of Law.鈥�听

Pictures from the 2023 Baxter Symposium

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About the Baxter Competition鈥�听

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Created in 2016, the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism has been made possible through the generous support of Rachel Baxter, BSc鈥�84, BCL鈥�88 and Colin Baxter, BCL鈥�90, LLB鈥�90, who both practice law in Ottawa.鈥�听

The overarching goal of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism is to advance research and foster informed debate on federalism, in Canada and abroad. The competition is open to鈥痓oth to law鈥痑nd political science鈥痵tudents and young practitioners from around the world.鈥�鈥�听

The first three editions鈥痳eceived over 100 entries, from 22 countries (in addition to Canada, we鈥痟ad participants from Germany, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Spain, the United States, Ethiopia, France, Hungary, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Zimbabwe!)

2021 edition: Federalism, Identity and Public Policy in Challenging Times

About the Baxter Competition听

Created in 2016, the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism has been made possible through the generous support of Rachel Baxter, BSc鈥�84, BCL鈥�88 and Colin Baxter, BCL鈥�90, LLB鈥�90, who both practice law in Ottawa.听

The overarching goal of the Baxter Family Competition on Federalism is to advance research and foster informed debate on federalism, in Canada and abroad. The competition is open to鈥痓oth to law鈥痑nd political science鈥痵tudents and young practitioners from around the world.听听

The first three editions鈥痳eceived over 100 entries, from 22 countries (in addition to Canada, we鈥痟ad participants from Germany, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Spain, the United States, Ethiopia, France, Hungary, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Zimbabwe!)听

The Faculty of Law of 黑料不打烊 University and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism are delighted to announce the winners of the 2020-2021 Baxter Family Competition on Federalism, organized by Professor Johanne Poirier.

For the first time, the Competition was open to authors from the disciplines of law or political science. This edition鈥檚 overall theme was Federalism, Identity and Public Policy in Challenging Times.

We received numerous and diverse submissions of an exceptional quality from scholars and junior practitioners from 12 countries. Amongst those, the international jury has selected the following papers:

1. First prize: Josiah Wamwere-Njoroge (LLB candidate, Riara University, Nairobi, Kenya) 鈥� 5,000$
   The Utility of a Decentralized Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (abstract)
   For its well-developed, thoughtful and theoretically grounded argument, and its comparative focus, allowing an analysis relevant to the fundamentals of federalism.
2. Second prize: Kelty McKerracher (JD/JID candidate, University of Victoria, Canada) 鈥� 3,000$
   Relational Legal Pluralism and Indigenous Legal Orders in Canada
   For its topical, novel and mature argument, tackling both the theoretical roots and practical possibilities of legal pluralism as a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
3. Third prize: Beno卯t Delerue (PhD candidate in political science, Universit茅 Jean Moulin Lyon 3, Lyon, France) 鈥� 1,000$
   Le r茅gime f茅d茅ratif face au triptyque structure-conjoncture-fracture: 茅volution structurelle des f茅d茅rations canadienne et 茅tats-unienne sous l鈥檈ffet des crises conjoncturelles et des fractures politiques
   For its originality, the depth of its research in primary historical sources, and its comparative approach, providing a rich reflection on the evolution of federations.

• Honourable mention: Philipp Renninger (PhD candidate in law, University of Lucerne and University of Freiburg, Switzerland and Germany)
  鈥楩ederalism, Chinese Style鈥�? or: How to Contain COVID-19 Through a Central-Local Chess Game
  For its novel study of China through the lens of federalism and the metaphor of the chess game, thus engaging with the complexity of the federal phenomenon.

Winners presented their papers at the听Baxter Family Symposium on Federalism, held online on May 15, 2021.

View the 2021听Baxter Family Symposium on Federalism听here:

Our distinguished jury

We are grateful to the distinguished members of our international jury, who thoroughly considered the submissions for the 2021 Competition:

• The Right Hon. Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada.
• The Honourable Cl茅ment Gascon, former Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada.
• Prof. Francesco Palermo, President of the International Association of Centres for the Study of Federalism; Head of the Institute for Comparative Federalism at EURAC Research; and Professor of Comparative Public Law at University of Verona鈥檚 Faculty of Law (Italy).
• Prof. Nicola McEwen, Professor of Territorial Politics at University of Edinburgh鈥檚 School of Social and Political Science; and Co-Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change (United Kingdom).
• Prof. Yasmeen Abu-Laban, Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta; Canada Research Chair in the Politics of Citizenship and Human Rights; and Vice-President of International Political Science Association (Canada).
• Prof. Nico Steytler, Professor at the University of the Western Cape鈥檚 Faculty of Law; and South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair in Multilevel Government, Law and Policy (South Africa).
• Prof. Jaclyn L. Neo, Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore鈥檚 Faculty of Law; Director of Centre for Asian Legal Studies; and Co-Chair of International Society for Public Law (ICON-S)鈥檚 Singapore Chapter (Singapore).
• Jan Raeimon Nato, BCL/LLB (2019), Student-at-Law at Baker McKenzie, and Winner of the 2019 Baxter Competition (Canada).

2019 edition

The 黑料不打烊 Faculty of Law and the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism are delighted to announce the winners of the 2019 Baxter Family Competition.

We received numerous high-quality submissions from scholars and junior practitioners, with authors originating from a total of 13 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Ethiopia, Germany,鈥疕ungary, India, Italy,鈥疭cotland, Spain, the United States, and Zimbabwe. From these, the international jury selected the following:

1. First Prize: Jan Raeimon Nato (BCL/LLB candidate, 黑料不打烊 University, Montreal) 鈥� $5,000
   鈥� Duties of Federal Loyalty: Lessons to Learn, Conversations to be Had鈥�
2. Second Prize: Berihun Gebeye (SJD Candidate, Central European University, Budapest) 鈥� $3,000
   鈥� Federal Theory and Federalism in Africa鈥�
3. Third Prize (ex-aequo) 鈥� $1000, to be shared:
   • Rafael Viotti Schlobach (BCL, University of S茫o Paulo, S茫o Paulo)
     鈥� Homogeneity Clauses in Federal Countries: A Comparative Analysis鈥�
   • Catherine Mathieu (DCL candidate, 黑料不打烊 University, Montreal)
     鈥� L鈥檌nitiative constitutionnelle comme 茅l茅ment d茅clencheur de la r茅forme du f茅d茅ralisme canadien"
4. Special jury mention: Breanne Lavallee-Heckert (BCL/LLB candidate, 黑料不打烊 University, Montreal)
   鈥� 鈥楾he Space in Between鈥�: M茅tis Self-Governance within the Canadian Federation鈥�

Winners presented their papers at a Symposium held on 11 May 2019 starting at 11:30 at 黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Thomson House (3650, McTavish St.). See photos of the proceedings. This Symposium coincided with the of the the American Society of Comparative Law, which was being held 10-11 May, 2019 at 黑料不打烊.

The jury

We are grateful to the distinguished members of our international and bilingual jury, who thoroughly considered the submissions for the 2019 Competition:

• The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Former Chief Justice at the Supreme Court of Canada
• Prof. Eva Maria Belser, Co-Director of the Institute of Federalism and holder of the Chair for Constitutional and Administrative Law, University of Fribourg (Switzerland)
• Prof. Hugo Cyr, Doyen de la Facult茅 de droit de l鈥橴QAM et codirecteur du Centre d鈥檃nalyse politique sur la constitution et le f茅d茅ralisme 鈥� CAP-CF (Canada)
• Dr Rohan Edrisinha, Constitutional Advisor to the United Nations Development Programme, New York, and Faculty Member at University of Colombo Faculty of Law (Sri Lanka)
• Dr Menaka Guruswamy, BR Ambedkar Research Scholar, Lecturer at Columbia Law School and Barrister at the Supreme Court of India (United States and India)
• Prof. Asha Kaushal, Assistant Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia and winner of the 2017 Baxter Competition (Canada)
• Prof. Francesco Palermo, President of the International Association of Centers for the Study of Federalism, Head of the Institute for Comparative Federalism at EURAC Research, Professor of Comparative Public Law at University of Verona鈥檚 Faculty of Law (Italy)
• Prof. Cheryl Saunders, Laureate Professor Emeritus, Co-Director of Studies in Government Law, International Law and Public Law, Melbourne Law School (Australia)

See the 2019 call for papers.

Should you have any questions regarding the Competition, do not hesitate to contact our research assistant at marie-helene.lyonnais [at] mail.mcgill.ca.

2017 edition

Bravo to the听winners of the inaugural Baxter Family Competition:

1. First Prize: Asha Kaushal (Assistant Professor, University of British-Columbia)
   Constitutional Jurisdictions - $5,000
2. Second Prize: Erika Arban (Lecturer, University of Antwerp)
   Exploring the Principle of (Federal) Solidarity听- $3,000
3. Third Prize: Eleonore Gauthier (Articling Student, Toronto)
   Spending Power, Social Policy, and the Principle of Subsidiarity听- $1,000

The winners presented their papers at a Symposium that took take place at 黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Faculty Club (3450, McTavish St.) at 16h00, on March 22, 2017.

The jury

We are grateful to the distinguished jury members for their careful and thorough consideration of the essays:

• Prof. Eva Maria Belser, Co-Director, Institute of Federalism, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
• The Honourable Ian Binnie, Lawyer and former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
• The Honourable Marie Deschamps, Lawyer and former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
• Prof. Jean Leclair, Faculty of Law, Universit茅 de Montr茅al
• Prof. Peter Oliver, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
• Prof. Patricia Popelier, Associate-Dean, University of Antwerp, Belgium听
• Prof. Cheryl Saunders, Director of Studies, Government Law, Melbourne Law School, Australia
• Prof. Marc Verdussen, Facult茅 de droit, Universit茅 catholique de Louvain

2016 Competition Entries

We received close to forty high-quality submissions from legal scholars and junior law practitioners of which 35 were deemed admissible. Authors originate from a total of nine countries: Canada (British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Qu茅bec), Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We thank all participants for their contributions. (2016 Call for papers.)