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Ruby Dhand

Professor

BA (Ontario), MA (Carleton), LLB (Ottawa), LLM (Toronto), PhD (Osgoode)

Dr. Dhand has an MA from Carleton University (NPSIA), an LLB from the University of Ottawa, an LLM from the University of Toronto and a PhD from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. She was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2008. Dr. Dhand joined the Faculty of Law in 2012. She was awarded the TRU Law Teaching Excellence Prize by the Student Law Society in 2019 and the Recognition of Excellence Award by the TRU Board of Governors in 2020.

Dr. Dhand has been awarded a number of Tri-Agency research grants including the SSHRC Insight Development Grant, the CIHR Fellowship in Health Law and Policy, the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, along with multiple Law Foundation of BC Grants. Her major areas of research are mental health law (civil and forensic), human rights law, health law and policy, disability law, access to justice, the impact of race, culture, ethnicity and other intersectional factors upon the law, clinical legal education and science and law. Dr. Dhand has published extensively in refereed journals including the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice, the Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law, the Manitoba Law Journal (Criminal Law Edition) and the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. She is a co-author for three editions of the Halsbury’s Laws of Canada: Mental Health (LexisNexis, Canada) and a co-author of the book “Law & Disability in Canada: Cases & Materials” (LexisNexis Canada, forthcoming, 2021). Dr. Dhand is currently the Principal Investigator for a SSHRC-funded qualitative legal research project examining mental health courts and specialized courts in Canada and access to justice for people with mental health and substance use issues. Her research has been used for law reform initiatives to increase access to justice across Canada.

Dr. Dhand has appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada as part of test-case litigation teams. She advocates for systemic change on behalf of people with disabilities, people with mental health and substance use issues, people experiencing sexual violence and those from other equity-seeking communities experiencing discrimination. Dr. Dhand recently appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada as part of a legal team on behalf of the Empowerment Council, presenting a Charter challenge in mental health law in Ontario (AG) v G. Prior to joining the Faculty, Dr. Dhand worked at ARCH Disability Law Centre in disability rights law and firms specializing in mental health law and human rights law. She also taught at Osgoode Hall Law School as an Instructor with the LRW Program.

Dr. Dhand led the development and establishment of the TRU Community Legal Clinic, the faculty’s first clinical law program. Dr. Dhand teaches in the areas of Human Rights Law, Health Law, Mental Health Law & Policy in Canada and Community Lawyering.

 Publications
Books
  1. “Law & Disability in Canada: Cases & Materials,” co-authored with Laverne Jacobs, Aloke Chatterjee, Ruby Dhand, Freya Kodar and Margaret Hall (1st edition) (Lexis Nexis Canada: Toronto, forthcoming, 2021) (approx. 400 pgs). 
  2. “Halsbury’s Laws of Canada: Mental Health,” co-authored with Anita Szigeti and D’Arcy Hiltz (3rd Edition) (Lexis Nexis Canada: Toronto 2019) (approx. 330 pgs).
  3. Halsbury’s Laws of Canada: Mental Health Law co-authored with Anita Szigeti and D’Arcy Hiltz (2nd Edition) (Lexis Nexis: Toronto, 2015) approx. 330 pgs.
  4. Halsbury’s Laws of Canada: Mental Health Law co-authored with Anita Szigeti and D’Arcy Hiltz (1st Edition) (Lexis Nexis: Toronto, 2011) approx. 330 pgs.
Refereed Book Chapters
  1. "Race, Culture and Ethnicity in Mental Health Law and Policy " in Colleen Flood and Jennifer Chandler, eds. Law and Mind: Mental Health Law and Policy, (LexisNexis Canada: Toronto, 2016) 449-471.
  2. "An Exploratory Study of the Legal Barriers Facing Ethno-Racial People with Mental Health Disabilities in Ontario" (Case Study in Liora Salter, Fenner Stewart and Stephen Wilks eds. Understanding Decisions That Matter: A Guide to Research, (electronic e-resource, Osgoode Hall Law School, "in press" to be published in 2016) (approx.10 pgs).
Refereed Journal Articles
  1. Invited Manuscript,“Involuntary Detention and Involuntary Treatment Through the Lens of Sections 7 and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” co-authored with Kerri Joffe, Manitoba Law Journal (Criminal Law Edition) (2020) 43 (3): 207-249.
  2. “The COVID-19 Pandemic, Accommodations and Legal Education” Lex Electronica, Special Issue: Law and Learning in the Time of Pandemic (forthcoming, 2020).
  3. Inclusion and Accessibility in STEM Education: Navigating the Duty to Accommodate and Disability Rights co-authored with Dipesh Prema (2019). Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. 8(3): 121-42. 
  4. "Creating a Cultural Analysis Tool for the Implementation of Ontario's Civil Mental Health Laws," International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Volume 45 (2016): 25-42 (approx.63 double-spaced pgs).
  5. Invited Manuscript: "Examining Narratives of Cultural Diversity in Mental Health Law" Annual Review of Interdisciplinary Justice Research, Volume 5, 2016: 368-393.
  6. Invited Guest editor, Special Issue "Legal Responses to Mental Health: Courts, Special Courts and Interdisciplinary Tribunals," Journal of Ethics in Mental Health, co-edited with Margaret Hall (Forthcoming, 2016)
  7. "Canada’s Refugee Health Law and Policy from a Comparative, Constitutional, and Human Rights Perspective" co-authored with Robert Diab, Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law, Issue 1, 2015: 351-406.
  8. Invited Manuscript "Access to Justice and Canada’s New Refugee Determination System: Addressing the Plight of Refugees with Mental Health Disabilities" Journal of Ethics in Mental Health (Forthcoming, 2016).
  9. "Access to Justice for Ethno-Racial Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors in Ontario" Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice, Volume 29, Issue 1, 2011: 127-162.
  10. "Colliding Intersections in Law: Culture, Race and Mental Health Disability," Annual Review of Interdisciplinary Justice Research, Volume 2, Fall, 2011: 1-25.
  11. "Representing a Client with a Mental Health Disability in Civil and Criminal Matters," co-authored with Anita Szigeti, Ontario Bar Association Review, Briefly Speaking, 2012: 1-10.
  12. "The Gospel of Women's Reform: An Analysis of Female Moral Reform Movement in 19th Century America." The Mirror: History Journal Vol. XXIII March, 2003:1-25.
Government Reports & Commissioned Research
  1. “Implementing the Right to Legal Capacity in Canada:  Experience, Evidence and Legal Imperative,” co-authored with Michael Bach, Lana Kerzner, Faisal Bhabha, Kerri Joffe and Brendan Pooran, Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society, 2018; Supported by the Government of Canada, Office of Disability Issues.  (approx. 400 pgs). 
  2. “Legal Analysis of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada” co-authored with Kerri Joffe et al, ARCH Disability Law Centre and Council of Canadians with Disabilities, submitted to the Government of Canada, 2018 (approx. 60 pgs). 
Dissertations and Research Essays
  1. "Creating a Cultural Analysis Tool for the Implementation of Ontario’s Mental Health Laws." Ph.D. Thesis, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2014.
  2. "Challenging Exclusion: A Critique of the Legal Barriers Faced by Ethno-Racial Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors in Ontario." LL.M. Thesis, University of Toronto, Faculty of Law, 2009.
  3. "A Comparative Study of Canada's Refugee Acceptance Rates and Detention Policies." M.A. Research Essay, Carleton University, 2006.
Other Contributions
  1. Invited Op-Ed, “Charter Challenge to B.C. Mental Health Act Long Overdue,” co-authored with Professor Isabel Grant, Vancouver Sun, Sept. 2016.
  2. "ARCH’s 30th Anniversary Celebratory Symposium." ARCH Alert April (2011): 2-3.
  3. "ARCH’s Diversity and Mental Health Project." ARCH Alert May (2008): 1-2.
  4. "SAARC: Moving Towards Cooperative Security," in the Canadian Consortium on Asia Pacific Security Bulletin, No. 48, Proceedings of a Conference Held in Ottawa December 2nd- 4th, 2005: 7-8.
 Research

I have been building a comprehensive publication record through the dissemination of peer-reviewed materials at regional, national and international levels, while successfully attaining TRI-Council research grants (SSHRC and CIHR). I have also attained Grants and Project Funding (as the Project Leader; Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator) from the Law Foundation of British Columbia.

Grants
  1. 2019-2022: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant, Principal Investigator: “Mental Health Courts: Access to Justice for People with Mental Health Disabilities and Addictions,” $58,780.
  2. 2018-2019: The Law Foundation of British Columbia Legal Research Grant, Principal Investigator: “Creating a Mental Health Court in Kamloops, British Columbia, Grant, $17,000.
  3. 2016-2017: The Law Foundation of British Columbia, Project Leader and Team Member: Co-authored with Ted Murray and Brad Morse, on behalf of TRU Faculty of Law, assisted to research and write a successful application to obtain funding to establish and implement a full-time TRU Community Legal Clinic, $225,000.00 per year (ongoing).
  4. 2015-2016: The Law Foundation of British Columbia, Project Leader: On behalf of the TRU Faculty of Law, researched and wrote a successful application to obtain project funding to implement and establish a TRU Faculty of Law Clinical Legal Education Program,   $50,000.
  5. 2013-2014: The Law Foundation of British Columbia, Principal Investigator: Awarded a research grant to pursue a study on behalf of the TRU Faculty of Law entitled, “An Examination of Clinical Legal Education Models for TRU, Faculty of Law,” $ 60,000.
  6. 2012-2014, The Law Foundation of British Columbia, Co-Investigator: Awarded a law foundation research grant with Professor Robert Diab to pursue research on “Canada’s New Refugee Health Care Law Regime: Constitutional and Human Rights Implications,” $ 9,040.
 Conferences
Conference Presentations
  1. Invited Keynote Speaker, “Mental Health Courts in Canada: Access to Justice for People with Mental Health Disabilities and Addictions." International Society of Therapeutic Jurisprudence Seminar Series (August 18, 2020).
  2. Invited Guest/ Conference Speaker, “Involuntary Detentions and Treatment: Intersections of mental health and conceptions of equality and fundamental justice,” A paper presented at the 2019 Criminal Justice and Evidentiary Thresholds in Canada: The Last Ten Years Conference, Robson Hall, University of Manitoba Faculty of Law, October 26, 2019.
  3. “Legal Responses to Mental Disability: Mental Health Courts in Canada and the United States,”A paper presented at the 2019 Criminal Justice/ Justice Administration Section, 9th Annual International STEM/STEAM Education Conference, Honolulu, Oahu, June 6, 2019.
  4. “Challenging Institutional Ableism: Accommodating Students with Mental Health Disabilities in Science Education,” A paper co-presented with Dr. Dipesh Prema at the 2019 Criminal Justice/ Justice Administration Section, 9th Annual International STEM/STEAM Education Conference, Honolulu, Oahu, June 6, 2019.
  5. “The Use of Forensic Chemistry in Law- Challenging the CSI Effect,”A paper co-presented with Dr. Dipesh Prema at the 2018 Hawaii University International STEM/STEAM Education Conference, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, June 6, 2018.
  6. Invited Keynote Speaker, “A Critique of BC’s Disability and Mental Health Laws,” A paper presented to the BC Ministers at the NDP Disability Caucus, BC NDP Forward 2018 featuring Premier John Horgan, Kamloops, British Columbia, June 22, 2018.
  7. Invited Guest Speaker "Mental Health Courts in Canada." A paper presented to the Kamloops Bar Association for Continuing Professional Development at the BC Courthouse Library in Kamloops, British Columbia, June 20, 2018.
  8. Invited Guest Speaker, Ruby Dhand, “Navigating Disabilities in the Legal Profession,” A paper presented at the Black Female Lawyers Network, Toronto, Ontario, November 10, 2017.
  9. “The Duty to Accommodate and Disability Rights: Creating a Diversity Audit Tool for Chemistry Education” A paper co-presented with Dr. Dipesh Prema at the 2017 Hawaii University International STEM/STEAM Education Conference, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, June 4-12, 2017.
  10. Invited Keynote Speaker: "Are Disability Laws Really Working? The Duty to Accommodate and Disability Rights in Canada and the United States." A paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, April 23-27, 2016.
  11. Conference Organizer: "Everyday Ethics in Mental Health and Substance Use." 8th Annual JEMH Conference on Ethics in Mental Health, hosted by the JEMH (Journal of Ethics in Mental Health) at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, June 2-3, 2016.
  12. "Access to Justice and Culturally Appropriate Treatment: Refugee Mental Health." A paper presented at the 8th Annual JEMH Conference on Ethics in Mental Health, hosted by the JEMH (Journal of Ethics in Mental Health) at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, June 2-3, 2016.
  13. "TRU Community Legal Clinic – Now and Into the Future." (co-presented with Ted Murray). A Continuing Professional Development Workshop (CPD) presentation for the Canadian Bar Association: Criminal Justice and Family Law Kamloops Joint Section Meeting at the Kamloops Law Courts in Kamloops, British Columbia, July 5, 2016.
  14. "Creating Accessible Science Laboratories." (co-presented with Dr. Dipesh Prema). A paper presented at the 12th Annual Teaching Practices Colloquium entitled, "Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships: The Art and Science of Teaching" hosted by Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, Fe. 15, 2016.
  15. "The Challenges of Implementing a New Clinical Legal Education Program: Critical and Interdisciplinary Perspectives." A paper presented at the Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education Conference entitled, "The Place of Clinical Legal Education" hosted by the University of Saskatchewan, College of Law, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, October 23-24, 2015.
  16. "Creating a Cultural Analysis Tool for the Implementation of Ontario's Civil Mental Health Laws," A paper presented at the 34th Congress of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health, hosted by Sigmund Freud University in Vienna, Austria, July 12-17, 2015.
  17. "Incorporating Therapeutic Jurisprudence Across the Law Curriculum: Development of a Mental Health Research Centre." (co-presented with Prof. Margaret Hall). A paper presented at the 34th Congress of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health, hosted by Sigmund Freud University in Vienna, Austria, July 12-17, 2015.
  18. "Therapeutic Jurisprudence and Canada’s New Refugee Determination System: Addressing the Plight of Refugees with Mental Health Disabilities.” A paper to be presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, May 18-22, 2015.
  19. Confronting the "Otherness" of Criminal Justice: A Critique of Mental Health Courts in Canada and the United States." A paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Law and Society Association entitled, "Law and Inequities: Global and Local" in Minneapolis, Minn., May 29 - 31, 2014.
  20. "Creating a Mental Health Research Centre" (co-presented with Prof. Margaret Hall). A paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, May 18-20, 2014.
  21. "Advocacy on the Ground: Addressing Barriers for Persons with Mental Health Disabilities " (co-presented with Prof. Margaret Hall). A paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, hosted by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Oahu, May 18-20, 2014.
  22. “Creating a New Community Legal Clinic: A Critique of Clinical Legal Education Models in Canada.” A paper presented at the Association of Canadian Clinical Legal Education in Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 16-18, 2013.
  23. "Reflections on Socio-Legal Methodology: Creating Legislative Evaluative Tools for Mental Health Legislation." A paper presented at the 33rd Congress of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health in Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 14-19, 2013.
  24. "Advocating for Change: Using Legal Tools to Address the Mental Health of Canada’s Refugees." A paper presented with Prof. Robert Diab at the 33rd Congress of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health in Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 14-19, 2013.
  25. "Re-Defining Mental Health Law: A Critique of the Creation and Use of Legislative Evaluative Tools." A paper presented to the Canadian Law and Society Conference at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law, July 1-4, 2013.
  26. Invited Keynote Speaker: "Auditing Mental Health Law: Culture, Mental Health Disability and Criminal Justice." A paper presented at the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law during the LawAbility and UVic Faculty of Law Speaker Series held in Victoria, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2012.
  27. Invited Keynote Speaker: "Representing Clients with Mental Health Disabilities in Civil and Criminal Matters." A paper presented to the Kamloops Bar Association at the BC Courthouse Library in Kamloops, British Columbia, Nov. 15, 2012.
  28. "Mental Health Tribunals and The Social Model of Disability: Conceptual and Practical Quandaries." A paper presented at the Canadian Law and Society Association Panel during the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences held in Waterloo, Ontario, May 27–29, 2012.
  29. "Reconceptualizing the Social Model of Disability: Culture, Identity and Mental Health Law." A paper presented at the International Conference on Law and Society held in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 5–8, 2012.
  30. "Theoretical Quandaries: Creating A Cultural Analysis Tool for the Administration of Ontario's Mental Health Laws." A paper presented at the Association for Transnational Law Schools Agora Program 2011 held in Bilbao, Spain, June 20-30, 2011.
  31. "Colliding Intersections: Race, Culture and Mental Health Law." A paper presented at the Canadian Law and Society Association Panel during the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences held in Fredericton, New Brunswick, May 29-31, 2011.
  32. "Striving for Change: Addressing Equity, Race and Culture in Mental Health Law." A paper presented at the Annual Osgoode Hall Graduate Law Students’ Association Conference held in Toronto, Ontario, May 9-10, 2011.
  33. "Mental Health Law and Policy Training." A training workshop presented to the lawyers and staff at the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario in Toronto, Jan. 20., 2011.
  34. "A New Model for Medical Malpractice Law." A presentation for the Waseda Transnational Law Program held in Tokyo, Japan, March 6-14, 2010.
  35. "Auditing Mental Health Legislation: International Perspectives." A paper presented at the American Society for Disability Studies held in Philadelphia, June 2-5, 2010.
  36. "International Human Rights and Mental Health Law." A paper presented at the Research Matters Symposium on Human Rights, International Law and Global Health Policy held at York University, Toronto, April 19, 2010.
  37. "Interdisciplinary Research in Health Law." A workshop organized and presented at the National Health Law Conference held in Montreal, Oct. 1-3, 2010.
  38. "Challenging Exclusion: A Critique of the Legal Barriers Faced by Ethno-Racial Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors in Ontario." A paper based on research for my LL.M thesis. This was presented at the CIHR Training Program in Health Law and Policy, 7th Annual Colloquium held in Halifax, May 4-5, 2009.
  39. "Challenging Exclusion: A Critique of the Legal Barriers Faced by Ethno-Racial Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors in Ontario." A paper based on research for my LL.M. thesis. This was presented at the Canadian Law and Society Association Panel and the Canadian Disability Studies Association Panel during the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences held in Ottawa, May 23-26, 2009.
  40. "Advocacy and Human Rights: Diverse Approaches for Environmental Sustainability." A workshop co-presented with Soni Dasmopatra at the "We are Many Festival" held in Saskatoon, Sask., Aug. 22-24, 2008.
  41. "SAARC: Moving Towards Cooperative Security." A paper presented at the CANCAPS conference held in Ottawa, Dec. 2-4, 2005.
  42. "The Outer Limits of the Duty to Accommodate: Accommodating Mental Disabilities in the Workplace." A paper presented at the Toronto Mental Health Coalition Workshop held in Toronto, Sept. 27, 2007.
 Links
Ruby Dhand
Contact

Office:
OM 4773
Email:
rdhand@tru.ca
Phone:
778-471-8457

Courses
  • Community Lawyering
    (LAW 3782)
  • Health Law
    (LAWF 3660)
  • Human Rights
    (LAWF 3730)
  • Mental Health Law and Policy in Canada
    (LAWF 3662)