A police whistleblower alleges the VPD is imposing arrest quotas on officers in the Downtown Eastside. Here are my submissions to the Vancouver Police Board calling for an independent, transparent, evidence-based inquiry into these allegations. benjaminperrin.ca/f/vancouver-...

Enjoyed speaking today to lawyers across the province with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service. We covered ways AI and criminality intersect, AI tools police have used, practical advice on generative AI, professional obligations, and handling deepfake evidence concerns.

I'm honoured to have been nominated as one of Canada's most influential lawyers. You can vote for the finalists until May 16th: www.research.net/r/C2QFK6N I've been nominated in the Government/Non-Profit/Associations category (at the end of the survey).

Very proud to be Canadian watching PM Mark Carney represent our country confidently, with moral clarity, and with diplomacy and grace.

Regardless of how the meeting with President Trump goes, PM Mark Carney has set out a clear plan to build Canada's economy and to strengthen our international alliances. While hoping for the best, Canadians aren't naive and will prepare for the worst.

Don Davies will do a great job as NDP interim leader. A thoughtful, hardworking and experienced MP, he has a track record of working across party lines. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

4th place this weekend! Post-race tacos never tasted so good. Spartan Sprint (5 km, 20 obstacles). 4th out of 58 in Men ages 45-49; overall: 77/1481 (5th percentile). Next stop: Mt Tremblant, QB in June - a 21 km mountain race with 30 obstacles. That will be toughest one yet.

PM Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith had a "positive" first meeting. Great news. There is no reason why Alberta can't thrive in a united Canada. Let's work together folks as Canadians.

PM Mark Carney is getting down to business: - Meeting President Trump next week - Appointing new Cabinet the following - Recalling Parliament with Speech from the Throne by King Charles III - Canada Day tax cuts and ending federal barriers to inter-provincial trade

An unprecedented, but necessary, rebuke from Ontario's chief justices on the importance of judicial independence in the wake of Premier Ford's comments

You don't like a court decision, appeal it You don't throw away an independent, impartial judiciary in favour of a U.S.-style elected bench over a decision on bike lanes

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim promised in 2022 that he would hire 100 new police and 100 new mental health professionals. He took no time in doing the former, and still has failed to deliver on the later.

Congratulations to Prime Minister MarkCarney and the entire Liberal team! I'm grateful we have a stable, experienced leader to not only weather these storms but make our country even better for all Canadians.

Today we decide the future we want for our country. Your vote matters! I'm proud to join with Mark Carney in standing up for Canada against President Trump, to protect our rights and freedoms, and to build #CanadaStrong for all Canadians Voting info: www.elections.ca

We live in Fraserhood in Vancouver. My morning run goes right by where last night's tragedy occurred. A beautiful place & wonderful people. We're in shock and grieving with our Filipino community here in Vancouver and everyone who has been impacted by this horrific incident. 💔

Mark Carney "has the best plan. His Liberals are the best choice for Canada." Poilievre "does not meet the existential threat Trump represents", "democratically troubling", "economically risky" www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...

Canadian Civil Liberties Association has issued a statement calling Poilievre's proposed use of the notwithstanding clause "a dangerous precedent"

In light of these allegations against Mayor Ken Sim and the VPD's "Project Barrage", I have written to the Vancouver Police Board requesting to make submission on the harms of policing quotas. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Heartless. Cruel. Wrong. Unconstitutional. Poilievre would criminalize our fellow Canadians who are experiencing homelessness. This man cannot wield power. www.ctvnews.ca/federal-elec...

Opinion: @profbenperrin.bsky.social argues Poilievre’s promise to use the notwithstanding clause is more about politics than policy and betrays a lack of respect for our sacred rights and freedoms. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

Today's Associated Press: "Poilievre’s style and his approach to politics certainly channel a lot of Trump. It’s like a cheap karaoke version of Trump." - Kory Teneycke, "key figure in Conservative politics" apnews.com/article/cana...

A clear choice this election, described in today's Financial Times: Poilievre: “courting the far-right”, “driven by anger”, “aggressive”, “reminiscent of the ‘MAGA movement” Carney: “stable”, “antidote to Trump’s chaos and a tariff-induced recession” www.ft.com/content/958c...

Poilievre's plan, like Premier Danielle Smith's, to "force" treatment would lead to more deaths: "The evidence shows that forced treatment leads to increased risk of death" Source: theconversation.com/in-b-c-alber...

Poilievre wants to override fundamental rights in service of ‘tough on crime’ policies that won’t even work, @profbenperrin.bsky.social writes. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont... Find out more at nationalnewswatch.com

My Toronto Star op/ed: Poilievre's cavalier attitude toward civil liberties should be a warning to all Canadians. The premise of constitutionally entrenched rights and freedoms is that they exist to protect each of us, beyond the political motivations of government. benjaminperrin.ca/f/toronto-st...

CANADIAN REPORTER: Trump's tone on Canada has shifted. He stopped talking about Canada becoming the 51st state. LEAVITT: I would reject that the president's position on Canada has shifted. Perhaps he just hasn't been asked about it. He believes Canadians would benefit from becoming the 51st state.

Trump and Poilievre both want to interfere with academic freedom and independent thought. As Harvard said: No government should dictate what universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue. thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025...

Federal Election 2025: Why I’m Endorsing Mark Carney and the Liberals. Canada is at a crossroads. Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals offer the experienced leadership Canada urgently needs. My full statement: www.scribd.com/document/849...

My op/ed: @PierrePoilievre's “three strikes” proposal is a failed US import that raises homicides by up to 29% and leads to absurd sentences (25 years for pizza theft in California). It’s also patently unconstitutional. Link: benjaminperrin.ca/f/election-w...

It's an honour to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal for service to Canada. Here's the award citation: benjaminperrin.ca/f/prof-perri...

Call for Applications: Summer Research Assistant (Part-Time) Research Project: "Artificial Intelligence & Policing in Canada: Ensuring Ethical and Accountable Governance" More details: www.benjaminperrin.ca

A full-house for “Faith & AI: A Christian Contribution to Ethical AI” yesterday, showing tremendous interest in the topic and need for deeper thinking about the ways AI is being used in our society - for good and for ill. Here's a summary of my talk: benjaminperrin.ca/f/faith-ai-a...

“There’s an assumption that the new crop of lawyers is going to be AI fluent, and they’re going to pull the firms along. I don’t think that’s the case at all," says @profbenperrin.bsky.social. That story from @suebailey99.bsky.social. www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...

Join us for this hybrid event on Wednesday, March 19th: "Faith & AI: A Christian Contribution to Ethical AI". Details and RSVP: allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

I'm very grateful to see such strong leadership and truth-telling right now from folks like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Premier Doug Ford right now in response to these unprecedented times. Canada at its best.

We had 60+ proposals from around the world for our AI & Law Symposium taking place April 2nd! This free hybrid event showcases leading undergrad and grad students on a range of emerging topics. RSVP: allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

Amazing week in Paris with my incredible wife (sans enfants). Unforgettable memories.

Media coverage today of concerns I raised with the Vancouver Police Board about the Vancouver Police Department's lack of a facial recognition policy, despite promising one in 2021. www.biv.com/news/economy...

"Faith & AI" - This event will offer insights into how faith-driven values can help AI be a force for good, rather than harm. Everyone is welcome. RSVP: allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

🚨 New article: How should international law respond to Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)? Masoud Zamani and I explore the major positions taken by various countries and discuss a path forward. Full article: lieber.westpoint.edu/future-warfa...

I'm honoured to join the advisory committee on AI & criminal justice at the Law Commission of Ontario | Commission du Droit de l'Ontario. They've done outstanding work already and I'm excited for more to come: www.lco-cdo.org/en/our-curre...

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s “war on drugs” announcement today for mandatory life imprisonment for trafficking over 40 mg of fentanyl would be ineffective at saving lives and would be unconstitutional: benjaminperrin.ca/blog/f/pierr...

🚨 Two weeks (Feb. 14th) for students to submit proposals for the AI & Law Symposium. This free hybrid event is on April 2nd. RSVP to attend / submit your proposal: allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...

Terrific talk today by Kate Robertson from U of T's The Citizen Lab for our class on policing and AI. Their landmark report "To Surveil & Protect" is a must read for people interested in human rights, AI, and policing. Check it out: citizenlab.ca/wp-content/u...

My talk in Toronto next week is "Beyond Punishment: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Mental Health and Criminal Justice Reform" for the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice's Conference. A terrific conference line-up! More details: ciaj-icaj.ca/en/upcoming-...

This week in my Public Law & Charter class we'll examine the role of the political executive, including the Prime Minister and Cabinet, along with some stunning historical examples like this declassified Iraq war memo. Source: Canada Declassified declassified.library.utoronto.ca/exhibits/sho...

New #ASILInsight today by @profbenperrin.bsky.social on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems & International Law: Growing Momentum Towards a New International Treaty. Read for free at asil.org/insights/volume/29/issue/1

Engaging guest lectures this week on criminality and AI in our seminar from Alex Robey ("jailbreaking" robots) and Moira Aikenhead (deepfakes and criminal law). Thank you both for sharing your expertise! Link: arobey1.github.io/writing/jail...

Deadline for students to submit proposals for (free) AI & Law Symposium is Feb. 14th. The hybrid event is on April 2nd. Excited to see the innovative proposals already coming in! allard.ubc.ca/about-us/eve...