2026 CNNC - Hosted at l'Université de Sherbrooke

On March 12 and 13, the symposium Negotiating Sustainable Trade in the Age of the Tariff War was held under the academic direction of Professor Laurence Marquis, in collaboration with the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean. The first day, held at the University of Sherbrooke’s Longueuil campus, opened with a lecture by Benjamin Bélair, Quebec’s delegate in Washington, on Canada–U.S. trade relations. The panels then addressed international geopolitical dynamics with Martin Poéti and Mulry Mondélice, followed by issues related to the USMCA with Jean-Michel Marcoux, Jean Simard, Myriam Seers, and Sarah Schröder. Discussions also focused on the role of the provinces, with Marie-Andrée Marquis, Patrick McSweeney, and Richard Ouellet, as well as on relations with Indigenous communities in the context of critical minerals, with Yvan Guy Larocque, Wolfgang Alschner, and Zoé Boirin-Fargues.

​

The second day highlighted research and practices in dispute prevention and resolution (DPR), notably with Suzanne Bouclin, Jennifer Hille, and Laurence Marquis. A panel on advanced negotiation techniques, moderated by Michaela Keet, brought together Louis Marquis, Daniel del Gobbo, Michelle LeBaron, Véronique Fraser, and Sèdjro Houtohotegbè, who presented innovative approaches tailored to contemporary realities. The conference concluded with a lecture by the Honorable Louise Otis on environmental mediation in the era of the climate crisis.

​

Following the symposium held on March 13 and 14, the Canadian National Negotiation Competition, a major event that this year brought together 30 teams of law students, as well as members of the legal profession, for negotiation simulations focusing on trade negotiation issues in the era of the tariff war (Canada-U.S. relations, aluminum, softwood lumber, the revision of the USMCA, among other topics).

This competition aims to prepare future lawyers for the contemporary realities of negotiation in both official languages. This year’s edition featured two tracks—one in French and one in English—and saw the highest participation to date, particularly in the French-language track.

​

2026 Results

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​English division:

​​

1st place: Windsor - Andrei Prpa & Josh Carrasco

2nd place: McGill - Megan Campbell & Magali Shimotakahara

3rd place: Osgoode - Nicholas Boultbee & Annie Dowd

​

Best Process Management: Saskatchewan - Alex Woitas and Connor Kimpinski

Best Communication & Relationship-building: New Brunswick - Karsen Bauer & Mackenzie Oxley

Best Advocates for Client Interests: Lincoln Alexander - Nour Habliza & Megan Harley

Spirit of Negotiation Award: Lincoln Alexander - Humna Khan & Haniya Saeed

 ​​​​​​​​

Concours division:

​

1ière place: McGill - Kira Cuerrier et Samuel Schonfeld

2ième place: U de Montreal - Zia Wiernik et Samuel Guertin

3ième place:  Sherbrooke - Sevana Bahlawanian et Emilie Rioux

​

Excellence dans la communication pour l'établissement des relations: Sherbooke - Linda Chtioui et Jean-Christophe St-Germain

Excellence dans l’esprit de la négociation: Manitoba - Eric Matthews et Vanessa Smith

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​

2025 CNNC - Hosted at Windsor Law

​

The 2025 CNNC theme focused on issues relating to the pressing public policy issue of housing. The event was hosted through a collaboration with the Windsor Law Centre for Cities and the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor. Law students once again engaged in problem solving around a pressing public policy issue in both an English and French stream.

​

The housing crisis is one of the most significant challenges facing Canadians, affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. Housing also inherently requires environmental, racial, Indigenous, gender, and disability justice lenses to understand its impact at individual and community levels. Housing matters are predominantly governed at the provincial level, with municipalities devising and executing local planning policies in accordance with provincial housing policy. More recently, housing policies have involved all tiers of government. Notably, the federal government has assumed a proactive role in collaborating directly with municipalities to enact policies aimed at substantially ameliorating the housing shortage nationwide.

​​

As the crisis continues to deepen over the next decade, there will be increasing emphasis on delineating jurisdiction and responsibility concerning housing outcomes. Navigating this intricate and inherently politicized landscape of housing policy involves many areas of law and policy including constitutional law, municipal law, land use, and housing policy. Because the vast majority of housing issues occur not through litigation but through negotiation, adept dispute resolution and problem-solving skills are at the heart of good policy making.

​

The event began with a pre-competition symposium. Professors Gemma Smyth and Yvan Larocque, and Elder Myrna Kicknosway provided the welcome and formal opening. Professor Suzanne Bouclin moderated a panel on the challenges and breakthroughs in how housing problems have been framed, debated and addressed with panelists Princess Doe and Professors David Wiseman and Anneke Smit. A panel consisting of Professors Dan Brant and Yvan Larocque examined the successes and challenges of housing in Indigenous communities. Professors Jaimie Kechego and Gemma Smyth provided a welcome and Professor Michaela Keet provided an introduction to the Competition.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​