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REGIONAL WRAP-UP got convictions and prison terms. One of about 40 federal prosecutors in the Montreal bureau of Service des poursuites pénales du Canada, where he estimates that 80 per cent of his usual caseload involves drug trafficking, Tes- sier says the Morency trial will be an important one for the integrity of the Quebec justice system — not to men- tion the most publicly scrutinized case in his career. "Crown attorneys are a pil- lar of the justice system," he says. "We are symbols of justice [and] we must be above reproach. We represent and promote and try to find truth. Without truth, there is no justice." — MARK CARDWELL m.cardwell@videotron.ca ThE bARREAu hoPS on ThE bAnDWAGon jump, following his presentation to them last year addressing the impact of climate change on the economy and the health of future generations, is picking up speed with the backing of the Barreau du Qué- bec Foundation. "We have decided to spearhead a gen- D uine mobilization of the legal commu- nity in order to do our part in protecting the environment," foundation president Alain Létourneau said following Suzuki's April 2007 conference in Montreal at- tended by 500 provincial bar members. "Our foundation is immediately and concretely moving into action." The foundation, which each year offers $100,000 in grants to support research projects, had a head start by funding two projects related to Suzuki's crusade — one on the scientific and socio-economic issues associated with developing and sell- ing genetically modified organisms in the agri-food industry, and the other on con- sumer protection in relation to the label- ling of organic foods in Canada. Three of the 15 subsidies awarded for 2007-08 went to environmental projects: the legality and applicability of actual and future rules aimed at controlling cy- anobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) in Quebec; Canadian and Quebec environmental law; and introduction to agri-business law. Catherine Choquette, a law professor at Université de Sherbrooke specializing in international environmental law, will examine the judicial tools that are avail- able to, or seriously being considered by, municipalities in order to determine their potential effectiveness in saving Alain Létourneau, president of the Barreau du Québec Foundation, and David Suzuki. Quebec lakes, rivers, and other water- ways infected with worrisome levels of blue-green algae. Choquette says it is imperative lawyers realize the limitations of scientific exper- tise and better understand the norms ap- plicable to counsel or their clients since those same notions will equally enlighten judges and government on the optimal in- tervention options in water management. Paule Halley, the Université Laval law professor and international expert on environmental criminal law and its role in protecting the environment, will focus her project on developing a precise envi- ronmental law course for first-year law students in Quebec. Halley, the Canada Research chairholder in environmental law, says such a course doesn't exist in Quebec or in French anywhere else in the country. Geneviève Parent, a fellow law pro- 14 SEPTEMBER 2008 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com fessor at Laval, has a similar challenge with her project — only with a larger target. She is looking to help fill a void of resource material on agri-business law available to law and agri-food industry students, lawyers, and industry players. The barreau also has an environmen- tal law committee, of which Halley is one of 13 members. Committee president is Jean Piette, a senior partner at Ogilvy Renault LLP, who has vast experience in both environmental law and the devel- opment of environmental policy. He is a registered consultant in environmen- tal law to the Washington-based World Bank and represents clients in negotia- tions with environmental authorities, in environmental litigation before admin- istrative and judicial tribunals, and in private transactions involving environ- mental problems. Also on the committee is Michel avid Suzuki's Nature Challenge bandwagon, upon which Quebec's 22,000 lawyers were encouraged to