On Friday 19 October 2018, The Rt Hon. Beverley McLachlin delivered the 2018 CPL Sir David Williams Lecture entitled "Where Are We Going? Reflections on the Rule of Law in a Dangerous World" at the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge.
Former Chief Justice McLachlin's lecture drew on two common themes found in the work of Sir David Williams, the protection of civil liberties and the relationship between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary that is required to ensure an effective protection of civil liberties.
The lecture stressed the importance of an effective, independent judiciary in the protection of civil liberties and human rights. The lecture both explained how a strong independent judiciary was able to protect rights in the face of legislative and executive restrictions of rights and explained how the bigger threat to the rule of law stemmed from threats to the independence of the judiciary.
The Sir David Williams Lecture is an annual address delivered by a guest lecturer in honour of Sir David Williams, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of English Law and Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, hosted by the Centre for Public Law (CPL).
More information about this lecture, including other recorded formats and photographs from the event, is available from the Sir David Williams Lecture pages on the CPL website.