Leading tax scholars, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world gathered in Toronto on September 26-27, 2025, for the A. Cockfield Memorial Symposium to honour the late Professor Arthur Cockfield—one of Canada’s foremost tax law academics. Osgoode was proud to provide the organizational, logistical, and administrative support for the symposium.
Centred on the theme “Tax Sovereignty in a Digital and Divided World”, the two-day symposium brought together participants from Canada, the United States, New Zealand, England, the Netherlands, and Poland. Panels addressed pressing issues in global tax governance, including digitalization, artificial intelligence, and the future of cross-border cooperation, with perspectives shared by academics, government officials, and industry leaders.
Sponsored by IFA Canada, the Canadian Tax Foundation, Osgoode Hall Law School, and Queen’s University Faculty of Law, the symposium served as both a scholarly forum and a tribute to Professor Cockfield’s legacy. Remembered for his influential scholarship and his profound impact as a teacher and mentor, Professor Cockfield’s sudden passing in 2022 left a lasting mark on colleagues, students, and the wider legal community.
Select papers from the symposium will be published in a special issue of the Canadian Tax Journal, with presentation materials available to registered participants. While in-person attendance reached capacity, the event also welcomed a wide virtual audience, underscoring both the global relevance of the discussions and the enduring influence of Professor Cockfield’s work.