Access to Justice
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May 16, 2025
Federal Court extends deadlines for immigration JRs due to surging cases, inadequate gov’t funding
Contending with far too many immigration cases for its tight budget, the Federal Court this week extended by 45 days its regulation 30-day deadlines for litigants to perfect their applications for leave and judicial review of immigration decisions (ALJRs). Why? Because the registry’s beleaguered staff simply can’t keep up, and now often needs weeks rather than days to intake and process the ALJRs — which have more than quadrupled the average volume the court experienced over the five years immediately preceding the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
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May 16, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal caps opioid appeal factums at 195 pages per side
The B.C. Court of Appeal has capped factums in the province’s national opioid class action appeals at 195 pages per side, rejecting the defendants’ bid for nearly 300 pages and ordering aligned parties to co-ordinate submissions to avoid duplication and inefficiency.
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May 16, 2025
Court of Appeal: SOIRA exemption unlikely with shorter sentence
On Oct. 28, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the provisions of SOIRA (Sexual Offender Information Registry Act) unconstitutional (R. v. Ndhlovu, 2022 SCC 38). Section 1 of the Charter could not save the provisions.
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May 15, 2025
When the judiciary and politics mix
Due to ethical constraints, Canadian judges rarely criticize politicians directly in speeches, but there have been moments of tension or implicit critique. The judiciary has a duty to remain impartial and above the political fray.
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May 14, 2025
Bill 5 risks the environment, human health, Indigenous rights by creating ‘law-free’ zones
If passed, Ontario’s Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, would effectively return us to the 1970s in terms of environmental oversight and safeguards. The government should withdraw Bill 5.
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May 14, 2025
Alberta releases strategy to end gender-based violence, prioritizes financial empowerment
In an effort to address gender-based violence and “create a safer home for every Albertan,” the Government of Alberta has issued a 10-year strategy to “engage men and boys as partners, enhance women’s economic empowerment and ensure targeted programs are Indigenous-led.”
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May 14, 2025
New OBA portal aims to match lawyers with pro bono opportunities
The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) has launched a new portal aimed at matching lawyers looking for opportunities to give back with organizations that need their help.
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May 14, 2025
Alberta Court of Appeal restricted gun case targets Firearms Act
Alberta residents Alan Swanson and Ian Runkle were notified in July 2020 by the Registrar of Firearms that certain restricted firearms they owned were now classified as prohibited weapons. As a result, any registration certificates they held were “automatically nullified.”
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May 13, 2025
New Carney Liberal Cabinet puts many lawyers on front benches in critical federal leadership roles
Lawyers who were key Cabinet members in Justin Trudeau's erstwhile minority Liberal government have assumed dominant roles in Prime Minister Mark Carney's new 29-member Liberal Cabinet.
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May 13, 2025
Yukon releases ‘What We Heard’ report on changes to public land laws
More land for housing, greater public input and the extent of Indigenous involvement were all touched upon as part of feedback on Yukon’s plan to modernize legislation governing the management and use of public land.
Access to justice: The language of the litigant counts | Ruphine Djuissi
Access to justice in French is a critical issue for Francophones across Canada, particularly with respect to the availability of legal services in French, the quality of interpretation and translation, and equal language rights. It also includes access to French-speaking lawyers and court documents written in French. It is important to ensure that Francophones have access to legal services in their mother tongue or first official language.
Ontario committed to expanding Unified Family Courts but Toronto still lacking
Ontario’s government is vowing to continue working towards the expansion of Unified Family Courts across the province. But a local lawyer says that until a UFC is placed in the Toronto area, millions are being left to navigate a confusing, “two-tiered” family court system.