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February 20, 2026
What if the next presentation you attend is only voice without visuals? If an airplane safety card had only text with no pictures? If a furniture assembly guide was not drawn but written? If the television disappears and only books are left?
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February 20, 2026
Two recent decisions of the Federal Court of Appeal explore the scope of cabinet’s room to manoeuvre pursuant to statutory grants of discretion to protect public interests.
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February 20, 2026
Policies provide a framework, and operations turn that framework into action. In a municipal setting, the town council sets policy, and town staff implements operations. But what if a policy puts staff and those they serve in danger?
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February 19, 2026
The Paralegal Town Hall stands in proud partnership with the Ontario Association of Black Paralegals as we introduce a joint open letter addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Attorney General Doug Downey, Minister Paul Calandra, members of college boards of governors, and other key decision-makers across Ontario.
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February 18, 2026
Most Canadians believe that adherence to our criminal laws will protect society. It has become commonplace to hear politicians urging us to “get tough on crime” or to support “jail, not bail” as measures to ensure public safety. But how can public safety be protected when there is no accused person to arrest and hold accountable for their actions?
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February 17, 2026
Saskatchewan’s government is giving more than $1 million to various organizations as part of the province’s continued role in a national action plan to eradicate gender-based violence.
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February 17, 2026
The death toll in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., is devastating. Children gunned down, teachers killed, dozens of people injured — the horror and tragedy are unimaginable in this country. The nation grieves.
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February 17, 2026
A country song recorded by Charlie Rich, inspired by the Watergate scandal in the United States, includes the line, “No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.” That could be the theme for some incidents in Canada’s penitentiaries. It has been said that prison walls and fences are more for keeping the public out than for keeping prisoners in. However, from time to time, the public can gain insight into the inner workings of how prisoners are treated when a lawsuit is brought.
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February 17, 2026
There is a phrase that still circulates in court hallways, online comment sections and sometimes even in the quiet doubts of new licensees: “Just a paralegal.”
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February 13, 2026
When Abraham Lincoln was running for president of the United States in 1864, some advised him to change his vice-presidential running mate, while others cautioned him not to “change horses in midstream.” The adage persists to this day. Dismissing counsel during trial and retaining new counsel can also be risky. Yet that is what Kishoyian Kipusi did anyway.
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February 12, 2026
The fabrication of a story alleging that a crime was committed would necessarily result in an acquittal. Proving such motivation can be tricky. Defence counsel for Ryan Alexander Stuart chose to confront a complainant of sexual assault directly by asking a simple question: “Is it fair to say, ma’am, that you were concerned about having sex with Ryan and that it was going to interfere or harm your chances to get back with your ex?”
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February 11, 2026
Next in my animal law student paper snapshot series, I’m highlighting a research paper on cetaceans by my animal law student at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC, Isabella Schopper.
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February 10, 2026
From 1989 to 2021, Robert Regular’s name appeared frequently in Newfoundland newspapers. In July 2021, Regular sought a publication ban on his name before the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, arguing that he was a “prominent lawyer” with a career spanning more than three decades and a thriving practice that included several employees and associate lawyers. He said that having his name publicized would have significant professional, social and emotional impacts, especially since some allegations involved a minor.
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February 09, 2026
Lawyers and professionals who work with inmates in penitentiaries have long been aware of an unwritten set of rules that, if broken, carries the death penalty. That set of rules is quickly learned by new arrivals at jails across Canada and is referred to as the “inmate code” or, more frequently, the “con code.” A news report published in the Toronto Star on Feb. 6, 2026, reminds the public that serving a prison sentence is far harsher than being locked away from society.
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February 06, 2026
B.C. has introduced a new centralized virtual counter service for people to receive free help and advice in navigating the court system from anywhere in the province.
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February 05, 2026
At one time, the only guidance the Criminal Code provided to sentencing judges was the minimum and maximum sentences applicable to crimes. Although criticized by a Sentencing Commission, denunciation and deterrence became key sentencing considerations and were even incorporated into the Code.
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February 05, 2026
Every week in the Greater Toronto Area, consumers seek help with a problem that is difficult to believe until it becomes familiar: a moving company offers an attractive quote, loads a household’s belongings into a truck and then demands thousands of dollars more before releasing the goods.
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February 05, 2026
Recently in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Mark Carney made a speech that captured everyone’s attention — opinions were varied. Here is mine.
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February 04, 2026
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is asking the federal government for a greater say in judicial appointments and has threatened to withdraw funding to support any new judicial appointments in the province unless a more collaborative process is set up. In an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Smith also said Ottawa needs to relax bilingualism requirements for judicial appointments “that do not reflect Canada’s broader linguistic diversity in Western Canada and alienates Albertans and western Canadians alike.”
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February 03, 2026
In many instances, the claim on appeal is that the accused received ineffective assistance of counsel. A claim of ineffective assistance can result in a new trial if it is shown that counsel’s acts or omissions fell below the standard of reasonable professional assistance and resulted in an unfair trial or a miscarriage of justice. It is rare for a trial in a provincial court to be adjourned because an accused person makes a claim for ineffective assistance of counsel midway through the trial. Yet such was the case in R. v. MacQuarrie, 2026 NSPC 5.
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February 03, 2026
Poverty is driving the high number of imprisoned Indigenous people in Saskatchewan, says a lawyer. Brady Knight, a Saskatoon-based criminal lawyer, calls the issue of Indigenous mass incarceration in the province “a concerning and pressing problem.”
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February 03, 2026
The recent decision of Ontario’s Animal Care Review Board (ACRB) to reduce a $108,928 cost recovery order — subsequently conceded by the respondent, the chief animal inspector, to be $101,771.64 — to $10,000 following the seizure of 64 dogs (55 miniature poodles; one Maltese; one shih tzu; one German shepherd; four poodle/Maltese puppies; and two miniature poodle puppies) from a Hamilton residence raises troubling questions not only about accountability in cases of large-scale animal neglect but also about the structural limits of Ontario’s animal welfare regime.
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February 02, 2026
The Supreme Court of Canada has set a presumptive ceiling for delay at 18 months for cases tried in provincial court (R. v. Jordan, 2016 SCC 27). When an accused’s right to a speedy trial under s. 11(b) of the Charter is violated, charges should be stayed under s. 24(1) of the Charter.
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February 02, 2026
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma is marking Access to Justice Week by reaffirming the province’s commitment to building a justice system that is “responsive, inclusive and accessible.”
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January 30, 2026
Canada’s government is supporting a new initiative providing renters in New Brunswick with free legal advice and education in navigating their “housing challenges.”