Access to Justice
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September 17, 2025
An answer to Barrie’s homeless emergency: Community
The city of Barrie, Ont., is right to be talking about homelessness. It is indeed an emergency. That said, residents should be and are asking a lot of questions about how things got this bad. More on that to come.
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September 17, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal clarifies rules of evidence for impaired convictions
Impaired driving is a criminal offence throughout Canada. However, the requirements for the Crown to prove impairment differ depending on the province. The Ontario Court of Appeal decision in R. v. Kim, 2025 ONCA 478 involved three individuals who, after appeals to a Summary Convictions Appeal Court, were convicted of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 80 or higher.
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September 16, 2025
Justice of the chocolate-y kind
Canada’s rich history with chocolate extends beyond its culinary appeal to include a fascinating intersection with legal frameworks. As the country continues to innovate and expand its chocolate industry, various legal themes emerge that shape the production, distribution and consumption of this beloved treat.
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September 16, 2025
LEAF welcomes Ruth Goba as executive director
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) has announced the appointment of Ruth Goba as executive director.
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September 16, 2025
Dalhousie University, unionized faculty reach tentative agreement
Dalhousie University and its locked-out unionized faculty have reached a tentative deal — potentially ending a chaotic labour dispute that included the institution’s law school.
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September 16, 2025
Privacy debate: Cameras, speeding and Charter rights
Two recent news stories in Ontario have sparked public debate about how much privacy citizens should have.
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September 15, 2025
Appeal Court validates circumstantial evidence in Toronto shooting trial
After a two-week investigation, the police arrested a 22-year-old man following the “unprovoked” shooting of a 19-year-old woman in Etobicoke, Ont., according to a Sept. 4, 2019, Toronto Star report.
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September 12, 2025
Appeal Court orders new trial in British Columbia child exploitation case
The American poet and journalist Carl Sandburg has been quoted as saying, “If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell.” That appears to be the advice that legal counsel might have received when defending Eric David Guenter.
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September 11, 2025
Poilievre proposes bail reform, civil liberties group asserts there’s no evidence for change
On the very same day that federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre announced that his party will be introducing the Jail Not Bail Act after Parliament reconvenes in the fall, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has delivered a strongly worded message to the federal Minister of Justice Sean Fraser: any policy aimed at reforming the Canadian bail system must be based on statistics and not on misinformation. The Thursday statement included a letter the CCLA had delivered in June.
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September 11, 2025
Time to embrace change: Civil justice reform
A fair, accessible, efficient and affordable civil justice system is a critical component of any thriving democracy and economy. The civil justice system in Ontario no longer fulfills its important purpose of resolving disputes of behalf of people, businesses and governments in a just and fair way.