The Complete Brief
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July 29, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal orders specific performance in real estate dispute, clarifies uniqueness test
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned a trial judge’s decision to limit damages in a real estate option dispute, ordering specific performance instead and clarifying when investment properties may qualify as unique enough to warrant the equitable remedy.
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July 29, 2025
Federal Court finds repeated TFSA overcontributions after notice not a ‘reasonable error’
A Federal Court judge has declined to grant relief to a taxpayer who racked up over $70,000 in fines and penalties for repeatedly overcontributing to his tax-free savings accounts (TFSA), finding that his failure to promptly remove excess funds despite repeated Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) notices was not a reasonable error.
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July 29, 2025
Trudeau Liberals increased diversity of federal benches; female jurists made biggest gains: report
The former Trudeau government’s nine-year push for diversity in federal appointments since 2016 saw big progress for female jurists — who now make up 49 per cent of all federally appointed judges — along with significant gains for jurists who self-identify as Indigenous, racialized, ethnic, 2SLGBTQI+ or as having a disability, according to the latest information from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.
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July 29, 2025
Court allows appeal in favour of arbitration in $100K employment bonus dispute
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned an order dismissing a stay application in an employment case, finding that the issues relating to over $100,000 in alleged unpaid bonuses are subject to arbitration.
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July 29, 2025
N.B. funding programs for victims of gender-based violence
As part of its ongoing efforts to tackle gender-based violence, New Brunswick is spending millions on emergency transition programs, outreach initiatives and “second-stage” housing.
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July 29, 2025
Applications open for Alberta Restorative Justice Grant
Applications are now open for the Alberta Restorative Justice Grant program. The province is investing $720,000 through the grant to support communities delivering restorative justice programs. This grant program supports initiatives that seek to hold offenders accountable and repair relationships damaged by crime outside the formal court system.
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July 29, 2025
CORPORATIONS - Derivative actions - Conditions precedent to bringing action - Good faith
Appeal by Su from judge’s decision granting Hougen Co. Ltd. (Hougen) leave to bring derivative action; appeal by Hougen from judge's refusal to grant nunc pro tunc order to backdate leave to the date notice of claim was filed and from decision to award special costs to Su.
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July 29, 2025
Harper Grey announces 2025/2026 articling students
Harper Grey has welcomed its articling students for 2025/2026: Alec Colwell, Elizabeth Collins, Joshua Hoenisch, Danna Houssian, Delaney Ignatieff and Doris Vretenar.
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July 29, 2025
Norwich orders: A powerful tool for third-party disclosure
Imagine finding yourself in a situation where you wish to pursue legal recourse, but you hit a wall trying to identify the responsible party, secure critical evidence or locate assets. These situations might include where an anonymous person has taken money from your bank account or has been posting defamatory content about you online. In these circumstances, the information you need to identify this anonymous person is likely held by a third party, such as a bank or internet service provider, who may not be at liberty to simply hand over the information.
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July 29, 2025
Shifting Canadian attitudes toward immigration
For much of its modern history, Canada has stood out as a beacon of openness and multiculturalism, with immigration widely embraced as a key pillar of economic prosperity. However, in recent years, this long-standing support has begun to show signs of erosion.