The Complete Brief
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July 24, 2025
Divorce, second time around — it can hit your clients twice as hard
Everyone knows that marriages don’t always last. But it’s not just first marriages that struggle to survive — many second and third marriages end in divorce as well. According to Statistics Canada’s most recent General Social Survey (2017), more than one-quarter of Canadians aged 35-64 were on their second or subsequent marriage — but only about half of those couples were still together a decade later.
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July 24, 2025
Security concerns no excuse for treating all Chinese students as spies
A recent Law360 article argues that Canada should “enhance vetting” of students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who are “linked to state actors.” It suggests that applicants with ties to government or military organizations, or even family connections to state entities, should face heightened scrutiny. On the surface, this appears to be a prudent national security policy. But scratch deeper and it reveals a dangerous, ill‑defined approach that risks painting an entire group with the same brush.
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July 24, 2025
Family separation consequences taken into consideration in sentencing
When a family relationship ends, it can be likened to the nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty.” When the details of the breakup are presented in court, a judge’s role is to try to put the pieces together again. That appears to be the task the Ontario Court of Appeal took on in R. v. D.L., 2025 ONCA 533. They became the king’s horses and king’s men.
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July 24, 2025
CRIMINAL CODE OFFENCES - Possession and trafficking - Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
Appeal by Miller from his conviction for unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) for the purpose of trafficking and unlawful possession of property obtained by crime not exceeding $5,000.
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July 23, 2025
Ottawa releases new implementation framework to advance right to a healthy environment
The federal government has released a new implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), as well as a plan of priorities for chemicals management to protect the health of people in Canada and the environment.
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July 23, 2025
Canada invests $3.2B to support newcomer integration
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced an investment of over $3.2 billion over three years to improve newcomer integration into the job market to reduce labour shortages.
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July 23, 2025
G20 finance ministers discuss international tax reforms and debt relief framework in South Africa
Finance ministers and central bank governors from the world’s 20 largest economies (G20) have concluded their third meeting of the year in Durban, South Africa, by endorsing several initiatives with potential legal and regulatory implications for international finance and taxation.
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July 23, 2025
Yukon Court of Appeal: Lien on minerals survives sale, lien form need only list mine details
The Yukon Court of Appeal has ruled that a lien on mineral concentrate survives the sale of the minerals to a third party, rejecting a lower court’s finding that a lien form listing only the mine’s mineral claims and leases was insufficient notice.
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July 22, 2025
Privacy class action trends: Perspectives from the U.S., U.K., Europe and Canada
Organizations that handle the collection, use and disclosure of data are paying closer attention to the growing risk of privacy class actions. As the cross-border transfer of data becomes a routine part of day-to-day operations, it has become more important than ever to take steps to mitigate privacy issues and reduce the risk of a class action lawsuit.
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July 23, 2025
Federal Court strikes military member’s COVID vaccine challenge
A Federal Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge by a former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member who claimed his Charter rights were violated over COVID-19 vaccination requirements — a decision that lawyers say reinforces the military’s unique employment structure and grievance system.