The Complete Brief
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October 17, 2025
SCC sheds light on sentencing judges’ discretion and on Crown’s duties of fairness in plea deals
The Supreme Court of Canada has provided guidance about the Crown’s duties of fairness in plea bargaining and also confirmed sentencing judges’ discretion to take into account facts related to serious charges that were abandoned by the prosecution in exchange for the accused pleading guilty to a lesser offense. On Oct. 17, 2025 the top court handed down reserved reasons for its oral judgment last February allowing the Quebec Crown’s appeal from a 2023 Quebec Court of Appeal decision, which had reduced to six months the 15-month conditional sentence the judge at first instance imposed on Enrico Di Paola in 2022 : R.v.Di Paola, 2025 SCC 31.
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October 17, 2025
Ottawa extends tariff relief on U.S. goods amid ongoing trade talks
Ottawa has extended relief from retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. goods, including those used in manufacturing and essential sectors such as health care, public safety and national security, for an additional two months, the department of finance said in a release issued on Oct. 17.
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October 17, 2025
PM announces new border security measures, legislation amendment
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced new measures from Budget 2025 to enhance security at the border, including hiring more Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers, increasing the CBSA’s stipend for the first time in 20 years and amending the Public Service Superannuation Act.
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October 17, 2025
Federal Court upholds CRA denial of IMAX bid to file late COVID-19 claims
The Federal Court has upheld a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) decision refusing IMAX an extension to file Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) claims, finding that a CRA officer’s conclusion that IMAX had not shown exceptional circumstances beyond its control was reasonable.
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October 17, 2025
Ontario privacy commissioner updates data de-identification guidelines
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has released an updated version of its “globally-recognized” De-Identification Guidelines for Structured Data, the first update since 2016 focusing on data privacy.
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October 17, 2025
Cross examination: Don’t ask … less is more?
“Were you lying then or are you lying now or are you a chronic and habitual liar?”— Sir Wilfred Robarts (Charles Laughton) from the film Witness for the Prosecution
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October 17, 2025
Ontario's new mining development system aims to halve approval times
The Ontario government has officially launched a new system aimed at streamlining mining development.
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October 17, 2025
Risks and challenges of AI in online dispute resolution for family law, part two
While the use of AI offers tremendous potential to enhance online dispute resolution (ODR) in family law, its use also introduces serious risks spanning technical, ethical, legal and social domains. Family law disputes are deeply personal and often involve vulnerable individuals; thus, if AI is not carefully implemented, it can reinforce inequalities, erode trust and undermine fairness and justice.
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October 17, 2025
Beware of immigration fraud and misrepresentation
Canadian immigration is increasingly being targeted with fraudulent schemes, misrepresentation, identity theft, and passport-related crimes. Applicants and unscrupulous consultants exploit weaknesses in the system by using forged documents, stolen identities, sham marriages and misleading claims to obtain immigration status.
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October 17, 2025
Manitoba proposes law to automatically have court weigh in on use of notwithstanding clause
Manitoba has introduced legislation which would make it so the provincial government’s use of the notwithstanding clause would automatically be put before a court to determine whether it results in a violation of people’s rights.