The Complete Brief
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January 26, 2026
Obscenity, the 2026 version
It was around 1978 when the “comedy” duo of brothers Blair and Gary MacLean came to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
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January 26, 2026
The blame hierarchy in family law revisited
My loyal readers will recall that I practise family law under the belief that there is a hierarchy of blame that exists in almost all high-conflict family disputes. To repeat, the client begins by blaming the opposite party, thereafter the anger is often directed at opposing counsel followed by the same anger directed at the presiding justice if he/she dares to rule against the client.
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January 26, 2026
The Federal Court’s dismissal of repetitive challenges to C-11 work permit refusals
In Mehdi Kamyab v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, 2026 FC 97, the Federal Court dismissed a judicial review application challenging the refusal of a C-11 entrepreneur work permit. The decision reinforces the low procedural fairness threshold applicable to temporary resident visa and work permit applications, confirms that the November 2022 update to the IRCC’s Program Delivery Instructions (PDI) for C-11 did not introduce substantive eligibility changes, and rejects claims of “mass refusal” or inadequate reasons.
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January 26, 2026
Jury charge regarding exculpatory evidence, statements to police leads to new trial in murder case
It was big news, first reported in the Edmonton Journal on May 8, 2020. The RCMP responded to a report of an unresponsive man found near a rural Alberta roadside just after 8 a.m. on April 12. The death was later deemed a homicide following an autopsy in Edmonton a few days later. The body was identified as that of a 74-year-old Wetaskiwin man, Larry Parker.
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January 26, 2026
CUSTODY, PARENTING, AND ACCESS - Custody and parenting time - Access - Decision-making authority - Primary residence
Appeal by Naim from a parenting, relocation and child support order following a streamlined trial. The parties had two children, an eight-year-old son diagnosed with autism and a seven-year-old daughter.
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January 23, 2026
Nova Scotia opens fund for 2SLGBTQIA+ community groups
Nova Scotia has a new funding program for organizations serving the province’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
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January 23, 2026
Court finds email was sufficient to accept binding settlement agreement
The Alberta Court of King’s Bench has found that a settlement agreement was binding after a company principal affirmed it by email, despite refusing to sign the agreement.
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January 23, 2026
Initiation of anti-dumping investigations not subject to review: Federal Court
The Federal Court has ruled that the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is not open to judicial review.
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January 23, 2026
OBA civil litigation award recipients encourage mentorship in the profession
The importance of mentorship and elevating young lawyers was a focal point of the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Civil Dinner, which celebrates excellence in the bar. Both recipients of the OBA awards emphasized the vital position role models play in the profession.
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January 23, 2026
Supreme Court clarifies how to approach an accused’s past criminal record
The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld an Ontario man’s conviction for second-degree murder, clarifying how an accused’s prior convictions may be used to challenge their credibility at trial.