Constitutional
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March 25, 2026
Ottawa & provinces roll out disparate views on the ‘notwithstanding’ clause at Supreme Court
Before the Supreme Court of Canada reserved its impending historic decision on March 26, the top court heard starkly different interpretations this week about the nature and operation of the Charter’s s. 33 “notwithstanding” clause.
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March 26, 2026
Ottawa introduces bill targeting foreign interference, deepfakes and long ballots
The Liberal government has introduced legislation aimed at protecting federal elections from foreign interference, cracking down on “long ballot” protest tactics and curbing election-related misinformation, according to a March 26 release.
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March 26, 2026
Nova Scotia Power commits to strengthening cybersecurity after major breach
Nova Scotia Power has committed to strengthening its cybersecurity measures following a data breach that exposed sensitive information, including social insurance numbers, driver’s licence numbers and email addresses, of more than 900,000 customers.
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March 25, 2026
Alberta MAID bill’s restrictions vulnerable to challenge beyond mental health issue: legal expert
Alberta lawmakers are currently grappling with legislation that would put guardrails on medical assistance in dying (MAID) for those who are suffering from mental health issues, but legal experts are saying other aspects of the law leave it vulnerable to legal challenge.
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March 24, 2026
SCC judges probe what Charter s. 33 ‘override’ may mean for survival of Charter judicial review
The argument that a legislature’s use of the Charter’s s. 33 “override” clause can temporarily prevent judges from striking down a law but not from reviewing the law’s constitutionality or stating that the law infringes Charter rights and freedoms sparked a lively exchange between counsel and the bench as the Supreme Court of Canada kicked off its inquiry into the constitutionality of Quebec’s controversial “secularism” (Bill 21) law.
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March 24, 2026
Ontario court backs municipality’s decision on controversial bus shelter ads
Ontario’s top court has rejected efforts by a political party to put ads on municipal bus shelters expounding their views on gender issues, and a lawyer involved in the case is saying the decision provides a template for cities to follow when confronted with similar issues.
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March 24, 2026
Dalhousie U and King’s College to resurrect joint journalism-law program
Two universities in Nova Scotia are re-launching a joint degree program combining law and journalism in a bid to create professionals able to “cut through the noise” of today’s world.
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March 23, 2026
Seismic Bill 21 case draws record counsel & intervener presence at this week’s four-day SCC hearing
This week’s blockbuster Bill 21 appeal at the Supreme Court involves 140 counsel of record — with 64 of them slated to make oral argument over four days on behalf of the 10 main party groups and the record 51 interveners.
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March 19, 2026
B.C. legislation sparks debate over protest access zones at schools, places of worship
As the B.C. government doubles down on bubble zones that limit protest around schools and places of worship, civil libertarians are saying they not only violate Charter rights but are also largely unnecessary.
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March 18, 2026
World Anti-Doping Agency agrees to limit athlete data use after federal privacy probe
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has agreed to take steps to ensure that sensitive personal information collected from athletes that is under its control is not used for purposes beyond anti-doping, as part of a compliance agreement with the federal privacy commissioner.