Criminal
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January 30, 2026
Is international law really law or just a script the powerful edit at will?
International law likes to enter the room wearing a tailored suit, speaking in solemn tones about order, peace and a rules-based world. It carries binders full of treaties, conventions, charters and resolutions from an era post 1945. It invokes history, morality and the collective will of nations. It sounds authoritative. It looks official. It insists it is law.
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January 30, 2026
Ontario court orders new law licence review for man who admitted to sexually abusing children
Ontario’s top court has ordered a new law licence assessment for a man who admitted to the sexual abuse of children, saying a fresh look is required to determine whether he is of the “good character” required of a lawyer.
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January 30, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal rules that misapplication of Browne v. Dunn can derail defence
Every criminal defence counsel fears that a case may be lost on an evidentiary issue overlooked during trial. One such mistake would be to overlook in cross-examination what is known as the rule in Browne v. Dunn.
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January 29, 2026
Ransomware attacks rising in Canada as AI fuels evolving threats: Cyber Centre report
Ransomware attacks are on the rise in Canada and are expected to remain a significant threat over the next two years as cybercriminals leverage artificial intelligence and expand their targets beyond large organizations, according to a new report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre).
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January 29, 2026
CBA president, law society commend Alberta judges’ call for respect, support
Members of the legal profession from across the country are applauding a public statement from Alberta’s three chief justices calling for respect and mutual support among the different branches of government. In a statement posted on the Alberta courts website earlier this week, Chief Justice of the Alberta Court of Justice James Hunter, Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Kent Davidson and Acting Chief Justice of Alberta Dawn Pentelechuk said “a properly functioning democracy requires three separate branches of government that exercise their power and authority independently according to the Constitution.”
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January 29, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal decides procedural issue, bringing 1994 Mr. Big case closer to appeal
A Newfoundland carpet cleaner convicted of murdering his girlfriend in a 1994 shooting death in Richmond, B.C., is one step closer to having his conviction overturned after the British Columbia Court of Appeal outlined procedural issues that must be resolved before a new appeal can proceed (R. v. Skiffington, 2026 BCCA 26).
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January 29, 2026
EVIDENCE - Witnesses
Appeal by appellant from his conviction for second-degree murder. Awai was murdered in his apartment, shot twice in the head. The sole issue at trial was the identity of the shooter.
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January 29, 2026
Dating rules as learned in criminal law practice
Dating advice is as old as ancient Rome itself. Ovid, the first-century poet, devoted an entire manual — The Art of Love — to the subject. His guidance was straightforward: wear a clean toga, mind your hygiene and present yourself well. Other advice, however, such as persistent pursuit or ignoring rejection, would today be more likely to attract police attention than romantic success.
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January 28, 2026
Top 10 business decisions of 2025, part one
Here is my annual list of the top 10 business decisions in Canada for the year just ended. This two-part series begins with the cases ranked sixth through tenth, in ascending order. Part two will cover the top five cases.
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January 28, 2026
Reasons to decriminalize sex work
It is not a secret that I live in Toronto. I did not move to Toronto for leisure or lifestyle reasons. I moved because remaining where I was had become unsafe.