Labour & Employment
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August 12, 2025
Maggie Williams new associate at Roper Greyell
After her 2025 call to the British Columbia bar, Maggie Williams has been named an associate at labour and employment law experts Roper Greyell.
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August 12, 2025
Employers suing employees for negligence
Whether acting as counsel, mediator or arbitrator, I almost always tell employers the same thing: do not sue your employee just because they did a bad job. The law makes it very difficult to succeed and the attempt can backfire badly. Some courts have even awarded bad faith damages when a counterclaim was seen as nothing more than retaliation (e.g. “He has the nerve to sue us? Well, we are going to file a counterclaim!”).
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August 11, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal overturns lower court ruling related to temporary foreign worker class action
In a split decision, the B.C. Court of Appeal has rejected a lower court ruling that found one of Canada’s largest convenience store chains was vicariously liable for illegal fees that an immigration consultant hired by Mac’s Convenience Stores Inc. charged to hundreds of temporary foreign workers who were recruited for jobs at the chain, now known as Circle K.
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August 11, 2025
‘The fight of our lifetime’: ABA president receives award for defending rule of law
“This is the fight of our lifetime,” said American Bar Association (ABA) president William Bay while receiving the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) President’s Award on behalf of American lawyers on Aug. 7. The award comes as the ABA has launched a lawsuit against the United States federal government for allegedly using its powers to coerce lawyers and law firms to abandon clients, causes and policy positions President Donald Trump opposes.
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August 11, 2025
Employers and the off-duty conduct of employees
A recent decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario offers important guidance to employers around off-duty conduct and the obligation to investigate incidents of harassment. The decision, Metrolinx v. Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1587, 2025 ONCA 415 confirms that employers have an obligation to investigate potential incidents of harassment, even in the absence of a formal complaint. It also confirms that employers can discipline for off-duty conduct where that conduct has an impact on the workplace.
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August 11, 2025
Strategies for being selected to apply for Permanent Residency under Express Entry
Canada’s immigration landscape in 2025 is undergoing significant changes, with a focus on reducing overall immigration numbers, prioritizing temporary residents already in Canada for permanent residency, and managing the influx of international students. The Immigration Levels Plan for 2025 to 2027 outlines a gradual decrease in permanent resident admissions, with targets set at 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.
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August 08, 2025
Feds launch consultation on Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act regulations
The federal government ammouced it has begun consultations with Canadian industry, businesses and labour representatives to develop regulations under the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act.
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August 08, 2025
Federal judges seek $60K pay hike but Ottawa says no raise needed to attract senior bar to bench
Chief justices are pointing to newly disclosed data about private bar lawyers’ rising incomes and declining appointments to the bench to bolster the judiciary’s contention that inadequate judicial compensation and onerous job demands are deterring “outstanding” lawyers from seeking federal judicial appointments.
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August 08, 2025
New N.S. AI guidebook warns of over-reliance in legal practices
Nova Scotia’s law society is using a new guidebook to warn members against becoming over-reliant on artificial intelligence in their practices — and urging them to heed instances where lawyers ended up in hot water over its misuse.
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August 08, 2025
CJC issues expression of concern over Federal Court judge’s failure to disclose workplace probe
The Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) has issued a public expression of concern regarding Federal Court Justice Negar Azmudeh for failing to disclose an ongoing workplace harassment investigation during her judicial application process.