Labour & Employment
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January 13, 2026
Judge nixes federal refusal to pay for surgery to remove excess skin caused by PTSD-induced obesity
A Federal Court judge has ordered Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) to reconsider its refusal to pay for plastic surgery for a reserve force veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other serious health repercussions triggered by the sexual trauma she experienced while in the military from 1991 to 1994.
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January 13, 2026
How mentoring works both ways
I am an associate lawyer at Epstein & Associates Professional Corporation. The following article outlines my experiences working full-time while studying to become a lawyer, how I have benefited from this experience, and how lawyers who employ articling students can gain from providing proper mentorship during this invaluable period to those students.
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January 13, 2026
Employment law: Will the Court of Appeal resolve the ‘at any time’ issue?
Throughout my career, I have commented on how remarkable it is that something as fundamental as employment law remains unsettled. What is perhaps even more remarkable is that things that were settled and seemed to be beyond question can become unsettled without any warning and create tremendous uncertainty throughout the employment law bar and the business world.
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January 09, 2026
PM Carney’s appointment of Judge Hogue as Deputy AG of Canada sparks questions within legal community
Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue is retiring Feb. 1, 2026, from her full-time job on the federal bench — one day before starting work on Feb. 2 as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Canada, Law360 Canada has learned.
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January 08, 2026
Nova Scotia releases first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan
Nova Scotia has released its first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan, which includes addressing that community’s lack of trust in the province’s justice system. A Jan. 8 news release describes the action plan as a “co-ordinated road map to advance equity, improve access to services and supports, and build safer, more inclusive communities.”
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January 08, 2026
Court upholds dismissal for cause based on misconduct discovered after termination
The Alberta Court of King’s Bench has dismissed a wrongful dismissal claim, affirming that an employer may rely on evidence of serious employee misconduct acquired after an employee’s dismissal to justify termination for just cause.
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January 08, 2026
Top Ontario employment law decisions of 2025, part two
2025 was another eventful year in employment law. As with previous years, the enforceability of termination clauses continued to dominate courts’ time, but a more balanced approach to these clauses emerged this past year. We also saw our courts address the duty to mitigate, pre-employment inducement and, right before the holidays, claw back clauses, giving those practising in this area clear guidance on these issues. The following is part two of the top Ontario employment law decisions of 2025.
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January 08, 2026
Camelot, Marilyn and the mirage of proof: A journalist’s blunder as blueprint for honest lawyering
Over the holiday break, I had the pleasure of watching the Netflix documentary Cover-Up, which explores the life and career of legendary investigative journalist and author Seymour Hersh. Hersh is known for exposing truths behind government veils. In this documentary, he is portrayed as a somewhat mercurial character, but nonetheless his deeply rooted humanity shows through.
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January 07, 2026
Court finds judicial review of armed forces promotion case moot
The Federal Court has concluded that a judicial review application of a Canadian Armed Forces decision was moot, as the respondent agreed to a redetermination of the applicant’s grievance regarding denied eligibility to become sergeant.
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January 07, 2026
Creating competitors: Trump’s regime changes in Canada and Venezuela
Recent press coverage of the capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his replacement with Delcy Rodríguez has been a case of fanciful explanations chasing very few facts. The administration has been of little help with its recent endorsement of Maduro’s second-in-command as the new leader of Venezuela.