Family
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June 02, 2025
Prime Minister Carney taps Montreal lawyers for key roles in PMO
Prime Minister Mark Carney has hired prominent Montreal lawyer Marc-André Blanchard, the former chair and CEO of McCarthy Tétrault LLP, as his chief of staff, while ex-federal justice minister David Lametti, counsel with Montreal’s Fasken, is also taking on senior responsibilities in the new Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to media reports.
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June 02, 2025
Clear as mud? Ontario courts provide context regarding waiver of OBCA dissent rights
In the context of shareholders’ agreements, contracting parties may waive their statutory dissent rights afforded under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (OBCA). In order for the waiver to be enforceable it must be made with clear and direct language.
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May 30, 2025
SCC rules Quebec licensing law does not apply to firms providing airport, maritime private security
In a judgment that turns on the application of the constitutional doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled 9-0 that Quebec’s Private Security Act (PSA) does not apply to two companies that engage in airport and marine port security in the province because the Quebec law impairs activities at the core of exclusive federal jurisdiction over aeronautics, navigation and shipping.
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May 30, 2025
B.C. legal institute hopes to increase understanding of economic abuse in family law
The British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) is looking to shed some light on an issue that it says has been seriously under-explored in legal literature and case law — economic abuse in family law, especially as it relates to family businesses.
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May 30, 2025
The legal status of non-human animals in Canada: Sentient beings or property?
Tank follows me everywhere; not out of obedience, nor because he is bound by some legal designation as “property,” but because he chooses to. My commissioned knight who positions himself between me and the world, a quiet protector against perceived threats.
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May 30, 2025
DND says it now offers independent legal advice to victims of sexual misconduct in the military
The Department of National Defence (DND) says it has expanded the services of its Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre to offer “independent” and “direct” free legal assistance to those 18 years and older, who have experienced sexual misconduct in a DND or Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) “context.”
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May 30, 2025
Another 404 error: Fake case law likely generated by AI
The explosive development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as ChatGPT means that courts are increasingly faced with the task of determining what is real. AI can be an efficient tool for litigants to research and understand the applicable legal concepts and issues in their disputes. However, the current limitations of certain AI platforms involve a danger that fictitious authorities will be created to substantiate seemingly persuasive legal arguments.
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May 30, 2025
Can a will altered by someone other than the deceased be validated?
The will validation power is a potent tool, empowering the courts to save testamentary documents that do not comply with the statutory formalities of execution applicable to wills. However, the will validation power does not place any restrictions on who can create a non-compliant instrument for the deceased — validation is not limited to instruments created or altered by the deceased or their lawyer.
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May 30, 2025
N.L. accepting grant proposals for violence prevention program
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is inviting proposals for its 2025 Community Violence Prevention Grants Program.
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May 30, 2025
Canada might not be for sale ... but is Ontario?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford campaigned on a tough response to Trump’s bullying, but now that he has his new mandate, it sure looks to me like he is adopting the president’s authoritarian playbook. That should be no surprise, since he frequently expressed admiration for the Donald before the latter declared a trade war.