Pulse
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January 30, 2026
SCC gives guidance on interpreting insurance contracts, interplay of endorsements & exclusions
Elaborating on how to interpret insurance contracts, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed 7-2 the appeal of two homeowners who sought to compel their insurer to fully pay for rebuilding their flood-destroyed house, despite an exclusion for “compliance costs” and the ancillary exception that caps the compliance costs payout at $10,000 “for the increased cost of demolition, construction, or repair to comply with any law regulating the zoning, demolition, repair or construction of any insured buildings.”
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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
Pet project: What to do about furry friends in family court
Pets. Are the courts in a divorce action where both parties seek custody to treat them like children or property? The law in this area is all over the zoo. An Alberta judge, Douglas Mah, recently held in a case dealing with four cats that pets are to be treated like property, not kids. However, next door in B.C., the Family Law Act considers pets as family members, and the courts must determine who would best care for the pet.
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January 30, 2026
Legal career reflections: Three things I wish I had known 50 years ago
In 1975 I was a young and enthusiastic teacher in a progressive middle school in rural eastern Ontario. By then I had aggressively completed my bachelor’s degree at night school and summer school, once knocking off five full courses in one calendar year, the same as if I had been a full-time student. I had written both the LSAT (law) and the GMAT (business) entrance tests with flattering scores, with dreams of a career either in law or management. At the same time, my then school principal was mentoring me to become a principal, giving me more responsibilities and coaching toward becoming qualified. The world, it seemed, was my oyster.
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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 30, 2026
Lawyer Anie Perrault named chair of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board
The federal government has designated Anie Perrault as chair of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB), with a mandate running until Aug. 9, 2028.
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January 29, 2026
Gutless partners tell HR to fire lawyer
I recently met with a law firm associate of a recent vintage whose employment was terminated after a short tenure at her firm. She has no idea why she was fired, for the simple reason that the firm has not told her. She had received no complaints about her work and had even been given a few compliments. In the legal world, that is just about a ringing endorsement.
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January 29, 2026
Balancing transparency, privacy in municipal governance: Analysis of the Planning Act and MFIPPA, part two
Transparency and privacy are two core principles of municipal governance. In Ontario, laws regulating municipal activities such as the Municipal Act, 2001, and the Planning Act, require administrators to ensure openness and transparency to foster public participation in governance and municipal activities. The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) imposes obligations to protect personal information. These requirements often create the perception of legal conflict.
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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.”