Pulse
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June 04, 2025
‘Strong borders’ bill would expand police & spy agency powers, federal tools to control migration
A wide-ranging federal omnibus bill — introduced by the minority Liberal government under the rubric of border security — would expand the powers of federal officials to restrict refugee claims and migration while also boosting the investigative and other powers of law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in the name of protecting national security and clamping down on money laundering, fentanyl trafficking and other organized crimes.
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June 04, 2025
Judge Brian Hutcheson retires from B.C.’s provincial court
The Provincial Court of British Columbia has announced that Judge Brian Hutcheson retired on May 31, 2025.
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June 04, 2025
For insurers, it pays to wait: Why the CRR recommendations miss the mark
Faced with a backlog of cases in the civil justice system, Attorney General Doug Downey commissioned the Civil Rules Review (CRR) to make civil court proceedings more efficient, affordable and accessible. In doing so, he made the same misstep as several of his predecessors.
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June 04, 2025
Legal scholar Marie-Eve Sylvestre named president and vice-chancellor of uOttawa
The University of Ottawa has announced the appointment of Marie-Eve Sylvestre as its 31st president and vice-chancellor.
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June 04, 2025
Dealing with invisible disabilities in the workplace
Researchers continue to discover new ways to diagnose and treat so-called “invisible disabilities,” giving new hope to long-term disability claimants.
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June 04, 2025
Why new Carney government must make Miscarriage of Justice Commission priority
One of the tests for the new Carney government will be the speed at which it makes an important new government commission operational. Bill C-40, known as the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission Act or David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law, was enacted on Dec. 17, 2024. This legislation established an independent Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission to replace the ministerial review process for wrongful convictions.
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June 04, 2025
A sad tale of love gone bad
Many years ago, I knew a young couple who were very much in love. The young lady loved the idea of pleasing her parents and impressing her friends by marrying a good-looking boy with a promising career. The young man was in love with the idea of having a pretty girl on his arm who would respect and adore him. They were both in love with the idea of moving on to the stage of life that today’s young people call “adulting.”
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June 03, 2025
B.C., Ontario law society meetings take action on trusts, reporting requirements
Law society benchers in British Columbia and Ontario have taken part in their last spring meetings, setting the stage for the summer and fall sessions.
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June 03, 2025
De Grandpré Chait adds two lawyers to its commercial litigation team
Montreal firm De Grandpré Chait has announced the expansion of its commercial litigation team with the addition of Andréa Laframboise as a partner and Clara Gagné-Thibault as an associate.
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June 03, 2025
Should the Ontario Superior Court eliminate civil trials?
Recognizing the Ontario Superior Court to be “arcane, expensive and plagued by delay,” the Civil Rules Working Group has proposed a grand experiment, namely eliminating discoveries and curtailing document production. In place thereof, parties would be required (as they currently are) to tell the truth and to further co-operate. However, given such requirements, and the clear mandate given to the working group to reduce cost and delay, it must be asked whether the proposed reforms go far enough, or whether the Superior Court should eliminate civil trials as well?