Access to Justice
-
April 22, 2024
Alabama IVF ruling: Bad facts make bad law | Abby Hafer
On Feb. 16 of this year, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos that are created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) are to be considered children. Since Canadian conservatives have a bad habit of sounding like their southern counterparts, this should worry Canadians.
-
April 19, 2024
Family court judges must balance fairness in assisting the self-represented: lawyer
Given the growing number of self-represented litigants in family court, judges must ensure fairness to both sides when assisting those who appear without counsel, says a lawyer following a Saskatchewan case where a trial judge failed to give adequate help to a father acting for himself in a parenting dispute.
-
April 19, 2024
Paroling lifers | Michael Crowley
A couple of years ago, I was contacted by Alice Boatwright, an old friend who was writing her third “cosy” mystery, set in an idyllic English village. She wanted my input on the British system of parole, specifically as it might relate to someone who was being paroled back to her home, the location of the murder she had apparently committed.
-
April 19, 2024
Mystery of bail in Canada | Norman Douglas
Case 1: Alcoholic steals liquor from local LCBO.
-
April 18, 2024
Manitoba may open discipline matters of health professionals, save for ‘limited exceptions’
In a bid to boost trust and transparency in its health-care system, Manitoba’s government is proposing legislation that would open to the public discipline cases of health professionals facing “cancellation” by their regulator.
-
April 17, 2024
Technological revolution in legal institutions | Tega Adjara
The backlog of court cases has surged to crisis levels in numerous countries, prompting a critical examination of how state institutions manage this pressing issue. Despite the availability of technology, the legal industry has long been hesitant to depart from its traditional reliance on paper and ink.
-
April 17, 2024
Saskatchewanians invited to take accessibility survey
Saskatchewan residents are being invited to take part in an “accessibility survey” about barriers people with disabilities face when using government “facilities, programs and services.”
-
April 17, 2024
Digital solutions through an Indigenous lens | Lawrence Lewis
In a world where digital transformation shapes every aspect of our lives, the narrative of technological advancement often overlooks the diverse needs and voices of Indigenous communities. But creating digital solutions through an Indigenous lens — combining traditional values through innovative pathways — gives rise to progressive structures that honour cultural significance.
-
April 16, 2024
Legal aid funding, auto theft crack down and redistribution of judgeships feature in federal budget
Funding for legal aid to reduce court delays; redistributing “unused” Alberta unified family court posts to other superior courts; and creating new offences and harsher penalties for auto theft are among dozens of justice-related measures proposed in the latest federal budget, which the minority Liberal government says aims to enhance the affordability of shelter, groceries, internet and other necessities for Canadians.
-
April 16, 2024
Prison: A day in the life | David Dorson
Let me take you through a day in my life as a prisoner in a medium security assessment unit in a prison in Canada. I spent about three months in this setting. Others’ prison experiences will differ in detail but not in essence, except that it is significantly worse for the 20 per cent of federal prisoners and almost all provincial prisoners who are in maximum security settings. And quite a bit easier for the 20 per cent in minimum security.