Access to Justice
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October 23, 2024
Indigenous voices left behind despite global stage recognizing Indigenous as ‘guardians of nature’
“Guardians of nature include first and foremost Indigenous peoples and local communities,” remarked the United Nations at the opening address of the world’s largest ever global biodiversity conference, COP16, that got underway this week in Cali, Colombia.
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October 21, 2024
First Nations reject $47.8B deal for long-term Indigenous child services reform
The federal government has expressed disappointment in a decision by First Nations chiefs to vote against a $47.8 billion deal on long-term reform of Indigenous child and family services over concerns about the uncertainty of annual funding approvals and the implementation structure of the agreement.
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October 21, 2024
Overturning wrongful convictions | John L. Hill
Let’s face it. Fighting wrongful convictions is hard. Attending the 10th Annual International Wrongful Conviction Day in Toronto in early October was inspiring. Many exonerees were piped into the auditorium. It was easy to think that finding and helping the wrongly convicted is an easy or usual task. Our assumption that our criminal justice system works perfectly blurs the fact that injustice happens more frequently than we dare to admit.
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October 21, 2024
Rape exemptions to abortion bans don’t work: Legal conundrums | Abby Hafer
In my recent articles on why rape exemptions to abortion bans don’t work, I have covered many of the real-world problems that show how these seemingly kindly exemptions are in reality ugly and meaningless.
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October 18, 2024
SCC rules driving bans not available for sentencing criminal negligence causing death or bodily harm
In a ruling that may impact an unknown number of existing and expired driving prohibitions, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled 5-4 that since Criminal Code changes (Bill C-46) went into effect on Dec. 18, 2018, sentencing judges no longer had the discretion to impose driving bans for the offences of criminal negligence causing death or bodily harm.
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October 18, 2024
6 new Indigenous justice centres opening in British Columbia
The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) has announced that six new Indigenous Justice Centres (IJCs) will be opening up in the province by December 2024, saying this would allow more Indigenous people to have access to free and culturally safe legal services.
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October 18, 2024
Conviction upheld despite Charter breaches
The Toronto Police Service arrested 27-year-old Shamar Brown while executing a search warrant in a Bowmanville residence on June 12, 2020. Officers found Brown carrying a handgun. The police advised him of his right to counsel. He asked to speak to a lawyer.
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October 17, 2024
Ontario Court of Appeal orders new hearing for youth-driven climate constitutional challenge
A landmark challenge of Ontario’s climate change legislation has been given new life by the province’s top court.
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October 17, 2024
Family law conference hears from lawyers doing things differently
A recent legal conference featured a panel of family lawyers doing things differently — including one on a mission to better educate clients and another who acts for both separating spouses.
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October 17, 2024
Thunder Bay murder conviction stands despite bias concerns
Thirty-seven-year-old Nicholas Necan’s reaction when advised that he was charged with the second-degree murder of 60-year-old George James Gerard on Jan. 28, 2016, was disbelief. Gerard was killed after his head was bludgeoned with a piece of wood in his apartment.