Access to Justice
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May 24, 2024
Ontario Convocation talks criminal charge disclosure, heats up over bullying, money for diversity
A committee with Ontario’s law society is considering recommending that the regulator expand the amount of lawyer information it makes public — including if a member has been hit with criminal charges.
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May 23, 2024
Ottawa proposes Citizenship Act reforms that create new framework for ‘citizenship by descent’
Ottawa has proposed an overhaul of the federal Citizenship Act, which the minority Liberal government says includes a new framework for “citizenship by descent,” going forward, that would allow persons born abroad to Canadians beyond the first generation to access Canadian citizenship based on a “substantial connection” to Canada.
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May 23, 2024
Regulator limited the tort liability of a regulated entity | Sara Blake
Can a regulator limit a utility’s liability in tort as a term of approval to do a project? Yes, says the British Columbia Court of Appeal in City of Richmond v. British Columbia Utilities Commission, 2024 BCCA 16.
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May 23, 2024
New member joins Ontario law foundation’s class proceedings committee
A recent news report from the Law Foundation of Ontario announced the appointment of Elizabeth Bowker to its class proceedings committee.
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May 23, 2024
Two appeal decisions underline how trial judges rely on common sense, experience
At first glance, the Courts of Appeal in Nova Scotia and Ontario have different approaches in reviewing verdicts in “he said/she said” sexual assault cases. Or are they more similar than one would expect by looking at the outcomes alone?
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May 22, 2024
Expert panel recommends 15 per cent salary hike for Quebec provincial court judges
A judicial compensation committee has recommended handing a substantial salary increase to the provincial judiciary to bridge the gap with their federal counterparts and maintain the Court of Quebec’s drawing power, a welcome development that will unlikely to be challenged by the government, according to a pundit.
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May 22, 2024
Assault appeal focuses on judge’s self-instructions
It is usual in a jury trial and especially in a “he said/she said” case for a judge to charge a jury on the requirement that a conviction results only when the Crown has presented proof beyond a reasonable doubt. How can we be sure that a judge sitting without a jury has been similarly self-instructed? That was the central issue in the Ontario Court of Appeal decision in R. v. Da Silva, 2024 ONCA 242.
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May 21, 2024
Law Society of Ontario award winners announced
Five recipients of the annual Law Society Awards will be celebrated for their achievements in a ceremony on May 22, 2024, a news release from the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) announced.
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May 21, 2024
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario: A continuing crisis | Kathy Laird
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) continues to fail Ontarians badly. According to Tribunals Ontario’s most recent Annual Report, the HRTO backlog grew by another 500 applications over the 12-month period covered by the report, despite the fact that it received the lowest number of new applications since 2015-16. The HRTO’s unresolved caseload rose to 9,527, amounting to a three-year backlog, based on its record of closing approximately 3,000 applications a year.
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May 17, 2024
Ottawa announces construction of new federal courthouse complex in Montreal
The federal government has officially announced the construction of a new federal courthouse complex in the heart of Old Montreal.