The Complete Brief
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January 31, 2025
Top judge says SCC wants to hear more private law cases, urges Canadians to ‘fight for’ rule of law
As the Supreme Court of Canada marks its 150th birthday amid rising incursions on the rule of law abroad, Chief Justice Richard Wagner says it can also be an opportune time for Canadians to reflect on the state of their own courts, the rule of law and their independent and impartial justice system.
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January 31, 2025
Ottawa to seek public comment about tighter security at Canada’s ports
Canada’s government is seeking feedback from the public on a plan to tighten security at the country’s ports and “marine facilities.”
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January 31, 2025
Federal government defers capital gains inclusion rate hike to 2026
The federal government has announced it is deferring the implementation of its increase in the capital gains tax inclusion rate from June 25, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2026.
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January 31, 2025
Prime Minister names lawyer chair of national security committee
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal MP for Saint-Léonard — Saint-Michel chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
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January 31, 2025
Federal Court blocks trademark over likelihood of confusion with registered marks
In a clash between a global investment giant and a Canadian investment firm, the Federal Court has blocked the registration of the proposed trademark “LIVE WITH CONFIDENCE,” ruling that the Trademarks Opposition Board erred by analyzing it and existing trademarks “INVEST WITH CONFIDENCE” and “RETIRE WITH CONFIDENCE” side-by-side instead of as unitary phrases.
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January 31, 2025
Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench gets three new judges
This week, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Arif Virani announced the appointments of three judges to the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.
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January 31, 2025
Lawyer says decision affirms role of habeas corpus as essential remedy for upholding rule of law
Ontario’s top court has granted a writ of habeas corpus to a man who has been in jail for more than 30 years, saying his trial judge improperly ordered a psychiatric remand and was wrong in levying a dangerous offender designation against him.
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January 31, 2025
Authenticating social media evidence post-Aslami
In R. v. Bykovets, 2024 SCC 6, Justice Andromache Karakatsanis writes, “[The Internet] has (…) [become] the most expansive cultural artifact our species has ever created.” Lisa Silver writes in “The Unclear Picture of Social Media Evidence,” Manitoba Law Journal 43 (2020), that social media leaves its footprint by creating a social artifact. As our methods of communication evolve, how can digital artifacts be tendered in a fashion that promotes confidence in the administration of justice?
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January 31, 2025
Fur better or worse | Marcel Strigberger
What happens when you cross an elephant, a cow, and a cat? Now how would I know that? Am I Noah? But I do have a trilogy of stories regarding these animals. Or are they just animals?
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January 31, 2025
Upholding the integrity of marriage contracts
Marriage, a deeply personal and legally binding institution, holds significant emotional, financial, and legal weight.