Constitutional
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May 30, 2024
Alberta legislature adopts municipal governance bill that raised ire of stakeholders
Alberta legislators have passed a contentious municipal governance bill that observers have characterized as a “power grab” that allows for too much provincial intrusion into local government and politics. Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, which passed third reading in the Alberta legislature on May 29, amends both the Local Authorities Elections Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and gives cabinet the power to both order a recall vote for municipal councillors and require municipalities to amend or repeal bylaws. The legislation also opens the door to the establishment of local political parties while also permitting union and corporate donations to local candidates with the same $5,000 per municipality per year donation limits as individual donors.
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May 29, 2024
Uber faces possible class action in Quebec over inadequate wheelchair accessible services
Uber is facing a possible class action concerning allegations that it is breaching Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms by failing to provide adequate wheelchair-accessible services across the province, according to a release.
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May 28, 2024
Court: New Brunswick lieutenant governor doesn’t need to be bilingual
The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick is not required to be bilingual under the Constitution, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal has held.
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May 27, 2024
Appellate court upholds decision finding that TTC legislation breached Charter
The Ontario Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal, upholding that labour legislation for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) was in breach of the Charter, despite finding that the application judge erred in some parts of the analysis. One appellate court judge dissented and would allow the appeal.
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May 24, 2024
B.C. Supreme Court rules in favour of province on transition to municipal police force in Surrey
The Supreme Court of British Columbia has sided with the province in its push to create a municipal police force in the Metro Vancouver city of Surrey and end its longstanding policing contract with the RCMP.
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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 22, 2024
Federal Court certifies class action against Armed Forces over mental health stigmatization
The Federal Court has certified a class action against the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) over allegations that the stigmatization of mental illnesses in the forces worsened the mental health disorders of some of its members.
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May 17, 2024
Court awards $350K in defamation case involving YouTuber's ‘relentless’ attacks
The Supreme Court of British Columbia has ordered a YouTube personality to pay $350,000 for conducting an “unrepentant” and “unrelenting” campaign of online defamation against a Texas-based business owner and his family.
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May 17, 2024
Obsidian Energy seeks arrest of First Nation leaders over oil field blockade
Alberta-based Obsidian Energy is seeking the arrest of the chief and other members of the Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) over a blockade of one of the company’s oil fields by the First Nation, according to a release.
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May 17, 2024
Manitoba hands Indigenous child welfare over to First Nations
In what is being called a “historic” move, Manitoba’s government is handing over child welfare services for Indigenous kids to First Nations leaders. According to a recent news release, Manitoba has “signed a historic relationship declaration committing to the transfer of jurisdiction over child welfare to First Nations” governments in the province.