Constitutional
-
September 05, 2023
Canadian legal market AI survey shows high awareness of tech, ‘significant’ ethical concerns
Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, have been a hot topic for the legal profession over the past year, with courts, associations and law schools grappling with the implications of the technology. A new report, issued by LexisNexis Canada, noted that a vast majority of the Canadian legal market had “significant” concerns about the ethical implications of generative AI and over half of the profession, as well as students, believe it will “change law schools and the way law is taught and studied.”
-
September 01, 2023
Manitoba lawyer takes over helm of CBA
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) on Sept. 1 announced that John Stefaniuk of Winnipeg has begun his year-long tenure as the 95th president of the 127-year-old association of more than 38,000 lawyers, notaries, law professors and law students across Canada.
-
August 31, 2023
Class action over discriminatory ad targeting to go forward after SCC rejects Facebook appeal
The Supreme Court of Canada has denied Facebook leave to appeal a decision certifying a class action concerning allegations that its ad targeting policies permitted advertisers to illegally exclude certain users from receiving their advertisements for employment and housing opportunities.
-
August 30, 2023
Canada’s military to abolish members’ ‘duty to report’ misconduct
In its ongoing bid to create culture change in its ranks, Canada’s military is abolishing its long-standing rule that its members must report instances of misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual discrimination.
-
August 25, 2023
‘No longer a reasonable likelihood of conviction’ in outstanding COVID cases: Alberta prosecutors
Alberta’s Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) is not moving forward with a number of outstanding prosecutions for violating COVID-19 public health rules following a court decision which invalidated several pandemic-related orders.
-
August 24, 2023
Ottawa ‘saves’ millions by making tardy judicial appointments; average delay 11 months in 2023
The Trudeau government has taken an average of 11 months to fill dozens of empty spots on the bench so far this year, discloses a Law360 Canada examination of 435 judicial vacancies, which reveals as well that Ottawa “saves” the federal treasury tens of millions of dollars annually, on average, by not making timely judicial appointments.
-
August 24, 2023
Litigating party can select legal process it wishes to pursue ‘as a general principle’: court
Ontario’s highest court has restored parts of a legal challenge which argues the province failed to properly consult the Algonquins of Ontario when it recognized and gave wildlife harvesting rights to several Métis communities.
-
August 24, 2023
Human rights lawyers hail Quebec tribunal’s finding that pension provision is discriminatory
A legislative provision in the Act respecting the Quebec Pension Plan that financially penalizes disability claimants at age 65 was declared unconstitutional because it infringed the right to equality under the Canadian Charter, held the Administrative Tribunal of Quebec in a decision lauded by human rights advocates who say the ruling may ultimately affect thousands of people.
-
August 23, 2023
Power of minister to defer proclamation of a law ‘is in no way unlimited’: Ontario Court of Appeal
Ontario’s top court has ruled in favour of the province’s decision to defer proclamation of a law which granted a Christian college university status, but is also warning the power to make such a deferral is not unlimited.
-
August 22, 2023
Justice centre boss, former counsel, banned from practising in Manitoba after having judge followed
The leader of a national civil rights group and its former lead counsel have been handed lifetime bans from practising law in Manitoba after admitting to the province’s law society that they had a top judge spied upon during his presiding over a case involving COVID-19 restrictions.