Criminal
-
April 02, 2026
EVIDENCE - Documentary evidence - Photographs and video recordings - Methods of proof - Identification
Appeal by Nassan from his conviction for attempted murder. The central trial issues were the identity of the shooter and the appellant’s intent at the moment the shot was fired. The incident was captured on surveillance video, which the judge repeatedly reviewed and treated as the most reliable evidence.
-
April 02, 2026
The wizard behind the curtain; the judge beneath the robe: Finale
This is the third instalment of a three-part series about what makes a good judge. You will need to have part one of this series handy to follow the “correct” answers suggested here. Part two ended by raising the question of how to deal with crying in the courtroom.
-
April 01, 2026
Carney mandates shortlist of 3+ bilingual western jurists for SCC, but only 2 were found last time
The Carney government has opted to stick with the predecessor Liberal government’s requirement that the prime minister be handed a shortlist of at least three bilingual qualified candidates to fill an impending western/northern vacancy on the Supreme Court of Canada, despite the inability of the advisory committee that created the shortlist for the last such vacancy to recommend more than two bilingual qualified jurists.
-
April 01, 2026
New Saskatchewan animal welfare agency brings ‘strong, long-term approach’: minister
A new agency enforcing animal welfare is now up and running in Saskatchewan. The province’s government announced that the Saskatchewan Animal Enforcement Agency (SAEA) will now be delivering animal welfare services, replacing Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan (APSS), which ceased operations as of March 31.
-
April 01, 2026
Ontario budget draws fire over criminal justice, insurance concerns
Ontario’s recent budget is drawing criticism from legal groups that say it is too focused on a “tough on crime” agenda, while at the same time failing to address issues in the province’s auto insurance system.
-
April 01, 2026
Bill C 12: Reinforcing system integrity while testing the limits of immigration law
The passage of Bill C‑12, the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, reflects a reality that immigration lawyers increasingly confront in practice. Canada’s immigration system faces persistent pressures from fraud, irregular migration and national security risks that legacy statutory tools were not designed to manage at scale. Against that backdrop, Parliament’s objective in enacting Bill C‑12 — strengthening border integrity, deterring abuse and maintaining public confidence — is not only legitimate, but necessary.
-
April 01, 2026
Why parole boards must not be swayed by public opinion
As Easter approaches, we are reminded of a crowd’s shouts to “Give us Barabbas.” The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, believed Jesus was innocent but capitulated to the pressure of the crowd to prevent a riot. Should public pressure influence the justice system? On March 27, Global News reminded us of a situation that unfolded in British Columbia in 2021 and is now recurring in 2026.
-
March 31, 2026
Judicial council sanctions handful of federal judges but rejects hundreds of conduct complaints
The Canadian Judicial Council (CJC), which oversees the professional conduct of the country’s 1,184 federally appointed judges, says that five judges were reprimanded or received other disciplinary sanctions last year.
-
March 31, 2026
Canada invests $157M for gun violence prevention initiatives
The federal government has announced that it is providing up to $157.5 million for gun and gang violence prevention initiatives through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) over the next three years.
-
March 31, 2026
Alberta pushes for constitutional change on judicial appointments
The Government of Alberta announced that it will introduce a motion calling for “constitutional amendments that give the province a say in superior court appointments.”