Family
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May 07, 2024
Transmission of U.S. citizenship: Blessing or curse?
Children of U.S. citizens often can go their whole lives without knowing that they actually are — already — U.S. citizens themselves. To individuals in this situation, finding out you are already a U.S. citizen can be like winning the lottery or your worst nightmare. U.S. citizenship comes with certain rights and privileges but also with certain obligations. Those who want to divest themselves from these obligations can do so but may be frustrated with how lengthy the process of renouncing or relinquishing U.S. citizenship can be.
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May 07, 2024
4 new appointments to Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani announced the appointment of Apple C. Newton-Smith, Carissima Mathen, Elizabeth McCarty and Yvonne D. Fiamengo to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario (SCOJ).
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May 06, 2024
Ottawa’s proposed $72M for immigration legal aid in 2024 helps but more funds needed, CBA says
Immigration lawyers say federal Budget 2024’s boost for immigration legal aid is very welcome, but higher funding is necessary if the burgeoning number of refugee claimants are to access justice in Canada. As unveiled on April 16, 2024, by Chrystia Freeland, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Budget 2024 proposes $72 million for immigration legal aid in 2024-25, up from $43.5 million per year in Budgets 2023 and 2022.
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May 06, 2024
Manitoba creates endowment fund for families of missing, murdered Indigenous women
Manitoba’s government is creating a $15 million endowment fund for a grant program offering help to the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S+).
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May 02, 2024
Saskatchewan spending millions to end interpersonal violence, abuse
Saskatchewan is putting up tens of millions to combat its problem with “interpersonal violence.”
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May 02, 2024
New independent watchdog would assess & report how Ottawa carries out its modern treaty obligations
Ottawa says it will create an independent oversight body, led by a new “Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation” who reports to Parliament and whose role will be “to work to hold the Government of Canada accountable for its modern treaty obligations and advance key priorities.”
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May 02, 2024
Child abduction and ‘habitual residence’: Definitive guidance from the Ontario court – Part two
In a recent article, we talked about a parental abduction case called Kalra v. Bhatia, 2024 ONSC 1443 (see link to part one below). It features several complex issues, including the key question of how “habitual residence” is to be assessed, for the purposes of the Ontario Court assuming jurisdiction over the matter, under the Children’s Law Reform Act (CLRA).
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May 02, 2024
Get ahead of the game and start hiring your summer staff now
As summer draws closer, many businesses have already begun gearing up for the increased demand the season brings by starting their hiring process for seasonal staff. This step is crucial for any business owner expecting to effectively manage the expected surge in seasonal demand, not to mention covering employee vacations during peak vacation periods.
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May 02, 2024
Is sharing family pet ‘best for all concerned’ in pet custody cases? | V. Victoria Shroff, KC
While companion animals are still property under B.C.’s new family law statute, they now have an elevated status above bare property like a toaster.
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May 01, 2024
Child abduction and ‘habitual residence’: Definitive guidance from the Ontario court — Part one
In family law, parental abduction cases are among the most complex. Not only do they invoke all the customary concerns — such as the best interests of the child, parenting time, and access rights — they do so against the background of numerous added issues. These include the parties’ residency, the courts’ extraterritorial jurisdiction, conflict-of-laws principles, and even the impact of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.