Family

  • July 15, 2024

    New regulations to be enforced for dogs crossing Canada-U.S. border starting Aug. 1

    Canadian tourists crossing the U.S. border with their dogs later this summer will be facing new regulations. 

  • July 11, 2024

    Lawyers back new call for Unified Family Courts in Canada

    A lawyer in Ontario is hoping governments heed renewed calls for the establishment of unified family courts across Canada. In a recent news release, The Advocates’ Society (TAS), an organization representing more than 5,000 Canadian lawyers and law students, once again called for there to be an expansion of United Family Courts (UFCs) across the country.

  • July 09, 2024

    Legal scholar ‘would be surprised’ if Ontario ruling on parenting orders not followed elsewhere

    Ontario’s top court has ruled a judge was wrong to issue a parenting order under the Divorce Act for a 26-year-old man with Down syndrome because he did not participate in the hearing.

  • July 09, 2024

    The problems of dying intestate with minor children

    A person who dies “intestate” is one who dies without leaving a valid will. A valid will provides for who should administer the estate, who should benefit from the estate and the terms on which the beneficiaries inherit. If you die without a will in place, your estate will be governed by intestacy laws, which may not reflect your wishes.

  • July 08, 2024

    National dental care program opened to claim-by-claim providers in bid to expand participation

    In a bid to sign on more oral health professionals for its nascent Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the federal government has announced that dentists, dental hygienists, denturists and dental specialists may now participate on a claim-by-claim basis.

  • July 08, 2024

    Manitoba regulator running mental wellness challenge for lawyers

    The new president of Manitoba’s law society is hoping an ongoing “wellness challenge” for lawyers will put them on the path to minding their mental health while at work. The Law Society of Manitoba’s (LSM) Wellness Challenge 2024, the first of its kind by the regulator, is a voluntary project where participants engage in various wellness activities over an eight-week period. The activities, grouped into two-week slots, began June 17 and will run through to Aug. 9.

  • July 08, 2024

    Recent immigration decision shows importance of international obligations

    In Setirekli v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2024 FC 615, the Federal Court provides guidance on the practical implications of Canada’s international obligations in an immigration decision-making context. In this article, we will take a closer look at the Federal Court’s analysis in this regard and outline some key takeaways for immigration practitioners and decision-makers.

  • July 05, 2024

    Trial judge’s comments lead to new trial for couple convicted of murdering four-year-old son

    A Toronto couple convicted of murdering their four-year-old son has been granted a new trial after Ontario’s top court found that the actions of a trial judge who repeatedly urged the defendants to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second degree murder created a reasonable apprehension of bias.

  • July 05, 2024

    SCC-bound case challenges refusal to publicly disclose court records revealing civil case delays

    Does the principle of judicial independence enable judicial leaders to veto, in their absolute discretion, the public release of court records that reveal the extent of civil trial delays in the courts they administer? Absent transparency about courts’ operational performance, is the judicial branch of government sufficiently accountable to the public for its role in managing the courts?

  • July 05, 2024

    When a wedding is not a legal marriage

    In a decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the case of Anthony v. Oqunbiyi, 2023 ONSC 861, sheds light on the complexities surrounding the validity of marriages under Ontario law, particularly when religious ceremonies conflict with legal requirements.