Family
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October 31, 2024
AI’s (in)ability to reason and what it means for lawyers
One of the most difficult aspects of my role at Fasken is telling lawyers that their great idea for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their practice is not possible today and may not be possible for some time to come. (Note: Although not all AI is generative AI, for the purpose of this article, they’ll be used largely interchangeably as they often are in day-to-day life.)
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October 30, 2024
Temporary immigration measures rolled out to address conflict in Lebanon
Ottawa has created “temporary measures” to support Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members who have left Lebanon, as well as Lebanese nationals already in Canada who are currently unable to return home, because of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
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October 30, 2024
Bill would require ‘more disclosure’ from pregnancy counseling orgs on pain of losing charitable status
The minority Liberal government has unveiled legislation that would require “more transparency” from charities that provide pregnancy counselling — accompanied by a government warning that those organizations that do not “clearly and prominently” provide the required public transparency “risk losing charitable status.”
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October 30, 2024
Onus of proof on excluded property claims still up in the air
The parties in Parvizi v. Taherzadeh, 2024 BCCA 205 were in the midst of their 10-day trial when an issue arose as to the value of a property, alleged by Mesbah Taherzadeh to be excluded property. The issue on appeal was whether Taherzadeh bore the onus of proving both that the property was excluded, and the value of the exclusion based on the property’s value at the date the relationship commenced.
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October 30, 2024
The Ontario Land Tribunal: A gradual erosion of access to justice | Brian Cook
Once upon a time in Ontario, there was a robust tribunal system dedicated to environmental and planning issues. While by no means perfect, the system featured adjudicators who had subject matter and dispute resolution expertise. It was possible for citizens and community groups to appeal local land use decisions to what is now the Ontario Land Tribunal and participate in hearings by presenting oral testimony and making submissions.
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October 30, 2024
Tort of family violence: Who really wins? | Evan Clemence
Family lawyers see firsthand how intimate partner violence wreaks havoc upon victims. Compassion and empathy often lead us to want to see something more to help them, especially when these victims are our clients. However, creating a new tort of family violence is not the way to do so.
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October 29, 2024
Unifor calls for intimate partner violence epidemic legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador’s minister of Justice and Public Safety and the minister responsible for Women and Gender Equality met with Unifor representatives who are advocating for the declaration that intimate partner violence (IPV) is an epidemic in the province. Unifor is Canada's largest private sector union.
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October 29, 2024
New ‘pathway’ to permanent residence opens for families of those killed in downing of Flight PS752
Ottawa has opened the door wider to permanent residence for families of Canadians and a number of others who died almost five years ago when Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (PS752) was shot down by two Iranian surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people aboard, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents of Canada.
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October 29, 2024
Canada sanctions weapons & aid suppliers to Myanmar military after hundreds of civilians bombed
In coordination with the EU and the U.K., Canada has imposed sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Burma) Regulations against three individuals and four entities for supplying weapons and military equipment to Myanmar’s military.
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October 29, 2024
When a holding company makes sense in estate law
The preparation of a will to direct and manage the transfer of assets between a person and their beneficiaries is often the primary focus in the estate planning process. What is not always considered by many is the role proper estate planning plays in the preservation of wealth and the minimization of taxes on the transfer of those assets.