Last summer, I mentioned to our editor that I couldn’t understand why Enbridge chose to route Alberta oil via its Northern Gateway line to Kitimat, with its long and narrow channels to open water, when the Port of Prince Rupert had no such obstacles and was closer to Asia. She told me to find out. … [Read more...]
The Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment
Fifty years ago, the concept of a human right to a healthy environment was viewed as a novel, even radical, idea. Today it is widely recognized in international law and endorsed by an overwhelming proportion of countries. Even more importantly, despite their recent vintage, environmental rights … [Read more...]
37-3 | Jan-Feb 2013
Table of Contents Featured Articles: ConstitutionsSpecial Report: Developments in Internet LawDepartmentsColumns Featured Articles: Constitutions Do Constitutions matter? Indeed they do. Just ask the Egyptian people protesting, confronting, and even dying over the drafting of their new … [Read more...]
What topics would you like to see covered in LawNow Magazine?
It’s that time of year again! All of the staff at the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta will gather around a feast of lemon squares and kale chips to brainstorm ideas for the next volume of LawNow Magazine. While we like to think that we’re quite brilliant when it comes to thinking up … [Read more...]
Data Privacy Day
LawNow Magazine covers lots of hot topics and privacy law has been a big one in the past few issues. In the latest issue of LawNow Magazine, the Special Report looked at developments in Internet law, including privacy and cloud computing. The Internet Law column in the same issue,” Who Cares … [Read more...]
Two Spouses; One Deceased
Ronald Carrigan had a legal spouse, whom he married in 1973, and a common law spouse, whom he began living with in 2000. He died in 2008. Both spouses claimed the death benefit under his pension. One provision of the Ontario Pension Benefits Act states that the person who is his or her spouse on the … [Read more...]
Trial Judge Plagiarism
Two judges, one in British Columbia and one in Alberta have been found to have copied large amounts of material filed by the parties arguing cases before them into their judgments. Justice Lee of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench was criticized by the Alberta Court of Appeal for issuing two sets of … [Read more...]
Bench Press: Sperm Donor Dads Remain Anonymous
A British Columbia woman who wants to know the identity of her sperm donor father has been turned down by the British Columbia Court of Appeal. She challenged the provincial Adoption Act, arguing that her Charter right to equality under the law was breached because adopted children could access … [Read more...]
The Supreme Court Changes Direction: Disability and Discrimination
The case law on disability and discrimination has had its highs and lows over the past decade and a half. A recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, Moore v British Columbia (Education) 2012 SCC 61 (“Moore”), provides hope for those with disabilities, particularly learning disabilities, and … [Read more...]
37-2 | Nov-Dec 2012
Table of Contents Feature: Elections and the LawSpecial Report: Privacy LawDepartmentsColumns Featured Articles: Elections and the Law Free and fair elections are the cornerstones of democracies. This issue of LawNow examines elections law in Canada and around the world. American and Canadian … [Read more...]
