How did the justice system deal with this case of major commercial fraud?Between 1993 and 2001, VisuaLABS Inc. – the company built in Calgary, Alberta by Sheldon Zelitt – attracted thousands of investors, raised hundreds of millions of dollars in capital and grabbed the attention of the global … [Read more...]
Transgender Inmates in Canada
How do federal, provincial and territorial laws or policies protect transgender inmates?Individuals may identify with a gender that goes along with their sex given at birth, they may identify with a gender that is different from their sex given at birth, or they may identify with a non-traditional … [Read more...]
You Have Choices! Resolving family law problems outside of court
The only way legal disputes ever seem to get resolved on TV or in the movies is in court. That’s understandable, because the other ways we resolve legal disputes are, well, boring. I don’t think we are ever going to see a prime-time legal drama about people going to mediation.However, the … [Read more...]
The Critical Role of Public Legal Education in Societies Governed by the Rule of Law
At some point in high school, we learn that we live in a nomocracy, which is a fancy ten-cent word for a society governed by the rule of law. The whole “governed by the rule of law” thing is an especially important quality of democracies like ours. It includes the following rights:All of … [Read more...]
Good Behaviour and Tenure of Supreme Court Justices in Canada and the United States
The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in September 2020 at the age of 87, and the appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States, where she can serve for decades, prompted me to write this article.The Supreme Courts of Canada and the U.S. are the courts … [Read more...]
Changes to Alberta Employment Law. Again.
On November 1, 2020, several changes to Alberta’s Employment Standards Code came into effect. Changes include payment of earnings after termination, deductions, averaging arrangements for calculating overtime, rest periods and calculating general holiday pay. These changes are detailed in Bill 32: … [Read more...]
When the Doorbell Rings: Direct sales contracts
Your doorbell rings at home. You take a peek out your window. Then the realization hits you: it’s someone going door to door trying to sell you something again. If you’re anything like my cat (or me), you promptly hide in another room until the seller is gone –unless they are selling cookies, of … [Read more...]
Model Crowdfunding Statute Released
The Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC) is a body that develops model legislation that provinces can adopt to create a consistent and harmonious legal framework across jurisdictions. It has now provided a roadmap on the issue of crowdfunding, and more specifically internet fundraising. This is … [Read more...]
Two Human Rights Heroes
The year 2020 has been a time of great rupture and adversity. Around the globe, we have seen the rise of a large number of authoritarian, hard-right rulers who have demonstrated contempt for democratic values. Their actions have seriously undermined the fundamental rights of their own citizens, and … [Read more...]
Retaining a Lawyer
You have asked your friends, looked at websites and finally settled on a lawyer who seems to be a good fit for your case. But before you become a client of that lawyer, you must first retain them.Unfortunately, retaining a lawyer is not always straightforward. The process involves checking whether … [Read more...]
