AT THE ACCIDENT SCENECall the police (911) if anyone appears to been seriously injured or damage to all the vehicles appears to be in excess of $2000. EMS will be alerted if deemed necessary. Also call police if any of the drivers involved appears to be impaired by alcohol and or drugs. … [Read more...]
Police Record Checks – What Can They Disclose?
Police Record Checks are increasingly requested by employers and other entities, including volunteer, educational, licensing, adoption, foster care, and foreign travel organizations or authorities. It is important to understand that Police Record Checks can and do reveal information that goes far … [Read more...]
What Do I Do With My Tenancy After I’ve Lost My Job?
I just got laid off and I can’t afford my rent. Can I just move out? No. If you have a fixed-term lease, you cannot leave before the lease ends or you risk paying damages to the landlord for breaching your lease agreement.If you have a periodic tenancy (which has no fixed end date), you still … [Read more...]
Death and Taxes – When the Certainties Collide
As the cliché goes, the only certainties in life are death and taxes. When the former occurs, the Personal Representative(s) (formerly known as the Executor(s)) of the Estate must address the latter. Taxes become more complex in the year of death, and the period of Estate administration. This … [Read more...]
Round Two: Blended Families and Estate Planning
One of the main goals that people have when they are estate planning is making sure their family members are taken care of when they are gone. This can be more complicated when you have a blended family, where there can be all kinds of additional considerations. How do you balance supporting a … [Read more...]
Inheritance Issues in Bankruptcy
When someone files for bankruptcy, they surrender all non-exempt assets to the licensed insolvency trustee for the benefit of their creditors. This includes not only assets they have at the time they file for bankruptcy, but also comprises of any assets that “devolve” on the bankrupt prior to … [Read more...]
People Always Told Me, Be Careful What You Do: Wills and Dependency Legislation
It is the kind of tragic story that makes for best-selling novels and Hollywood blockbusters. A young woman, raised in a loving home by two hard-working parents, battles a severe and debilitating disease. Left penniless and alone when her parents pass, she struggles to make ends meet as her body … [Read more...]
Setting Up Wills and Trusts
Not all families are the same. That is why not all wills should be the same. The law provides us with tremendous flexibility in deciding how to leave our estates to our loved ones. In order to understand some of the choices you should consider, it is essential to understand the difference between … [Read more...]
“Have You Heard the One About The Canadian Who Died Without a Will?”
It is hard to overstate the advantages of having a good will. So, why don't more of us embrace "will power," even when we know story after story of families, business partners, and advisors having to clean up the mess when a person dies "intestate" (without a will)?In a lighthearted twist on a … [Read more...]
Bad Behaviour 2.0: Part 1: Employees Getting Away With . . .
We scoured the judicial and arbitral decisions and found ten more random instances of egregious employee behaviour that Canadian courts and arbitrators excused. Since the judge or arbitrator found that the employers had no legal basis to find these employees, employers were hit with damages for … [Read more...]
