At our recent meeting of the Who Killed D’Arcy McGee History Club in the hospitable surroundings of the Russian Tea Room in downtown Edmonton we were discussing the early thrillers of Graham Greene, including his short novel The Third Man. Greene had written it after a journey to a bombed and … [Read more...]
Representing Yourself at the Tax Court
The Tax Court of Canada has gone to some lengths to make information available for self-represented taxpayers who want to appeal a tax decision. The website of the Court prominently displays a tab for Self-represented litigants. Under the tab there is a wealth of information about forms, … [Read more...]
BenchPress – Vol 41-1
A Different Divorce A British Columbia Provincial Court judge has divorced himself from a couple who have long been bickering in his court over custody and access issues concering their young child. Judge Bruce Hyer ordered a very detailed and specific parenting plan to take the family … [Read more...]
Divorce and Bankruptcy Law in Canada
Almost one in five insolvencies in Canada (a bankruptcy or consumer proposal) involves someone who has experienced a marital or relationship breakdown. Often the financial problems occurred long before the divorce. Financial pressures often increase after divorce as two households are now trying to … [Read more...]
Gender Equality in Canadian Politics
There is a long-standing concern about the under-representation of women (and minorities) in our political system. There are several theories about why these groups are not reflected in politics in ways that represent their numbers in Canada. The issue has been recognized, and recently, a proposed … [Read more...]
Supreme Court: No Warrant to Swab Your Genitals? No Problem!
In a logically confusing and weakly justified ruling rendered on June 23, 2016, the majority of the justices of the Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Saeed decided that upon arrest, without warrant or consent, when Mr. Saeed was commanded to drop his trousers and a cotton-tipped swab was wiped along … [Read more...]
Legal Remedies at Human Rights Commissions
Introduction Canada has one federal and separate provincial and territorial Human Rights Commissions established and governed by their respective enabling legislation. These human rights commissions exist to protect human rights, prevent discrimination, foster equality and resolve complaints. The … [Read more...]
41-1: Self-Represented Litigants
Representing yourself in court is a daunting task. This issue of LawNow offers some suggestions for success.Full PDF of this issue Volume 41-1 Sept/Oct 2016Table of ContentsFeatured Articles: Self-Represented LitigantsSpecial Report: Media and the … [Read more...]
The Law of Costs and the Cost of Law
IntroductionEquality is one of the most important underpinnings of law and justice. This encompasses equal access to the law. Numerous initiatives ease the difficult and expensive engagement with law that most citizens encounter. These measures include free public legal databases, pro bono … [Read more...]
Kent v Postmedia: The Largest Individual Defamation Award Given in Alberta
On June 8, 2016, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta released a 60-page ruling in the cases of Kent v. Martin, and Kent v. Postmedia, awarding $150,000 in general damages for the print publication of a defamatory article, and a further $50,000 for continuing online publication. Costs of the legal … [Read more...]
