Journalism students who are mulling over important questions such as “Where will I find a job?” and “Will I be able to cover the legal beat?” as they face a potentially shrinking job market, may have more than just job prospects to worry about.Today, the media world is rapidly shrinking, … [Read more...]
Freedom of Expression, Publication Bans and the Media
The issue of publication bans in the context of criminal matters ordered by the courts became more complex with the advent of the Internet. Some may remember when the criminal proceedings of Karla Homolka were subject to a publication ban. There were several alleged breaches of the ban when the … [Read more...]
Your Self-Representation Road Map: Five Steps to Success (And 5 Mistakes to Avoid)
As a lawyer, I’ve been to court hundreds of times. And I’ve coached hundreds of self-represented litigants on how to go to court on their own. Here are some steps to consider. Remember, these are general guidelines and you should always check the rules of court and seek legal advice in your own … [Read more...]
Prevention and Relief of Poverty
A couple of years ago, the refusal of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to allow Oxfam Canada to include prevention of poverty in its objects if it wanted to retain its status as a registered charity drew widespread press attention. The CRA took the position that relief or alleviation of poverty was … [Read more...]
Hurdles for Self-Represented Litigants in Small Claims Court
The rules and processes at Small Claims Court were designed to be simple and flexible, so that everyday people could have their disputes resolved without hiring lawyers or paralegals. However, the reality is that many self-represented litigants continue to face significant hurdles in accessing the … [Read more...]
Self-Represented Parties at the Alberta Appeals Commission for Worker’s Compensation
The Alberta Appeals Commission for Worker’s Compensation is a tribunal that hears appeals from decisions made by the Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB). In Alberta the scheme for worker’s compensation is governed by the terms of the Worker’s Compensation Act RSA c. W- 15 and WCB policies that amplify … [Read more...]
Obtaining Evidence in High Conflict Parenting Disputes, Part 1: Lawyers for Children
In most disputes over parenting time, parents come to reasonable decisions about what is in their child’s best interests. However, a small percentage of disputes are “high conflict”. In high conflict cases, the parents have great difficulty communicating, make decisions together, and treating each … [Read more...]
What Types of Proceedings Can You File Under the Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act?
The Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act regulates insolvency law in Canada. This legislation governs both business proceedings and personal procedures. In terms of personal insolvency, individuals have three basic legal measures available to them to obtain relief from creditors. The primary types of … [Read more...]
A-loan in the Dark
It is 6:59 a.m. on Saturday morning, and you have been sleepily staring at your course registration screen for what seems like hours, with your mouse carefully hovering over the “register” button. Registration starts at 7:00 a.m. and, let’s be honest, university students are essentially vultures … [Read more...]
Bad Scholarship?
Many years ago I played a small part in the unearthing of a controversial scholarship at the University of Toronto that was, among other things, restricted to white, Protestant candidates. It was called the Leonard Scholarship and dated from 1923. After being featured in a student newspaper of … [Read more...]
