“I look forward to working with and representing you.” - Premier Jim Prentice, January 1, 2015 “My contribution to public life has come to an end.” -Premier Jim Prentice, May 5, 2015 within minutes of being elected as an MLA Introduction Several months ago, this employment column discussed … [Read more...]
Small Claims Court: A Venue Made for Self-Represented Litigants
Introduction A few years ago, while stopped on a major road in congested Calgary commuter traffic, our vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle. We were hit with such force that our car was pushed into the car in front of us. The road and visibility were excellent and we all knew the … [Read more...]
What Self–Represented Litigants (Actually) Want
What should we do about self-represented litigants (SRLs)? Amid a backdrop of skyrocketing legal fees, decreased public funding, and a resultant wave of self-representation, this question seems to be on every reformer’s mind. Countless reports, working groups, and studies have asked this question, … [Read more...]
The Purposes and Activities Divide in Charity Regulation
Over the last couple of years the media has been filled with stories and there has been much fretting in the voluntary sector about the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)’s auditing of registered charities’ Political Activities. It is unclear as yet, however, how much regulatory compliance action will be … [Read more...]
BenchPress 39-5: Private Use Doesn’t Apply
Two Edmonton men were acquitted of offences of making and possessing child pornography because the trial judge accepted that the material, involving two runaway teenage girls, was made for the men’s private use. The Supreme Court of Canada ordered new trials for the men, ruling that s. 153 of the … [Read more...]
Vol 39-4: Vulnerable Children
Full PDF of this issue Table of Contents Featured Articles: Vulnerable Children Special Report: Romance and the Law Departments Columns Featured Articles: Vulnerable Children All children are vulnerable; we know that. But some children face greater challenges than others, and … [Read more...]
Vol 39-3: Workplace Woes
Full PDF of this issue Table of Contents Featured Articles: Workplace Woes Special Report: Public Interest Standing Departments Columns Featured Articles: Workplace Woes Some days at work you might feel like you are surrounded by alligators. Employment law can help you out of … [Read more...]
Bench Press 39-5: Duress as a Defence to Murder
For the first time in Canada, an appeal court has upheld the use of duress as a defence to a charge of murder even though the Criminal Code explicitly rules it out. The Ontario Court of Appeal outlined the factors necessary to support both a statutory and common law defence of duress, for people … [Read more...]
Bench Press 39-5: Red-faced about the Red Chamber?
Aniz Alani, a Vancouver lawyer, has launched a legal action to force Prime Minister Harper to appoint new senators to fill the vacancies in the Red Chamber. The lawyer considers illegal Mr. Harper’s position that he will not advise the Governor General to fill existing vacancies in the Senate. The … [Read more...]
BenchPress 39-5: A Jury of Your Peers?
An Ontario Aboriginal man has had his conviction for manslaughter re-instated by the Supreme Court of Canada. Clifford Kokopenace was originally convicted in 2008. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal overturned his conviction because the jury at his trial did not have any Aboriginal members. It … [Read more...]
