Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations set out rules that airlines must follow, including compensation for travel delays and how to make a claim. You will likely recall the extreme winter weather conditions across Canada in December 2022 and January 2023. Winter storms affected the … [Read more...]
Houseless Encampments: A political or legal issue?
Provincial and municipal laws apply to houseless encampments, but adequately addressing the root of the issue involves policy changes and political will. On November 23, 2022, an Encampment Response Team (ERT) composed of members from the City of Edmonton, Boyle Street Community Services, … [Read more...]
Canadian Legal System: The role of libraries in access to justice
There are many different kinds of libraries that support and provide access to our Canadian legal system, including courthouse libraries, legislative libraries, public libraries and more. Libraries are essential to sustaining democracy and accessing justice. They retain and preserve official … [Read more...]
Double take on mortgages
Getting a mortgage to buy a home is a significant decision. Five things you should know about mortgages include lending terms, security for the mortgage, open vs. closed mortgages, and defaulting on the mortgage. AUTHOR'S NOTE Some of the following content is adapted from CPLEA’s Nested course. … [Read more...]
The Right To Die and the Debate Surrounding Mental Illness
Medical assistance in dying, or MAID, has been legal in Canada since 2016 and has continued to evolve. The current debate is around expanding MAID eligibility to patients experiencing mental health conditions. Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a process where a medical professional … [Read more...]
Planning for things no one wants to talk about
Advance care planning and the need for frank conversations about death If you were too sick or injured to make healthcare decisions for yourself, who would make them for you? Advance care planning (ACP) gives you a chance to decide who. April 16 is National Advance Care Planning Day, a day … [Read more...]
Canada’s First-Time Home Buyer Incentive Explained
Answers to your questions about Canada's First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, including who is eligible, how it works, repaying it, and other associated costs. In September 2019, the Government of Canada introduced the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive. The purpose of the Incentive is to make home … [Read more...]
What To Know When Buying your First Home
Eight things to know when buying your first home, including the professionals who will support you, real property reports and title insurance, property insurance, adjustments, holdbacks and more. Buying your first home can be an overwhelming and stressful process. Here are my top 8 things to … [Read more...]
The Law is All Around Us: A Case for Public Legal Education and Information
Greater legal capability - the ability to understand and use legal information - helps people to learn the right vocabulary, formulate questions, decide on next steps, decide who to talk to, etc. Learning about the law is not just something you do when confronted with a serious legal issue. … [Read more...]
Ayn Rand and the United States Court of Elitism: A strange symbiosis (Part 2)
Part two of this two-part series looks at 'Randian approaches to law and justice' by the United States Supreme Court, including when it comes to voting rights and environmental protection laws and policies. Part Two: Contemporary Erosion of “The Public Good” Looking at the current … [Read more...]