Your doorbell rings at home. You take a peek out your window. Then the realization hits you: it’s someone going door to door trying to sell you something again. If you’re anything like my cat (or me), you promptly hide in another room until the seller is gone –unless they are selling cookies, of … [Read more...]
The Role of Crown Prosecutors in our Criminal Justice System
Television shows such as Law and Order portray lawyers who prosecute crime as the heroes - fighting for justice and being the victim's voice in the court. In real life, these lawyers do play a critical role in the criminal justice system. However, shows that portray prosecutors as the defenders of … [Read more...]
Money, Money, Money!
Maybe you have a part-time job. Maybe your parents pay you an allowance. Maybe you make money shoveling snow or cutting grass. In any case, you’ve got money! Opening a Bank Account First step, where do you put this money? Have you outgrown your piggy bank? Maybe a bank account would be more … [Read more...]
Public Legal Education: Unexamined theory constrains practice
Nothing is so practical as good theory. ~ Kurt Lewin When Public Legal Education (PLE) began to take shape in Canada, it was an innovative, disruptive form of legal service. We were definitely thinking ‘outside the box’. So far out, in fact, that the mere thought of educating the public about … [Read more...]
A2J and Public Legal Education in 2020 in Alberta
What is justice? It is widely stated that we have an access to justice (A2J) crisis in Canada. You will get a variety of answers, though, if you ask people what they think this means and what we can do about it. As Lois Gander points out in her article in this issue of LawNow, one reason is that … [Read more...]
Human Rights and Civil Liberties Implications of COVID-19 Mask Laws
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the entire world, many governments have passed legislation requiring that face masks be worn in many public locations. This has resulted in claims that the mask requirements violate civil liberties. At the same time, there have been some incidents of … [Read more...]
Retaining a Lawyer
You have asked your friends, looked at websites and finally settled on a lawyer who seems to be a good fit for your case. But before you become a client of that lawyer, you must first retain them. Unfortunately, retaining a lawyer is not always straightforward. The process involves checking whether … [Read more...]
Getting a Fair Say: Adjudicative bodies and the duty of fairness
“Administrative bodies” play a critical role in many areas of the law – from human rights to municipal planning to labour and employment. Maybe you have heard of the Human Rights Commission, the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, the Labour Relations Board, the Immigration and Refugee Board … [Read more...]
Access to Justice in Family Law: A guide to offering limited scope retainers
In Canada, access to the justice system is largely reserved for wealthier individuals and corporations. The poor have limited access through legal aid and poverty law clinics. However, the majority of Canadian citizens fall between those two extremes, unable to pay a lawyer to represent them but … [Read more...]
Model Crowdfunding Statute Released
The Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC) is a body that develops model legislation that provinces can adopt to create a consistent and harmonious legal framework across jurisdictions. It has now provided a roadmap on the issue of crowdfunding, and more specifically internet fundraising. This is … [Read more...]
