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...]
HAVE YOU HEARD? | Personal Debt Resources
Access to Justice Week Did you know?! October 26th to October 30th, 2020 is National Access to Justice Week! Look for amazing initiatives underway across our country, including here in Alberta. We want to hear from you! What do you love about LawNow? What do you wish was different? Please take a few … [Read more...]
Foreclosures in Alberta: The return of the ’80s?
When the pandemic hit, mortgage companies quickly realized the potential for a large upswing in mortgage defaults due to job losses. As a result, many offered homeowners an opportunity to defer their mortgage payments for up to six months. The CBC recently reported that Albertans took lenders up … [Read more...]
Enhanced Job Security for Federal Workers
It is an outcome that is anchored in parliamentary intention, statutory language, arbitral jurisprudence, and labour relations practice. To decide otherwise would fundamentally undermine Parliament’s remedial purpose. - Wilson v Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., 2016 SCC 29 at para 69 Employment … [Read more...]
Aftershocks: COVID-19 and the “new normal” for family lawyers
When the world feels like it is off its axis and everything is changing at an unprecedented pace, sometimes it helps to remember what has NOT changed as we grapple with what has. Things that have not changed: Families continue to require compassionate and thorough assistance to get their lives in … [Read more...]
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back?
One Ontario Court of Justice judge says accused cannot plead guilty by phone In R. v. Candelaria, 2020 ONCJ 194, Justice Downes ruled, amidst the adjustments the courts have had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that an accused cannot plead guilty via telephone. This means, according to Justice … [Read more...]
Freedom of Movement during COVID-19
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 – an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus – a global pandemic. With no vaccines or treatments to control the disease, the WHO asked governments “to take urgent and aggressive action to stop the spread of the … [Read more...]
Getting Your Film onto the Screen
So, you have an idea for a great movie and think it has “legs”. Where do you start? Let’s look at it like any product to be sold in the marketplace. To understand how to make and market your movie, there are three basic questions that you need to answer: What are you selling? Who is the … [Read more...]
