Water plus Earth, Wind and Fire. No … it’s not a day at the beach with a great band from Chicago. These are the names of the four classical elements, which in ancient times were thought to explain the nature of how the world worked. They are also the subjects of the next four LawNow Environmental … [Read more...]
The White Angel: An excursion from Chinatown to posh Shaughnessy Heights and back
John MacLachlan Gray is a celebrated playwright who penned the immortal masterpiece Billy Bishop Goes to War. Having not seen any new plays from Gray for many years, I had wondered whatever had become of him. Not to worry. It turns out that in recent years he has reinvented himself as a mystery … [Read more...]
VIP Access to Justice: Why state-funded counsel is crucial to our democratic identity
Access to justice is always a live issue, no matter how developed a country may be. Luckily, in Canada, our justice system rivals some of the best in the world. However, there is still concern for those who represent themselves in the criminal justice system. After all, criminal matters have a … [Read more...]
Alternatives to Court: Parenting Coordination
This is the last column in LawNow’s series on resolving family law disputes out of court. The other columns in this series include Sarah Dargatz’s articles on collaborative negotiation and mediation, and my article on arbitration. In this column, I’m going to talk about parenting coordination. This … [Read more...]
Revolution Mañana: Carlos Fuentes and the revolutionary potential in law and politics
For me, Carlos Fuentes (1928-2012) remains one of the great writers of the Latin American Boom. He combined his talents as an imaginative novelist and short story writer with an unwavering dedication to participation in the major political and social debates of his time. He operated as a leading … [Read more...]
Whiten v Pilot Insurance
Insurance contracts … are sold by the insurance industry and purchased by members of the public for peace of mind. The more devastating the loss, the more the insured may be at the financial mercy of the insurer, and the more difficult it may be to challenge a wrongful refusal to pay the … [Read more...]
Ottawa situation highlights governance obligations in managing misconduct risks
News earlier this year of the mass resignation of the Board of the Ottawa Lions Club should come as no surprise to followers of recent developments in organizational governance. The resignations came in response to a report commissioned by Athletics Canada into the group’s handling of allegations of … [Read more...]
Freedom of Expression at Canadian Universities: A difficult compromise?
Recently, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford passed a new policy that Ontario universities should adopt free-speech policies, or face receiving less money from the Government. The policies must meet “a minimum standard prescribed by government.” This means that “while members of the university/college are … [Read more...]
Hoarding and Tenancy Situations
Dealing with hoarding in a tenancy situation involves a balancing act between a landlord’s rights and a tenant’s rights under the law. Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), a tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment of their property. A landlord has a corresponding duty to make sure this right … [Read more...]
When Can the Right to Freedom of Expression be Curtailed?
Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects our freedom of expression, but this freedom is not absolute.The right to express our opinions is a crucial element of a democracy. Freedom of expression is a basic characteristic of personal development. It gives us the right to … [Read more...]
