Transgender persons are recognized in medicine as those who are born with the physical attributes of one gender, but who know at a deep level that their physical bodies do not match their inner gender. Federal and provincial human rights laws often protect transgender persons from discrimination in … [Read more...]
Researching Aboriginal Law
Aboriginal law is a diverse and complex topic, which encompasses issues such as land claims, hunting and fishing rights, residential school settlements and self-government, among others. This article outlines some of the key legal documents, useful Internet sites, databases and other resources … [Read more...]
What’s happening with Truth and Reconciliation in Canada?
At the end of March 2014, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada held its last national gathering in Edmonton, Alberta. It now has one more year to finish poring through mountains of documents and to compile its report. It seems an apt time to pull together some online resources that can … [Read more...]
Whatever Happened to … Mustapha v. Culligan: “Judge, There was a Fly in my Water!”
On November 21, 2001, while Waddah Mustapha and his wife were replacing the water dispenser at home, they spotted a dead fly and part of another inside the new, sealed Culligan water bottle. At the sight of the fly, Mrs. Mustapha vomited immediately. Mr. Mustapha became nauseous and suffered of … [Read more...]
A Brief Primer on Child Support: Part Two
This article is the second of a two-part series on the basics of child support. In the first article I talked about who can ask for support and who has to pay it. In this article, I’ll talk about how much child support is paid, including how children’s extraordinary expenses are covered. How Much … [Read more...]
Navigate Legal Information with Alberta Law Libraries: Copyright
If you are creator or publisher of original creative works, you will want to know about copyright law. The digital world has made the practical application of copyright more complicated than in the past. What about downloading and file sharing, what about digital rights management? And, in our … [Read more...]
Criminal Defence Law in the North: Part Three
In my earlier two columns, I discussed substantive aspects of criminal law in the North (Part One). I briefly reviewed some aspects of the crimes we deal with in court, some of the underlying causes, and certain aspects of sentencing for those offences (Part Two). I want now to describe some … [Read more...]
Professional Bodies are Subject to Alberta Human Rights Act
A recent Human Rights Tribunal decision, Mihaly v The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta, 2014 AHRC 1 (CanLII), (“Mihaly”) about the actions of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA), has sparked a fair … [Read more...]
The Protection of Young Workers in Canadian Employment Law
EDITOR'S NOTE The information in this article may be out-of-date. For current information on employment laws for workers under 18 years of age in Alberta, see CPLEA's Youth & Work FAQs. Employment laws are often different for young workers under 18 years of age to protect them from … [Read more...]
Vicarious Liability: The Legal Responsibility of Employers
“It is right and just that the person who creates a risk bears the loss when the risk ripens into harm.” - Bazley v. Curry, 1999 CanLII 692 (SCC) Introduction After the massive train derailment disaster last summer in Lac Mégantic, Quebec, the chief executive of the train company was roundly … [Read more...]
