Like many other Canadians, I am not terribly sympathetic towards people who drive while impaired, through alcohol, drugs (prescribed or illegal), while texting, or experiencing extreme fatigue. We have a set of laws under the federal Criminal Code of Canada, RSC 1985 c C-46, that address impaired … [Read more...]
Occupational Health and Safety 3: Ticket Offences at Work
Introduction Most Canadians are familiar with “tickets” for minor offences. If we have personal experience at all with the legal system, it is most likely through receiving the occasional ticket for parking, seat belts, rolling through a stop sign, speeding or some other traffic offence. There … [Read more...]
Viewpoint: Planning Ahead
Not long ago, a class of Grade 4 students in Glenbow Elementary School in Cochrane got to work planning Alberta’s future. First, they watched a series of videos exploring different industrial land-uses such as forestry, energy and agriculture. They also watched videos about other land-use factors … [Read more...]
After the Flood for Landlords and Tenants in Alberta
There has been substantial flooding in Alberta this spring. This means that there are some tenants and landlords who need information about renting and their rights after a flood. The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta has developed an info sheet to help people understand their rights and … [Read more...]
Electoral Finance Rules at Home and Around the World
Non-partisan oversight of how political candidates and parties obtain donations for their campaigns, what they are allowed to spend that money on, and how much they are allowed to spend, is critical for transparent, democratic elections. Is there a link between the level of political freedom and … [Read more...]
Whatever Happened To… The Edmonton Journal and Freedom of the Press in Canada
Every person who is the proprietor, editor, publisher or manager of any newspaper published in [Alberta], shall when required to do so by the Chairman [of the Social Credit Board], publish in that newspaper any statement furnished by the Chairman which has for its object the correction or … [Read more...]
Occupational Health and Safety
EDITOR'S NOTE | The information in this article may be out-of-date. For current information on occupational health and safety laws in Alberta, see CPLEA's Occupational Health and Safety FAQs. This article is the first in a series of columns on the topic of safety at work. Canadians spend most … [Read more...]
Human Trafficking: A Call for Reform
Next to drug trafficking, human trafficking has been described by various international sources as the second most profitable crime in the world. While there is virtually no country that is immune to human trafficking, until recently and following the enactment of the United Nations Protocol to … [Read more...]
Growing Community Gardens
Law isn’t something most people think about when planting seeds or planning a garden. Soil, sun, and the promised bounty of a late summer harvest aren’t often associated with incorporations, contracts, and municipal bylaws. While passion, community support, and hard work are the seeds and soil of … [Read more...]
The land gives us more than food, but can the law give back?
Conservation: The supervision, management, and maintenance of natural resources. (Black’s Law Dictionary)The responsible preservation, management and care of our land and of our natural and cultural resources. (Alberta Land Use Framework)A state of harmony between men and land. (Aldo … [Read more...]