It seems that almost every lawyer who has travelled from southern Canada to practice law “North of 60” ends up writing about his or her experiences at some point. Almost all of those who are drawn to this part of Canada are struck by the geographical and physical beauty of this land, and by the … [Read more...]
Bench Press 38-2: Where to Incarcerate Khadr?
Associate Chief Justice John Rooke of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench was asked to determine where Omar Khadr should serve the remainder of his sentence. Mr. Khadr asked to serve his sentence in a provincial facility; the federal government wanted him placed in a federal penitentiary. Justice … [Read more...]
Bench Press 38-1: Test for Refugees
Rachidi Ezokola worked for eight years for the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, four of them as a UN diplomat. He moved to Montreal in 2008 with his wife and eight children and asked for refugee status, claiming that he had received death threats from Congolese intelligence agents. … [Read more...]
Bill C-10: The Government’s Tough Stance Against Criminal Record Holders
Bill C-10 On September 20, 2011, then Justice Minister Rob Nicholson tabled Bill C-10, an omnibus crime bill titled the Safe Streets and Communities Act. The Bill proposed to make fundamental changes to many components of Canada’s criminal justice system, including the pardon process. In March of … [Read more...]
Taxation and the Criminal Law: Tips for Accounting Professionals & Legal Advisors
At first glance, one might think that tax law and criminal law are mutually exclusive areas of practice. Taxation largely deals with the application of the Income Tax Act (“ITA”) and Excise Tax Act (“ETA”) to financial transactions entered into by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others … [Read more...]


