Natural Resources
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May 07, 2024
Sweeping national security bill would boost state investigative powers; expand & create crimes, AMPs
The federal government has introduced a sweeping national security bill that would create a publicly accessible “foreign influence transparency” registry; expand the warrant, production and disclosure powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency (CSIS); affect criminal accused or judicial review applicants seeking access to relevant “information related to international relations, national defence or national security”; expand the current “sabotage” offence; and create new “foreign interference” offences, along with administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) of up to $5 million and five years in prison, including for knowingly obstructing the operations of the office of a proposed new “Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner.”
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May 06, 2024
Interim ombudsperson appointed for Responsible Enterprise
Minister of Export, Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng appointed Masud Husain the interim Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE).
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May 03, 2024
B.C. government protests U.S. trade court decision on Canadian softwood lumber duties
The B.C. government is decrying a recent decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ordering the U.S. Commerce Department to reinstate countervailing duties on Canadian lumber.
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May 03, 2024
Mining company agrees to pay U.S. $3M to settle class action
A Vancouver-based silver mining firm has agreed to pay U.S. $3 million to settle a class action centred on allegations it erroneously overstated the mineral reserves at its flagship mine in Mexico in 2022.
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May 03, 2024
Intentional disclosure of reports on pipeline failure led to loss of litigation privilege: court
Alberta’s highest court has ruled a petroleum company waived litigation privilege over reports looking into a pipeline failure when it provided them to a provincial regulator, and a lawyer involved in the case is saying the decision is a good reminder that documents created for the purpose of litigation must be treated as such.
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May 02, 2024
New independent watchdog would assess & report how Ottawa carries out its modern treaty obligations
Ottawa says it will create an independent oversight body, led by a new “Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation” who reports to Parliament and whose role will be “to work to hold the Government of Canada accountable for its modern treaty obligations and advance key priorities.”
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May 02, 2024
Is sharing family pet ‘best for all concerned’ in pet custody cases? | V. Victoria Shroff, KC
While companion animals are still property under B.C.’s new family law statute, they now have an elevated status above bare property like a toaster.
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May 01, 2024
B.C. Court of Appeal denies securities class action due to residency requirement
The B.C. Court of Appeal has upheld an order striking a securities class action brought by an Ontario-based mutual fund, finding that the fund did not meet the residency requirement for a plaintiff under the Class Proceedings Act (CPA).
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May 01, 2024
Saskatchewan Court of Appeal upholds SaskPower immunity finding in fire liability case
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has upheld a finding that Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower) was, under the Power Corporation Act (PCA) and terms and conditions of service, immune from liability for a fire that destroyed an industrial shop and a residence.
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May 01, 2024
Ecojustice declares disappointment in plastic pollution treaty negotiations
Canada’s largest environmental law charity is expressing dismay with the results of negotiations to reach a global plastic pollution treaty, which wound up in Ottawa this week.