Access to Justice
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April 22, 2026
Alberta law institute report maps out how children can be heard in court
An Alberta-based legal institute has issued a report it says will help lawyers and the public understand the ways in which the voice of the child can be heard in family court proceedings.
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April 22, 2026
When courts turn back the clock: Rethinking the return to in-person family hearings
A recent article by Steve Benmor (The Zoom paradox: When a judge’s words and his court’s actions collide) draws attention to an emerging inconsistency within Ontario’s family justice system — one that warrants closer examination.
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April 22, 2026
Relocation law is stacked against mothers — Bill C-223 can fix it
Lucy is a 10-year-old child who spends most of her time in the care of her mother but also spends significant time with her father. Lucy’s mother just got a job across the province and asks the court to authorize the relocation of the child. The father objects.
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April 21, 2026
The view from jail: Family visits
Officially, Correctional Service Canada supports families. The problem is that imprisonment unavoidably damages family connections, often very badly and in multiple ways, and this damage hurts rehabilitation. When you are imprisoned, you are, obviously, apart from your family. As detailed in other columns of mine, visits are very limited, mail is restricted and censored, and phone calls are limited and monitored. Even having photos of family in a cell is not always simple.
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April 20, 2026
New OBA campaign brings rule of law understanding to public
This month, the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) launched its Rule of Law campaign in which local lawyers host discussions in their communities to help the public better understand the rule of law and its everyday importance to democracy.
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April 20, 2026
UWindsor establishes Vivian Ntiri Memorial Scholarship
The University of Windsor has established the Vivian Ntiri Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund in honour of Vivian Ntiri, a member of the bars of Ontario and Saskatchewan, who died in June 2025.
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April 20, 2026
Successful murder appeal includes assessment of ‘expert-like’ evidence and personal opinion
After a six-week jury trial, Evan Wright, 19, was convicted of first-degree murder, and Philip Fitzpatrick, 21, his first cousin, was found guilty of manslaughter. They successfully appealed their convictions, and the Ontario Court of Appeal set out its reasons in R. v. Fitzpatrick, 2026 ONCA 262.
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April 17, 2026
Manitoba giving public safety funding to Brandon, Portage la Prairie
Building on its ongoing public safety strategy, Manitoba’s government is giving half a million dollars to two of its cities in the name of enhancing security and preventing crime.
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April 17, 2026
The case for in-person court attendances
My friend Steve Benmor made some excellent arguments recently in favour of Zoom attendances on motions (The Zoom paradox: When a judge’s words and his court’s actions collide). He backs it up by quoting the extremely persuasive comments of Justice Fred Myers of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. I recognize and respect their arguments but let me address a couple of matters not addressed in their submissions on this issue.
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April 16, 2026
Indigenous leaders object to ‘one project, one review’ agreement between Manitoba, Ottawa
First Nations leaders in Manitoba are claiming to have been wrongly left out of an agreement between the province and Ottawa designed to accelerate assessments of how development projects will impact the environment.