Access to Justice
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February 10, 2025
Beyond ethics and governance: When AI should (and shouldn’t) be used in law | Daniel J. Escott
Artificial intelligence has entrenched itself in the legal profession, with firms and courts adopting AI-driven tools for legal research, document automation, and even decision-making support. In response, the legal industry has rushed to develop ethical frameworks and governance models to ensure responsible AI use. Yet, for all the effort put into these guidelines, they leave an essential question unanswered: When should lawyers actually use AI? And, just as importantly, when shouldn’t they?
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February 10, 2025
The Sword of Damocles: Economic and political fallout of tariffs | Hodine Williams
Tariffs are often touted as a means to protect American jobs and industries, but their impact is far more nuanced. Let’s break down the winners and losers:
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February 10, 2025
Saskatchewan guns, drugs appeal demonstrates Gladue applicability
A quarter century ago, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its landmark decision in the case of Jamie Tanis Gladue, a young Cree woman who had killed her common-law husband (R. v. Gladue, [1999] 1 SCR 688).
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February 07, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal: Parallel class actions not abuse of process before certification
A proposed class action against a defendant facing a similar proposed class action in another jurisdiction is not inherently an abuse of process prior to the actions being certified, the B.C. Court of Appeal has held.
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February 07, 2025
Federal Court rules CRA cannot issue notice of reassessment while rejecting it as proof of income
The Federal Court has allowed an appeal of a COVID-era benefit eligibility decision in a case where the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) did not accept that the applicant's notice of assessment was relevant to his income.
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February 06, 2025
Saskatchewan report on domestic violence deaths echoes needed change: advocate
A Saskatchewan advocate for ending intimate partner violence is pointing to a recent report on related deaths in that province as further evidence that changes are needed — particularly when it comes to assisting those in rural areas.
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February 06, 2025
Public service union threatens legal action over ongoing Phoenix payroll system problems
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has threatened legal action against the federal government over its failure to meet its targets to resolve delayed or incorrect payments made to federal employees through the Phoenix pay system since its launch in 2016.
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February 06, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal finds apprehension of bias nullified NAFTA tribunal decision
The Ontario Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal in an international trade dispute between Mexico and a U.S.-based motorcycle company that concerned arbitral procedural fairness, finding that apprehension of bias nullified a tribunal decision dismissing a potential $2.7 billion claim.
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February 06, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal overturns lower court, certifies class action against HSBC over fund management
The B.C. Court of Appeal has certified a class action against HSBC Global Asset Management and HSBC Investment Funds over allegations that mutual funds that they represented as actively managed were in reality passively managed to replicate a market index.
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February 05, 2025
What’s all this talk about tariffs? Part one: The rising significance of tariffs | Hodine Williams
Recently, tariffs have become a buzzword in political discourse, economic debates and media headlines. From the U.S.-China trade war to national security and domestic manufacturing debates, tariffs are often portrayed as both a shield and a sword in global trade. But what exactly are tariffs, and why do they matter? More importantly, how do they function within the U.S. legal and economic framework and what are their real-world consequences?