Access to Justice
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September 18, 2025
B.C. government policy paper recommending major changes to family law legislation
The B.C. government says it is planning to update its family law legislation after issuing a wide-ranging policy intentions paper recommending major changes to address issues like coercive behaviour and parenting arrangements.
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September 17, 2025
CBA offers Parliament ‘better way’ forward to reform beleaguered immigration and refugee system
As parliamentary debate resumed yesterday over the Liberal government’s proposed ad hoc fixes for Canada’s creaky immigration and refugee system, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) is offering legislators a detailed roadmap for wholesale modernization that charts an effective, fair and constitutionally sound way forward, members of the immigration bar say.
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September 17, 2025
An answer to Barrie’s homeless emergency: Community
The city of Barrie, Ont., is right to be talking about homelessness. It is indeed an emergency. That said, residents should be and are asking a lot of questions about how things got this bad. More on that to come.
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September 17, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal clarifies rules of evidence for impaired convictions
Impaired driving is a criminal offence throughout Canada. However, the requirements for the Crown to prove impairment differ depending on the province. The Ontario Court of Appeal decision in R. v. Kim, 2025 ONCA 478 involved three individuals who, after appeals to a Summary Convictions Appeal Court, were convicted of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 80 or higher.
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September 16, 2025
Justice of the chocolate-y kind
Canada’s rich history with chocolate extends beyond its culinary appeal to include a fascinating intersection with legal frameworks. As the country continues to innovate and expand its chocolate industry, various legal themes emerge that shape the production, distribution and consumption of this beloved treat.
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September 16, 2025
LEAF welcomes Ruth Goba as executive director
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) has announced the appointment of Ruth Goba as executive director.
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September 16, 2025
Dalhousie University, unionized faculty reach tentative agreement
Dalhousie University and its locked-out unionized faculty have reached a tentative deal — potentially ending a chaotic labour dispute that included the institution’s law school.
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September 16, 2025
Privacy debate: Cameras, speeding and Charter rights
Two recent news stories in Ontario have sparked public debate about how much privacy citizens should have.
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September 15, 2025
Appeal Court validates circumstantial evidence in Toronto shooting trial
After a two-week investigation, the police arrested a 22-year-old man following the “unprovoked” shooting of a 19-year-old woman in Etobicoke, Ont., according to a Sept. 4, 2019, Toronto Star report.
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September 12, 2025
Appeal Court orders new trial in British Columbia child exploitation case
The American poet and journalist Carl Sandburg has been quoted as saying, “If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell.” That appears to be the advice that legal counsel might have received when defending Eric David Guenter.