The Complete Brief
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March 23, 2026
Seismic Bill 21 case draws record counsel & intervener presence at this week’s four-day SCC hearing
This week’s blockbuster Bill 21 appeal at the Supreme Court involves 140 counsel of record — with 64 of them slated to make oral argument over four days on behalf of the 10 main party groups and the record 51 interveners.
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March 23, 2026
CRIMINAL CODE OFFENCES - Weapons offences - Possession of prohibited or restricted weapon or ammunition
Appeal by appellant from his conviction for possession of a loaded restricted firearm. Police responded to a complaint about an idling car. When the driver opened the door, a cloud of cannabis smoke escaped, and open packages of cannabis were visible at her feet.
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March 20, 2026
Split SCC revisits implied-licence & ancillary-police-powers doctrines in impaired driving case
Dividing 5-4 to allow the appeal in a Saskatchewan impaired driving case, the Supreme Court of Canada has provided guidance on the scope of common law police powers to warrantlessly investigate suspected crimes at residential private property without violating the Charter’s s. 8 prohibition of unreasonable search or seizure.
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March 20, 2026
National security regime applies to litigant-generated information: Federal Court
The Federal Court has clarified that the national security confidentiality regime under s. 38 of the Canada Evidence Act (CEA) applies to information generated by a private litigant and partially granted a non-disclosure order over documents in a $5-billion fraud case involving a former Saudi official.
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March 20, 2026
Feds extend temporary EI measures to support workers impacted by tariffs
The federal government is extending three temporary employment insurance (EI) measures in an effort to protect workers whose jobs have been impacted by U.S. tariffs.
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March 20, 2026
LSO announces 2026 award recipients
The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) will recognize 11 members of Ontario’s legal profession at its annual awards ceremony on May 27, 2026.
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March 20, 2026
Ontario proposes legislative amendments to cap ticket resale prices
The Government of Ontario has proposed amendments to the Ticket Sales Act, 2017 to “combat overpriced ticket resale prices.” According to a government release issued March 20, the new legislative changes would “make it illegal for tickets to concerts, cultural, sports and other live events in Ontario to be resold for more than their original cost.”
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March 20, 2026
Langlois adds Rémi Leprévost as partner
Langlois has added Rémi Leprévost as a partner in its litigation group, according to the firm.
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March 20, 2026
B.C. boosts compensation for intimate-image abuse victims
British Columbia is increasing compensation limits for people who have had their intimate images shared without their consent. Victims can now seek as much as $75,000 in compensation through the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) with amendments to the Intimate Images Protection Act now in effect.
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March 20, 2026
‘Strict enforcement’ arbitration clauses don’t limit jurisdiction to interpret
Applications to set aside international arbitral awards frequently reflect a familiar dynamic. As no appeal on the merits is available, applicants often recast complaints about the tribunal’s conclusions as jurisdictional error or procedural unfairness. Respondents, in turn, characterize such efforts as impermissible appeals in disguise. Courts are therefore tasked with maintaining a careful balance: exercising a limited supervisory role while preserving arbitration’s defining features of finality, efficiency and expert adjudication.