The Complete Brief
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January 28, 2026
Balancing transparency and privacy in municipal governance: Analysis of the Planning Act and MFIPPA
Transparency and privacy are two core principles of municipal governance. In Ontario, laws regulating municipal activities, such as the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, s. 224(d.1) and the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, require administrators to ensure openness and transparency to foster public participation in governance and municipal activities. The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56 (MFIPPA) imposes obligations to protect personal information. These requirements often create the perception of legal conflict.
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January 28, 2026
Ontario court ruling complicates anti-SLAPP defence, lawyer says
A lawyer is saying a recent decision by Ontario’s top court may have made things more difficult for plaintiffs resisting anti-SLAPP motions in the future.
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January 28, 2026
Court ignores Arbitration Act Regulation, endorses process with unenforceable outcome
A Superior Court decision has struck a blow to the effectiveness of family arbitration in Ontario by endorsing an arbitral process that failed to comply with mandatory regulatory requirements, resulting in an award that is unenforceable.
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January 28, 2026
Top 10 business decisions of 2025, part one
Here is my annual list of the top 10 business decisions in Canada for the year just ended. This two-part series begins with the cases ranked sixth through tenth, in ascending order. Part two will cover the top five cases.
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January 28, 2026
MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT - Child support - Calculation or attribution of income - Retroactive awards
Appeal by respondent and cross-appeal by petitioner of trial judge’s variation of the child support order. The parties were married for nine years and separated in 2008. A final order set child support based on the respondent’s imputed income of $40,000 without requiring life insurance to secure his obligation.
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January 27, 2026
Privacy commissioner supports proposed data-mobility changes to PIPEDA, marks Data Privacy Week
On Jan. 26, Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne discussed provisions related to data mobility in Bill C-15, noting legislative changes. He also marked Data Privacy Week, taking place Jan. 26 to 30, by announcing his office’s theme of prioritizing privacy by design for organizations.
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January 27, 2026
Canadian private equity deals move forward despite risk, regulation: expert
Private equity dealmaking in Canada is expected to continue in 2026 despite uncertainty around tariffs, geopolitics and regulatory scrutiny, as buyers and sellers focus more closely on managing deal-specific risks, industry observers say.
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January 27, 2026
‘National crisis of antisemitism’ urgently demands law reform, federal action, advocacy groups warn
As Parliament resumed this week, Jewish advocacy groups renewed their calls for immediate legislative and other measures to address antisemitism and the dramatic resurgence of violent extremism against Jews in the wake of the mass murder by Hamas terrorists in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
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January 27, 2026
N.W.T. increases support for Indigenous bodies to have greater say in land, resource management
The Northwest Territories is boosting an assistance program for Indigenous groups in a bid to strengthen their ability to “participate meaningfully” in land and resource management.
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January 27, 2026
Dog bites, boating and injury claims: What Ontario’s liability laws mean for your clients
Serious injury can happen during everyday activities like walking a dog, having a good time on the water or visiting a friend’s property. Seasonal conditions in fall and winter can also increase everyday hazards that could trigger liability, especially when an injury happens on private property. When something goes wrong in any of these situations, it is not always clear who is legally responsible.