The Complete Brief
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February 02, 2026
Court to consider $60M settlement for Ontario training schools abuse class action
The Ontario Superior Court is set to consider a $60-million agreement to settle a class action concerning allegations that children held in Ontario’s youth detention facilities, also known as training schools, were subjected to a toxic environment as well as physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
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February 02, 2026
Law Firm Owner Success Guide: Avoid costly mistakes — Why generic programs kill law firm growth
In the highly competitive legal services landscape, law firms must continually seek innovative strategies and tools to drive growth and efficiency. However, many firms fall into the trap of adopting generic programs and solutions that fail to align with their unique needs and objectives.
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February 02, 2026
Federal Court strikes judicial review of GIC decision on telecom policy citing alternative remedies
The Federal Court has dismissed a judicial review of the Governor in Council’s (GIC) refusal to vary a CRTC internet access policy, finding that parallel proceedings before the Federal Court of Appeal and a renewed petition to the Governor in Council provided adequate alternative remedies.
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February 02, 2026
Decision in much delayed drug trial proves Jordan must be applied flexibly
The Supreme Court of Canada has set a presumptive ceiling for delay at 18 months for cases tried in provincial court (R. v. Jordan, 2016 SCC 27). When an accused’s right to a speedy trial under s. 11(b) of the Charter is violated, charges should be stayed under s. 24(1) of the Charter.
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February 02, 2026
Access to Justice Week B.C. speaks to importance of system that evolves, listens and learns, AG says
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma is marking Access to Justice Week by reaffirming the province’s commitment to building a justice system that is “responsive, inclusive and accessible.”
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February 02, 2026
Court of Quebec appoints new judge and justice of the peace magistrate
Quebec Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette has announced the appointment of a judge and a justice of the peace magistrate to the Court of Quebec.
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February 02, 2026
Ontario appoints 4 new judges to Court of Justice
Ontario has appointed four new judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective Jan. 29: Justice Joanne Michelle Marie Clouston, Justice Archana Arun Medhekar, Justice Jesse M. Razaqpur and Justice Mary Meta Elizabeth Warren.
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February 02, 2026
$3.2M tuna becomes a tax lesson: When are promotional ‘loss leaders’ tax deductible in Canada?
Extraordinary promotional spending often attracts tax scrutiny, particularly when the price paid for a single item exceeds its intrinsic value. Canadian tax law permits aggressive marketing strategies, but it requires that business expenses satisfy statutory tests of purpose and reasonableness.
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February 02, 2026
The recent incident at the courthouse in Oshawa
Have you seen the documentary on Netflix called Skyscraper Live? It documents an unbelievable solo climb up a 100-storey building in Taiwan. The climber had no rope, no parachute and no safety harness. Any slip on his part, any grip not secure, and he falls to his death. Writing this article, I feel like that climber, only I am about to fall off the building … but … here goes.
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February 02, 2026
Federal Court confirms the importance of inherent distinctiveness in trademark confusion
A decision of the Federal Court confirms that a lack of inherent distinctiveness was the most important element in determining whether the marks in issue were confusing (996660 Ontario Ltd. v. Falesca Importing Ltd., 2026 FC 114).