The Complete Brief
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January 27, 2026
Lawyers cruising for a bruising
Back when I was still willing to set foot in the United States, I booked a cruise from L.A. to Dubai. But then war broke out in the Middle East, and the cruise line eliminated several ports from the itinerary, shortened my cruise by six days, and dropped me off in Cape Town.
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January 27, 2026
REGULATION OF PROFESSION - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Law firms - Limited liability partnerships
Appeal by O’Donnell and Pel from chambers judge’s order dismissing their application to declare sections of the Legal Profession Act unconstitutional. O’Donnell and Pel, who were Ontario and Alberta lawyers, sought to practise in Alberta through their Ontario professional corporation.
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January 26, 2026
CBSA announces 2025 achievements in border security, public safety
As Jan. 26 marks International Customs Day, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is highlighting the work it did in 2025 to match this year’s theme of “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment.”
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January 26, 2026
B.C. appoints 3 provincial court judges
The British Columbia government has appointed Micah Rankin, Charles Hutchinson and Jodi Michaels as judges of the Provincial Court of B.C., according to the province.
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January 26, 2026
Stikeman Elliott adds 5 partners
Stikeman Elliott has welcomed five lawyers to its partnership, according to the firm.
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January 26, 2026
B.C. introduces fixed mineral exploration permitting timelines
British Columbia has announced that it is introducing a new fixed permitting timeline for mineral exploration and investing additional resources to expedite authorizations.
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January 26, 2026
Court to consider $4.5M-$5.25M settlement over alleged bleeding injuries from Bayer drug
A Saskatchewan court is set to consider a proposed settlement for a class action concerning Bayer’s anticoagulant (blood thinning) drug Xarelto, which is alleged to have caused bleeding-related injuries in some patients.
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January 26, 2026
PM announces $650M in measures to cut grocery costs
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a series of measures aimed at lowering costs for groceries and essentials, including a new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, a $500-million investment in food supply chains to help reduce prices, and a new $150-million Food Security Fund.
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January 26, 2026
Obscenity, the 2026 version
It was around 1978 when the “comedy” duo of brothers Blair and Gary MacLean came to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
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January 26, 2026
The blame hierarchy in family law revisited
My loyal readers will recall that I practise family law under the belief that there is a hierarchy of blame that exists in almost all high-conflict family disputes. To repeat, the client begins by blaming the opposite party, thereafter the anger is often directed at opposing counsel followed by the same anger directed at the presiding justice if he/she dares to rule against the client.