The Complete Brief
-
March 11, 2026
Ottawa extends temporary work-sharing EI measures to help employers avert mass layoffs from tariffs
The federal government is extending temporary special measures under the employment insurance work-sharing program until March 31, 2027, from March 6, 2026, to help employers facing unexpected slowdowns avoid layoffs and maintain stability for their workers.
-
March 11, 2026
Alberta’s residential tenancies law isn’t working as well as it should, lawyer says
An Alberta-based legal institute is bringing attention to the province’s rental housing law, saying it needs a major update. The Alberta Law Reform Institute (ALRI) is saying the Residential Tenancies Act, which has not undergone comprehensive review in over 30 years, has become out of step with social, economic and technological realities. Because of that, the institute has undertaken a review of the law.
-
March 11, 2026
Brenda Doig joins Blakes to lead women’s initiatives
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP has announced that Brenda Doig has joined the firm to oversee programs and initiatives that support and empower women at the firm and among its clients.
-
March 11, 2026
Ovide Mercredi joins Cochrane Sinclair as special adviser
Cochrane Sinclair has welcomed Ovide Mercredi as a special adviser, according to the Western Canada firm.
-
March 11, 2026
Good faith in contracts clarified by B.C. Court of Appeal
In Pandher v. Dhanesar, 2026 BCCA 63, the British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed an appeal, finding that the trial judge incorrectly applied the legal principles governing contractual interpretation and the duty of good faith in assessing the exercise of contractual discretion.
-
March 11, 2026
When the language of protection becomes a weapon: Bill C-223 and parental alienation
Canada’s Bill C-223, the Keeping Children Safe Act, would mark a real shift in how federal family law handles parental alienation allegations, by requiring courts to evaluate them within the coercive control context in which they arise. That’s a meaningful change. It targets one of the most reliably effective tactics used by abusive former partners in custody litigation.
-
March 11, 2026
Silence isn’t golden: Employers must clearly communicate contractual changes
In Comeau v. Valcom Consulting Ltd., 2025 NBKB 253, the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick held that an employer’s attempt to unilaterally introduce new, more restrictive terms of employment in relation to a long-term employee who had worked under a series of fixed-term employment agreements constituted a constructive dismissal.
-
March 11, 2026
The billable hour is running out of time
Early in my career, I noticed a pattern I could not ignore. I would build rapport with clients, earn their trust and then watch everything fall apart the moment the invoice was sent. They were not upset with me personally, even though sometimes it felt that way. They were blindsided by a system that charged them in a way they found unfair. Even worse, I would get penalized if I found strategies to be fast and efficient to make it more fair.
-
March 11, 2026
The mask of professionalism: Impression management
Practicing law is demanding work. It requires sustained concentration, analytical thinking, and the stamina to push through long hours and periods of intense pressure. The intellectual demands of the job are real and executing that work in a competent and ethical way is the core of the profession. But there is another layer of work that lawyers are often expected to perform — one that has little to do with legal ability. I am talking about the performance of professionalism.
-
March 11, 2026
CIVIL PROCEDURE - Contempt of court - Injunctions - Enforcement
Appeal by appellant from two judgments, including a finding of contempt and a 90-day custodial sentence. The parties married in 1999, separated in 2009, and divorced in 2018. They had two children. The appellant was the sole income earner and earned millions during the marriage.