The Complete Brief
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September 03, 2025
SENTENCING - Aggravated assault - Mitigating factors - Aboriginal offenders – Gladue report
Leave to appeal by Izzard from sentence. Izzard, who has roots in both Indigenous and Black marginalized communities, was convicted, on a guilty plea, of aggravated assault and four other offences.
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September 03, 2025
The Friendly Bar Series, No. 10: The risk of second-guessing colleagues and the Repply affidavit
In law, we correct quickly and judge just as fast. A stray comma, a confusing phrase, a capital letter gone rogue. These become invitations not just to critique the work, but to question the lawyer behind it. Most of us are only one typo away from a snide footnote or an embarrassed reply all.
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September 03, 2025
A cautionary tale for farm succession planning
The Court of Appeal for Ontario’s recent decision in Metske v. Metske, 2025 ONCA 418 provides an important lesson to farming families and their professional advisers: good intentions and family loyalty, while laudable, are no substitute for clear, enforceable agreements. The decision narrows the scope of proprietary estoppel in the agricultural context and underlines the commercial reality that a succession plan must be both documented and financially achievable.
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September 02, 2025
Simon Fraser University report states oil and gas has cost economy $117B
According to a new cost-benefit analysis report by Simon Fraser University’s Clean Energy Research Group, climate change induced by fossil fuel is leading to losses of $117 billion for the Canadian economy — net of the oil and gas sector’s GDP contributions.
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September 03, 2025
Tell me what you really, really want
Have you thought about what type of people law firms really, really want to hire? I mean, after you drill down past the marketing and human resources departments, and contemplate the type of things that even the partners are afraid to admit behind closed doors.
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September 03, 2025
Federal Court upholds Trademarks Opposition Board decision in Sage dispute
In late July, the Federal Court of Canada dismissed the University of British Columbia’s appeal of a Trademarks Opposition Board decision concerning UBC’s opposition to a trademark registration by Sage Dining Services Inc., which is a food services company.
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September 02, 2025
Ontario implements new framework to return disgorged funds to investors
New rules governing the distribution of funds collected under disgorgement orders to investors who have incurred direct financial losses as a result of violations of Ontario securities law came into effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
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September 02, 2025
Federal Court of Appeal allows Bell to amend counterclaim in $400M copyright dispute
The Federal Court of Appeal has allowed Bell Canada to amend its counterclaim in a copyright dispute with a group of film studios, reversing a lower court’s decision to strike parts of Bell’s pleading alleging misuse of copyright enforcement without leave to amend.
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September 02, 2025
Carney cabinet set to chart Ottawa’s way forward on crime, ‘major projects,’ defence & free trade
As MPs ready their Sept. 15 return to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet are meeting for two days in Toronto to strategize how to move forward with the Liberal government’s fall priorities, which include combatting crime, fast-tracking major infrastructure projects including building affordable homes, and “advance the beginnings of Canada’s preparations” for the 2026 joint review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on free trade.
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September 02, 2025
LSM annual report a ‘comprehensive’ look at fiscal year, road ahead: president
As Manitoba’s law society takes stock of its most recent fiscal year, the regulator’s new president aims to continue the work of minding lawyers’ well-being as part of a new strategic plan. Law Society of Manitoba (LSM) president Kyle Dear recently sat down with Law360 Canada to discuss the recent release of the law society’s 2025 annual report — a 31-page snapshot of the regulator’s latest fiscal year, which ran from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.