The Complete Brief
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April 09, 2025
Indigenous rights in Canada: So, so many questions
Canada stands at a pivotal moment in its relationship with Indigenous Peoples. Landmark court rulings and policy shifts have signalled a move toward stronger legal recognition of Indigenous land claims and self-governance. Yet, many argue that progress remains slow, uneven and often hindered by government inertia and corporate interests. The stark reality leaves the lingering question: is Canada truly committed to reconciliation, or are these developments in Indigenous jurisprudence merely incremental steps in a system that continues to resist meaningful change?
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April 09, 2025
Appeal dismissed: Lack of timely objections by defence counsel sways court
Judges can sometimes make mistakes. Challenging a judicial decision can result in a judge wrongly deciding legal issues, making factual errors or using improper procedures. However, the chances of success in overturning a conviction are remote when the errors result from the defence counsel’s action.
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April 09, 2025
Pro Bonzo
A brave articling student once quipped about me that “if you say ‘pro bono’ near Murray, you’d better be talking about Sonny & Cher.” Now that was a tad unfair. It was not that I was against our firm doing pro bono work, but I did want us to be doing it for people who could not afford a lawyer, as opposed to people who were just cheap and did not value what we did.
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April 09, 2025
Viability of private prosecutions in hate-motivated crimes
Section 504 of the Criminal Code permits anyone to initiate a criminal proceeding by laying an information in writing, under oath before a justice. In R. v. Mivasair, 2025 ONCA 179, the Ontario Court of Appeal reviews the law respecting private prosecutions including the role and duty of the Crown and the remedies available to an informant where the Crown has intervened and terminated a private prosecution.
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April 08, 2025
Joint Forum of Financial Market Regulators discuss responsible use of AI
Canadian financial market regulators from across multiple sectors wrapped up their annual meeting April 8 in Calgary after examining the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems by market participants, among other issues.
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April 08, 2025
Manitoba spends $3.3M to boost RCMP presence in rural areas amid rising crime
Manitoba is investing millions with local RCMP to get more “boots on the ground” in rural parts of the province.
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April 08, 2025
Caroline Healey takes helm at Ship and Rail Compensation Canada
The new administrator of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada, Caroline Healey, has taken office for a five-year term.
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April 08, 2025
B.C. to lower notice period to end tenancy, publish Residential Tenancy Branch monetary orders
Starting in summer 2025, landlords in British Columbia will only be required to provide tenants three months’ notice, rather than the current four months, to end a tenancy for personal use.
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April 08, 2025
Alberta Court of Appeal: Relocation issues a factor in expropriation possession date extensions
Difficulties faced by business owners in relocating in response to a possession notice under Alberta’s Expropriation Act must be considered by courts deciding applications for possession date adjustments, the Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled.
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April 08, 2025
The truth about burnout | Norm Bowley
“I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.” — Anna Quindlen