The Complete Brief

  • September 25, 2026

    Alberta appeal parses sentencing for manslaughter under Youth Criminal Justice Act

    An Alberta Court of Appeal decision illustrates the discretion available to a sentencing judge under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) in determining how to consider a young offender’s pre-sentence custody (R. v. I.A., 2026 ABCA 298).

  • September 25, 2026

    More than property, less than kids: How B.C. family law treats companion animals

    In 2024, British Columbia took a seismic step away from treating family pets as ordinary property under the law when couples separate. Amendments to B.C.'s Family Law Act took effect on Jan.15, 2024 and introduced specific factors that courts must consider when determining which spouse should be granted ownership or possession of the family's companion animal. (See: B.C. Gov News.) 

  • September 25, 2026

    Two distinct tests in Start-Up Visa applications and the cost of conflating them

    In Punjwani v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 1033, the Federal Court addressed a recurring analytical error in Start-Up Visa cases: treating the qualifying-business requirements in s. 98.06 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 (IRPR), as though they answered an artificial-transaction finding under paragraph 89(b). They do not. The provisions impose different requirements, and an argument directed to one may fail to address a refusal under the other.

  • September 25, 2026

    New litigator joins Langlois in Montreal

    Langlois has announced that Samuel Lavoie has joined the firm’s litigation group.  

  • September 25, 2026

    SENTENCING - Homicide - Manslaughter - Reasons for sentence

    Appeal by appellant from sentence of three years’ imprisonment for manslaughter. On the date of the offence, the victim wrote insulting comments about the appellant in chalk on the sidewalk. A physical altercation lasting a little more than two minutes ensued.

  • September 25, 2026

    David Postel new partner at WEL Partners

    David Postel has joined WEL Partners as a partner, where he acts for clients on the estates, civil, and commercial lists throughout Ontario in trusts, estates and related matters. According to a statement from the firm, Postel’s practice also deals with family wealth disputes over control of closely held businesses.

  • September 25, 2026

    BINDING ARBITRATION - Voluntary binding arbitration - Agreement to arbitrate - Jurisdiction - Concurrent

    Appeals by appellants (Loader and Sortepax Holdings Limited (Sortepax)) from dismissal of motions to stay claims brought against them in two related actions.

  • September 25, 2026

    90/10 means 90/10: How the Ontario Court of Appeal unravelled the Stacey v. Vey award

    Shelley-Anne Stacey and William Vey lived together for three and a half years. They never married and had no children. The Appeal Court determined that the uncontroverted evidence was that there was a brief relationship that was not stable, with no children or common family obligations. Stacey moved into Vey’s Richmond Hill, Ont., home in July 2015. Two years later, Vey sold the home and the couple moved into a new home in Alliston, 90 kilometres north of Toronto.

  • September 24, 2026

    PBO projects $4.5B in revenue from NDP-proposed high-income tax brackets

    A proposal to introduce three new federal income tax brackets for high earners would generate an additional $4.5 billion in net federal revenue over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period, according to an estimate released by the Parliamentary Budget Office on Sept. 22.

  • September 24, 2026

    Court limits record to documents before board in Vancouver port fee challenge

    The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling that the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is not required to provide terminal operators challenging an infrastructure fee with documents used to develop it because they were not before the board that approved the fee.

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