Civil Litigation
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February 25, 2026
Court slams Human Rights Tribunal’s refusal to hear cases
The Ontario Divisional Court has dismantled a major pillar of the Human Rights Tribunal’s unfair drive to reduce its backlog by dismissing most claims without a hearing.
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February 25, 2026
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS - Governance of - Discipline - Professional misconduct - Treatment, authorization for
Appeal and cross-appeal by appellant and Alberta College of Pharmacy (College) from decisions of the Appeal Panel (Panel) concerning findings of unprofessional conduct against the appellant. The appellant faced allegations arising from complaints about cosmetic services, advertising, and his response to an investigation.
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February 24, 2026
Senators greenlight immigration overhaul despite Senate study echoing bar’s objections
A Senate committee has passed, without amendment, the Carney government’s controversial immigration overhaul, even though the Senate’s own in-depth study of Bill C-12 backs bar members’ concerns that the proposed immigration provisions are unfair, counterproductive and, in some respects, unconstitutional.
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February 24, 2026
Court denies $5B class action over alleged drug price fixing
The Federal Court has denied the certification of a proposed class action seeking $5 billion in damages against pharmaceutical companies for allegedly conspiring to fix drug prices in Canada and the U.S. on an industry-wide basis.
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February 24, 2026
B.C. making ‘practical’ changes to civil forfeiture law, minister says
The B.C. government is saying amendments to provincial civil forfeiture legislation will increase its clarity and efficiency, but a lawyer says the changes will lead to privacy erosions and increased pressure on people who are being targeted under the law.
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February 24, 2026
Yukon high court explores ambiguity in lease agreements
A recent ruling out of Yukon grappled with the “concept of ambiguity” in lease agreements and ultimately established law around contractual interpretation, says the lawyer of a resident who argued the territory had granted him a “lifetime lease” on a piece of property.
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February 24, 2026
Partial summary judgment after Kotsopoulos: Structural reset in Ontario civil procedure
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Kotsopoulos v. Toronto (City), 2026 ONCA 121 appears, at first glance, to be a routine municipal liability appeal. It is not. It is a procedural recalibration. The judgment reinforces that partial summary judgment is not merely a tactical device. It is an exception to the structural integrity of the trial process, and courts must guard that integrity carefully.
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February 24, 2026
CUSTODY, PARENTING, AND ACCESS - Custody and parenting time - Access
Appeal by mother from a case management order that dismissed her application. The application was for recusal of the case management judge (judge) on grounds of reasonable apprehension of bias and varied interim parenting arrangements. The parties married in 2010, separated in 2021, and had one child.
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February 23, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal reinforces presumption of early vesting in estate law
When does a class gift vest — upon the testator’s death or at a later time? While vesting often turns on how a will is drafted, in Jack Estate v. Jack Estate, 2026 BCCA 18, the British Columbia Court of Appeal reaffirmed that the presumption of early vesting applies to class gifts absent clear language to the contrary in the testator’s will. The court also made it clear in this decision that the vesting of testamentary gifts will not ordinarily be tied to the timing of estate administration.
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February 23, 2026
Immigration decision signals tougher era for security inadmissibility cases
The recent Federal Court’s ruling in Sowane v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 89 should command the close attention of immigration practitioners. Although the facts concern the used-vehicle export industry and alleged ties to Hezbollah money-laundering networks, the judgment’s implications extend well beyond any single sector.