Constitutional
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August 26, 2025
B.C. court cuts Moazami sentence in storied sex trafficking case
Between 2012 and 2022, there were 3,996 police-reported incidents of human trafficking, with incidents increasing nearly every year except 2018 and 2022, according to a federal government website. Such statistics are shocking and attract public attention.
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August 25, 2025
When human rights meet bureaucracy: The unseen power of tribunals
In the intricate tapestry of justice, where the grand pronouncements of courts often capture headlines, a quieter, yet profoundly impactful, spectacle unfolds daily within administrative tribunals. These specialized bodies, designed to efficiently resolve disputes in specific areas like social benefits, immigration, or labour relations, wield significant power. But what happens when their specific mandates collide with the overarching principles of human rights?
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August 25, 2025
Appeal court confirms conviction in failed crossbow hit case
An Ontario Superior Court judge, Justice Jennifer Woollcombe, sentenced Roger Jaggernauth, then 53, to 16 years in prison in October 2023. Following a judge-alone trial, Jaggernauth was convicted of orchestrating a failed “contract hit” on his ex-common-law partner, Marlene Pimenta.
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August 22, 2025
Feds table annual report on UNDRIP Act, outline progress
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada Sean Fraser has tabled the fourth annual progress report on Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP), discussing various advancements and areas for improvement.
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August 21, 2025
‘Democracy demands nothing less’ than hearing on Alberta referendum question, judge says
An Alberta judge has ordered a hearing on the constitutionality of a referendum question asking whether the province should separate from Canada, despite arguments from the referendum’s proponent that such a move would be premature and an abuse of process.
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August 21, 2025
Pirating case means jail for business owners, exemplifies pace of civil proceedings
We often hear the complaint that criminal cases take too long to prosecute. Police must obtain evidence, sometimes by convincing a judge that there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe that incriminating material may be found. Only then are the police granted access to complete a search.
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August 20, 2025
Saskatchewan cannot use notwithstanding clause to ‘shut’ courts out of Charter ‘conversation’: lawyer
Pre-emptively invoking the notwithstanding clause does not bar the courts from still making it known whether laws brought via the clause infringe on people’s rights, says a lawyer of a landmark case involving Saskatchewan’s controversial pronoun policy.
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August 20, 2025
Binding arbitration vs. the right to strike: A transatlantic tussle over labour rights, part two
Dear reader, if you’ve been keeping a keen eye on things, you’re undoubtedly aware of the saga that Air Canada and its flight attendants have found themselves in. It’s a tale as old as time: the delicate dance between workers’ rights and economic stability.
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August 20, 2025
Settlement of $59M reached in Ontario correctional facilities lockdowns class actions
A proposed settlement of $59 million has been reached in Ontario class actions relating to lockdowns in correctional facilities due to alleged lack of staff, providing each eligible claimant with between $2,000 and $68,000 in compensation if approved.
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August 19, 2025
Ministers from territories plan for gender equality
Ministers from Canada’s northern territories are working to develop a “memorandum of understanding” in formalizing shared priorities on gender equity.