May 22, 2026
The Supreme Court has confirmed that a new trial is necessary for an Alberta man convicted of second-degree murder after ruling the trial judge improperly relied on hearsay evidence. The man in question, Dylon Saddleback, had been socializing with several friends outside a trailer when most of the group left to attend a birthday party. Saddleback and the victim, Joshua Dennehy, stayed behind — and afterward Dennehy was found beaten to death, struck more than 45 times with a blunt instrument. When police arrived, they found Saddleback on the scene.
May 22, 2026
In an effort to strengthen maritime security, the federal government has announced a “foundational investment of $816 million over seven years” to expand the Canadian Coast Guard’s role in monitoring Canada’s waters.
May 22, 2026
Appeal by Crown from decision quashing Saddleback’s conviction for second-degree murder and ordering new trial. Saddleback had been convicted at trial in relation to the killing of the victim. A key issue at trial was whether Saddleback had exclusive opportunity to commit the offence after others left the scene.
May 22, 2026
Amnesty International’s latest annual report on the global state of the death penalty paints a sobering picture.
May 21, 2026
In an effort to “protect provincial data and enhance security,” the Government of Ontario is mandating new restrictions on the “use and purchase of Chinese-made drones by the government and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), beginning with an immediate ban on the use of Chinese drones for highly sensitive OPP operations.”
May 21, 2026
The Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) has clarified the scope of Canada’s criminal inadmissibility regime, holding that immigration decision-makers may consider whether a foreign duress defence was effectively unavailable in practice, even if it was not raised at trial.
May 20, 2026
The Federal Court has dismissed an application for judicial review, finding that the Military Police Complaints Commission cannot compel the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal to produce records tied to conduct-complaint investigations.
May 20, 2026
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey has appointed five judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective May 27, 2026.
May 20, 2026
The Government of Ontario is proposing amendments to the Planning Act that would “help prevent illegal land uses, including for trucks and the operation of commercial trucking activities on land not zoned for industrial use.”
May 20, 2026
As commercial disputes increasingly cross borders, Canadian courts are more frequently asked to assess the legal effect of foreign judgments, prosecutorial decisions and parallel proceedings arising from unfamiliar legal systems. One recurring question is whether a foreign criminal or quasi-criminal decision should bar subsequent civil litigation in Ontario through doctrines such as res judicata, issue estoppel or abuse of process.