May 07, 2026
There may be a new sheriff in town. The provincial government in Ontario plans to introduce regulations designating transit special constables as “officers” under the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act, 2025 (RPCISA). This move will grant them sweeping powers to arrest and detain individuals and to search, seize and even destroy property.
May 07, 2026
A recent report by Global News, drawing on freedom-of-information materials obtained by Donna Power and the Humane Initiative, adds an important and deeply troubling dimension to concerns I raised several weeks ago about Ontario’s animal welfare regime.
May 07, 2026
Substantive law defines what constitutes a crime, while procedural law dictates how the case is handled. A conviction requires both evidence proving guilt and adherence to proper procedure to ensure a fair trial. Sometimes, the substance is so glaring that the focus on trial fairness can take a back seat.
May 06, 2026
The Government of Alberta is investing $8.9 million to build Western Canada’s “first provincial forensic DNA laboratory to speed up investigations and support prosecutions.”
May 06, 2026
On May 6, the federal government announced new “temporary controls under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for three substances that are at risk of entering the illegal drug supply.”
May 06, 2026
Appeal by appellants (Griggs and Bennett) from their convictions for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime. The charges arose from Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrants executed at two addresses, White Oak Avenue (White Oak) and Wilkerson Street (Wilkerson), where large quantities of fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, cash, and drug paraphernalia were seized.
May 05, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that former Supreme Court of Canada justice Louise Arbour will become Canada’s next governor general. Arbour will become the first former judge of the top court to take on the vice-regal role.
May 05, 2026
As part of its pushback against Canada’s controversial gun buyback program, Saskatchewan has launched a legislative tool allowing owners of firearms now deemed illegal to hold on to them and assess their value.
May 05, 2026
B.C.’s top court has rejected the arguments from a First Nations chief that he was acting in accordance with his peoples’ traditional laws when violating a court injunction against impeding the construction of a natural gas pipeline, saying such a defence if it were to be recognized could only be raised as a last resort.
May 05, 2026
Last week, as I write this on May 4, 2026, I watched part of a press conference that made me want to puke.