Criminal
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March 26, 2026
Rethinking community self-defence: Should Ontario permit civilians to carry firearms?
A terrorist with explosives and a rifle rammed his truck into Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan. He planned to kill the Jews in the building. The attacker was fatally shot by armed security guards. Had this happened in Ontario, the synagogue’s staff, teachers and 140 children in the preschool very likely would have been either murdered or terribly injured because civilian security staff and volunteers here are not permitted to carry firearms.
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March 26, 2026
Importance of police interrogation: Lessons from the Russell Williams case
Should police use strong-arm tactics in an effort to “get tough on crime”? The interrogation of Russell Williams by Jim Smyth is widely recognized as a classic example of a controlled, evidence-based confession strategy. Smyth’s approach was calm, patient and psychologically careful rather than aggressive. It resulted in a confession in one of Canada’s most highly publicized cases.
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March 25, 2026
Correctional program officers face workplace difficulties in federal correctional system: report
The Union of Safety and Justice Employees (USJE) is calling for greater recognition and support for correctional program officers (CPOs) in light of its new research report on the challenges of working in Canada’s federal correctional system.
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March 25, 2026
Alberta MAID bill’s restrictions vulnerable to challenge beyond mental health issue: legal expert
Alberta lawmakers are currently grappling with legislation that would put guardrails on medical assistance in dying (MAID) for those who are suffering from mental health issues, but legal experts are saying other aspects of the law leave it vulnerable to legal challenge.
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March 25, 2026
Alain Paquet joins Lavery as senior associate
Lavery has added Alain Paquet as senior associate in its civil and commercial litigation group.
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March 25, 2026
Words matter when writing legal AI prompts
When writing AI prompts, lawyers shape perception and outcomes, so understanding the impact of words in AI prompts is crucial. Since language acts as a filter, the specific words and phrases used in a prompt influence the AI’s interpretation of legal concepts, potentially affecting recommendations or decisions. If terms are ambiguous or carry historical biases, the legal AI response can lead to unintended interpretations. Tailoring prompts to set the stage and include sufficient background information allows the legal AI to understand the user’s intent. With prompts that are clear and unambiguous, legal professionals can reduce the likelihood of misinterpretation in the legal AI output.
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March 25, 2026
Canada must strengthen immigration security and close screening, enforcement gaps
Recent reporting has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Canada’s immigration security screening and enforcement. Media accounts have described cases in which an individual allegedly appearing in an ISIS execution video later obtained refugee status and citizenship before being arrested in connection with an alleged plot in Toronto; a foreign national with a prior conviction for sexual offences entered on a visitor visa after failing to disclose that history; and individuals linked to the Iranian regime have entered and, in some cases, obtained status in Canada.
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March 25, 2026
Ontario Court of Appeal examines obligations of trial judge for self-represented accused
What assistance should a self-represented accused expect from the presiding judge during a trial? That question was recently addressed in an appeal before the Ontario Court of Appeal.
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March 25, 2026
Parole hearings: A response to Dorson article
It was with great interest that I started reading the article written by David Dorson in Law360 Canada on March 19.
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March 25, 2026
MOTOR VEHICLES AND HIGHWAY TRAFFIC - Driver licensing - Liability and offences
Appeal by Gregory from a decision dismissing her statutory appeal of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles’ (Registrar) cancellation of her driver’s licence. The Registrar cancelled the licence following concerns raised by police and after Gregory failed two recent driving examinations.