Criminal
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November 07, 2025
CRIMINAL CODE OFFENCES - Assaults - Sexual assault - Consent
Appeal by Rioux from a judgment of the Quebec Court of Appeal which set aside a judgment acquitting him of sexual assault and ordered a new trial.
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November 07, 2025
Pierre-Olivier Gagnon appointed to Quebec court
Quebec Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette has appointed Pierre-Olivier Gagnon as a judge of the Court of Quebec, where he will serve primarily in the Criminal and Penal Division in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.
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November 07, 2025
Public disclosure of criminal offences
The law society’s “transparency” is about managing public opinion.
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November 06, 2025
Power at the door: Bouncers and the use of force
Bars, lounges, nightclubs, et cetera are public stages for private enterprise; lively, necessary, sometimes combustible places where the safety of staff and patrons is paramount. At the door stands the bouncer: an individual whose presence reassures staff and is said to reassure customers as well. They enforce house rules and must, on occasion, confront disorder.
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November 06, 2025
A veteran correctional officer’s take on personal self defence, part two: Developing the mindset
It was 3:45 p.m. and school was out. Kids were gathering around an outdoor basketball court anticipating a schoolyard fight.
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November 06, 2025
Biometric identities and the invisible person: The fight for ‘facial privacy’ in Canada
When you walk down a city street today, cameras are quietly watching, capturing and, in some cases, analyzing the smallest details of your face. This, in essence, is the new frontier of identity: the age of biometric recognition.
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November 06, 2025
Newfoundland Appeal Court cites public safety in denying drug dealer bail
There is growing concern that our courts are too lenient in granting bail to individuals charged with a criminal offence. Some criticize the judicial process as “catch and release.” However, there is little public comment when bail is requested pending appeal for what even the Crown considered an excessively harsh sentence.
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November 06, 2025
PROCEDURE - Trials - Mistrial
Appeal by appellant from the application judge’s decision dismissing his application for delay. This appeal called for guidance concerning how mistrials affect an accused’s right to be tried within a reasonable time.
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November 05, 2025
Saskatchewan introduces legislation to modernize defamation laws
Saskatchewan is proposing legislative changes in a bid to modernize the province’s defamation laws, which would include eliminating the “outdated” distinction between libel and slander.
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November 05, 2025
Recalculating Jordan after a mistrial
Every accused person has the Charter right to be tried within a reasonable time. What is considered reasonable was defined in R. v. Jordan, 2016 SCC 27. Calculations under Jordan can be complex. A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision provided guidance on how to perform a Jordan calculation when there has been a mistrial.