Labour & Employment
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March 31, 2026
Alberta pushes for constitutional change on judicial appointments
The Government of Alberta announced that it will introduce a motion calling for “constitutional amendments that give the province a say in superior court appointments.”
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March 31, 2026
How discretionary analysis can impact the granting of immigration benefits
Most foreign nationals who make applications to the U.S. government for immigration status expect that their applications will be approved. But many of those same foreign nationals do not know that even if they provide every page of required documents and answer every question on the forms to perfection, they may still be denied the benefit sought. That is because of the discretion afforded to officers who work for the U.S. government’s immigration-related agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) and U.S. Department of State (USDOS).
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March 31, 2026
What happens when a government can override constitutional rights? Canada is about to find out
One of the most consequential constitutional cases in recent Canadian history was heard this week. At issue is not only the validity of Quebec’s Act respecting the laicity of the State — commonly known as Bill 21 — but also a deeper question: what happens to constitutional rights when governments can override them in advance?
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March 30, 2026
PM launches process to select Justice Martin’s replacement on SCC bench
On March 30, Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the process to “select the next judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, who will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Justice Sheilah L. Martin.”
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March 30, 2026
Canada passes Bill C-12: Ottawa gains new authority over visas, asylum
Canada has enacted sweeping changes to its immigration and asylum system after the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act (Bill C-12) received royal assent on March 26. The new law gives Ottawa broader powers to manage asylum claims, streamline processing and intervene in immigration programs when needed.
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March 27, 2026
Canada, Nova Scotia sign new impact assessment agreement
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston have announced the new Co-operation Agreement between Nova Scotia and Canada on Environmental and Impact Assessment.
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March 27, 2026
Canada updates plan to position itself as global leader in next-generation vehicle manufacturing
The government of Canada unveiled a new national strategy for the automotive sector on Feb. 5, 2026, marking a shift in federal policy through a series of measures.
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March 27, 2026
Amendments to the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act receive royal assent
On March 27, the federal government announced that amendments to the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) had received royal assent. According to a government release, these amendments are “key to modernizing and strengthening biosecurity oversight for scientific research and maintaining Canada’s ability to rapidly respond to emerging threats.”
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March 27, 2026
Federal Budget Implementation Act receives royal assent
Bill C-15, the Budget Implementation Act, 2025, No. 1, received royal assent on March 27. According to a government release, this “key piece of legislation will help the government deliver on its plan to build one united economy, empower Canadians to get ahead, and protect our country and sovereignty — today, and for generations to come.”
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March 27, 2026
Auditor General report on study permits highlights IRCC failures
Policymakers should heed the alarm bells raised by Canada’s Auditor General in a new report on the International Student Program reforms. The 2026 Auditor General’s report, International Student Program Reforms, reveals that recent efforts to cap study permits curbed international student inflows but also triggered unintended consequences and exposed significant policy gaps. These findings underscore an urgent need for smarter policy design, better federal-provincial coordination and stronger program integrity measures to ensure that efforts to manage student immigration do not inadvertently undermine Canada’s broader immigration goals.