Labour & Employment
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January 21, 2026
Billable hours, client trauma and vicarious stress in legal practice
Lawyers who live in a billable-hour world know that time is money, but for those working with traumatic subject matter, time equals exposure. The more hours spent inside a client’s worst days, the more likely it is that the work follows you home at night.
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January 20, 2026
B.C. court finds retroactive share repurchase at low valuation unfair to former employees
The B.C. Supreme Court has held that the retroactive amendment and application of shareholder agreements to compel the repurchase of shares held by former employees under a stock option plan was unfairly prejudicial, and ordered the company to pay more than US$100,000 in compensation.
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January 20, 2026
Das Kapital and the making of Canadian employment law
Karl Marx’s Das Kapital remains one of the most influential critiques of industrial capitalism. Although Canada has never adopted a Marxist economic model, the themes articulated in Das Kapital have indirectly shaped the trajectory of Canadian employment law.
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January 19, 2026
Carney announces Canada-Qatar partnership on trade, investment and defence
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a new partnership with Qatar to boost trade, investment and defence cooperation, according to a release issued on Jan. 18.
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January 19, 2026
Canada, EU sign first-of-its-kind agreement for mutual recognition of architects
Canada has announced the launch of the Mutual Recognition Agreement for Professional Qualifications of Architects (MRAA), the first of its kind for professional services under a Canadian free trade agreement.
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January 19, 2026
Court rejects union appeal over arbitrator’s preliminary jurisdiction ruling
The Alberta Court of Appeal has denied a union leave to appeal an Alberta Labour Relations Board ruling that an arbitrator’s decision on jurisdiction over grievances brought by Sobeys was preliminary and not yet reviewable by the board.
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January 19, 2026
Avoiding U.S. immigration pitfalls
Requesting immigration status at the border or filing for an immigration benefit with the U.S. government has many pitfalls and challenges, many of which can be avoided with careful planning and strategic decision-making. Some of the best ways to avoid immigration pitfalls include the following:
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January 19, 2026
11 tips to get the most for your clients in mediation
In mediation, disputing parties explore whether they can agree on a resolution with the help of a neutral mediator. By contrast, in a trial or arbitration, the conflict ends with a decision imposed by a third party, and remedies are restricted to what is legally available. In mediation, the decision-makers are the parties themselves, and any resolution can be tailored specifically to their interests.
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January 16, 2026
SCC’s packed winter session features momentous appeal on Charter s. 33 override provision
The Supreme Court of Canada began hearings in its very busy winter session this week, which features a potentially watershed constitutional appeal and the surprise announcement that Justice Sheilah Martin, the court’s senior western judge, will retire next spring.
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January 16, 2026
Ford, Unifor warn China EV deal risks jobs as canola sector cheers
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and trade union Unifor are warning that Ottawa’s decision to open the Canadian market to Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) threatens domestic jobs, even as canola producers welcome tariff relief restoring access to the Chinese market.