May 21, 2026
The decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16 has been widely hailed by the family law nation. I have made my views known earlier in writings in this column. I offer little more now but to join those who believe that ultimately this decision will lead to longer and more protracted family law disputes. I hope I am wrong. However, I now write to again voice my displeasure at unelected judges making law.
May 21, 2026
From undergrad to law school, we were sold the idea that merit would matter more than face time. In university, you are graded on how you perform, not how often you are in the classroom. Whether you studied in the library or at your kitchen table, where the work happened did not matter, only whether you did it. Seven years of training built around that principle. Then you enter the working world and all of that disappears overnight.
May 20, 2026
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey has appointed five judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective May 27, 2026.
May 20, 2026
Saskatchewan is seeking feedback on proposed legislative changes that would modernize adoption laws to reflect the current “social, cultural and legal landscape” — particularly when it comes to Indigenous identity, language and community.
May 20, 2026
The Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark decision recognizing a new tort of intimate partner violence may have consequences extending well beyond tort law. Combined with British Columbia’s recent expansion of virtual family court appearances, the ruling significantly strengthens the argument that Canadian courts must continue modernizing remote hearing infrastructure to better protect vulnerable litigants.
May 19, 2026
On May 19, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the chair and members of the Independent Advisory Board for the Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments.
May 19, 2026
The release of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal’s latest annual report sets the stage for an increase in webcasts and a push to educate people on the importance of judicial independence, says the province’s top judge.
May 19, 2026
In my handy Wilderness Survival Guide, there is a step-by-step guide to building the perfect bonfire. I was reminded of it as I read last week’s Supreme Court of Canada decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16, which has created a new tort — the tort of family violence for coercive and controlling behaviour.
May 15, 2026
The Government of Ontario is introducing legislative changes to “strengthen protections for children in private and international adoptions by enhancing oversight of the adoption process, creating new compliance and enforcement tools and establishing better safeguards to prevent bad actors from entering the system.”
May 15, 2026
The Supreme Court of Canada has created 6-3 a new common law tort of “intimate partner violence” (IPV), which may be claimed separately or within family law proceedings. The far-reaching five-judge majority judgment, written by Justice Nicholas Kasirer (along with a separate lone concurrence by Justice Andromache Karakatsanis), not only recognizes a new tort, it elaborates on when novel torts should be created and on the roles of courts and legislatures in developing the law: Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16.