Family
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May 14, 2024
Top court’s refusal to hear bid to fire Ottawa JP ends clash involving executive, judicial branches
The recent end of a high-profile Ontario case highlights the risks posed to public confidence by “inflammatory” — yet well-motivated, “accurate” and “valid” — public criticisms of the justice system from a member of the judiciary and by pushback from the executive branch of government that might be seen as the Crown weaponizing the judicial discipline process against an outspoken judicial officer.
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May 14, 2024
High-conflict divorce: Tips from the trenches
Some spouses who are separating seek out the most aggressive lawyer for their divorce. This is because in the field of family law, where clients’ emotions run high, they are often insecure, scared and worried that their spouse will take advantage of them. In fact, some spouses even threaten to do just that. Which is why some spouses think they need an aggressive lawyer.
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May 14, 2024
2 judicial appointments to Ontario Court of Justice
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani announced two judicial appointments to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Toronto: Ira G. Parghi and Benita Wassenaar, a news release from the Department of Justice announced.
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May 13, 2024
Family Legal Services Provider program starting January 2025 | Michelle Lomazzo
On Dec. 1, 2022, The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) convocation voted in favour of a Family Legal Services Provider (FLSP) licence for licensed paralegals. Since then, Fanshawe College has been selected as the approved and only online provider of the FLSP program. The FLSP program is now in development and Fanshawe will begin offering the program starting in January 2025.
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May 09, 2024
2 lawyers join Children and Family Services Act committee in Nova Scotia
Brendan Maguire, the minister of the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, appointed two lawyers — Susanne Litke and Paul Sheppard — to a committee to review the Children and Family Services Act.
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May 09, 2024
Response to Gary Joseph: A plea for civil discourse in high-conflict parenting disputes | Barbara Landau
When family law was taught in the late 1970s, it was called “Civil Procedure” — and I could hardly think of a better oxymoron. Gary Joseph, a leading family lawyer, is to be commended for his welcome insight and reminder that separations are about FAMILY.
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May 09, 2024
IRCC’s inadequate online access for clients seeking immigration info ‘untenable’: federal watchdog
The years-long failure of the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to create a functional system to digitally communicate with would-be immigrants has pushed tens of thousands of IRCC clients (and their lawyers) to try to track the progress of their immigration applications via the access-to-information portals of the federal immigration department and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), says federal Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard, who called the status quo and resulting deluge of access to information requests “simply untenable.”
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May 08, 2024
New appointment to Quebec Superior Court announced
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani appointed Catherine Dagenais as a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in Montreal, a news release from the Department of Justice announced.
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May 08, 2024
Respect for a system that is vital to democracy | Gary Joseph
I had the pleasure of attending the Spring Family Law Dinner organized by the York Region Law Association on May 6. Many distinguished speakers presented throughout the evening, but I was particularly struck by the passionate words of Justice Richard Bennett (Ontario Superior Court of Justice). Justice Bennett bemoaned what he sees (from the bench) as a growing lack of respect in his courtroom and otherwise in the profession. His words struck a deep chord within me, leading to this article.
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May 07, 2024
Sweeping national security bill would boost state investigative powers; expand & create crimes, AMPs
The federal government has introduced a sweeping national security bill that would create a publicly accessible “foreign influence transparency” registry; expand the warrant, production and disclosure powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency (CSIS); affect criminal accused or judicial review applicants seeking access to relevant “information related to international relations, national defence or national security”; expand the current “sabotage” offence; and create new “foreign interference” offences, along with administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) of up to $5 million and five years in prison, including for knowingly obstructing the operations of the office of a proposed new “Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner.”