Immigration

  • April 26, 2024

    PUBLIC PENSION PLANS — Canada Pension Plan — Pensions and supplementary benefits — Minimum qualifying period

    Appeal by Yao and Zhang (Appellants) from their exclusion for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) eligibility as temporary residents. The Appellants argued that a textual, contextual, and purposive reading of the CCB provisions revealed that refugee claimants were included in the definition of temporary resident and were therefore eligible for the CCB.

  • April 26, 2024

    Regulatory changes coming for Ontario lawyers in private practice, sole practitioners

    In the name of protecting the public, Ontario’s law society has made it so lawyers in private practice will be required to have a client contingency plan should they unexpectedly have to stop providing legal services, and new sole practitioners will face possible suspension for not completing a “practice essentials course.”  

  • April 25, 2024

    Canada imposes more sanctions on Iran after Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israel this month

    Canada has imposed dealings bans and entry prohibitions against Iran and two senior Iranian military members under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations, following Iran’s recent missile and drone attacks on Israel.

  • April 25, 2024

    SCC to hear appeals on Charter mobility rights and mandatory minimum penalties for child pornography

    The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal of a novel Charter s. 6 mobility rights ruling, which held that Newfoundland and Labrador did not violate the constitution when the province closed its borders for health reasons to non-essential visits by non-residents early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • April 25, 2024

    World Day for Health & Safety at Work: Prioritizing safety in the workplace

    Every year on April 28, World Day for Health & Safety at Work is observed — a global campaign aimed at promoting the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. This day serves as an important reminder of creating a safe work environment to reduce the risk of work-related injuries and fatalities.

  • April 23, 2024

    Federal budget fails to address immigration shortcomings | Sergio R. Karas

    Last week, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled Canada’s 2024 Budget, which proposes a whopping $52.9 billion in federal spending. Of particular concern are the $743.5 million over five years, along with an ongoing $159.5 million, earmarked for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to tackle challenges within the backlogged refugee system. While this is an area of concern, the budget is unclear on how these significant expenditures will be utilized to resolve many pressing issues in those departments.

  • April 22, 2024

    SCC’s spring session features weighty constitutional & admin law appeals but case volume is light

    Constitutional and administrative law cases dominate at the Supreme Court of Canada this spring, with the handful of appeals to be heard involving class actions, standard of review, the honour of the Crown and the right to vote.

  • April 22, 2024

    Understanding the E-1 Treaty Trader visa for Canadian companies in the U.S.

    The E-1 Treaty Trader visa permits executives, managers, supervisors, and essential employees of non-U.S. companies that engage in substantial trade between the U.S. and a treaty country to obtain work permits valid for five years. Canada has the requisite treaty, the U.S. Mexico Canada Free Trade Agreement (often referred to as “CUSMA” by Canadians), to permit Canadians to obtain this flexible visa.

  • April 19, 2024

    Mystery of bail in Canada | Norman Douglas

    Case 1: Alcoholic steals liquor from local LCBO.

  • April 18, 2024

    Gap in the legal field diversity pipeline | Fatima Ahmed

    Diversity in the legal field is an ongoing discussion that has been occurring repeatedly within our profession’s ranks for many years. The problem was identified years ago and continues to plague the industry as a mainstream area of concern. Despite many law firms recognizing the necessity for diversity in the workplace, many of them continue to be predominantly white and male. Anecdotal and qualitative data have demonstrated repeatedly that the legal profession, while getting incrementally better, is not moving the needle enough on the diversity scale. Law firms and law schools alike often place the blame on one another. Meanwhile, the diversity pipeline is running dry, and we have yet to identify the root cause.