In-House Counsel
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December 10, 2025
Will relaxed bank regulation help jump-start Canada’s economy?
Canada’s economic growth has slowed in recent years, with business investment lagging and productivity measures falling behind peer economies. Ottawa has hinted that any meaningful revival may need to start with the institutions that have remained resolutely strong: Canada’s major banks.
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December 09, 2025
Federal Protecting Victims Act proposes wide-ranging & some contentious criminal law changes
The federal government has introduced a wide-ranging “Protecting Victims Act,” which proposes, among many things: the expansion of various offences and punishments; new restrictions impacting the current interpretation of the Charter rights of accused persons to speedy trials and to make full answer and defence in sexual assault and other prosecutions; the creation of a number of novel Criminal Code offences; and the effective “restoration” for future sentencing (via a new judicial discretion “safety valve”) of “all” unconstitutional Criminal Code mandatory minimum penalties (MMPs) that were struck down as cruel and unusual punishment by various courts.
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December 09, 2025
Legal problem or leadership problem?
I am going to tell you a story that was told to me by a law firm partner who cannot risk telling it herself.
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December 09, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal upholds vexatious-litigant order against IP company and officer
The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld an order declaring a corporation and its sole officer vexatious litigants, citing years of meritless court proceedings, hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid costs awards and multimillion-dollar lawsuits that ultimately settled for nuisance-level amounts.
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December 09, 2025
Are Canadian courts fit for purpose?
With the Cowichan Tribes v. Canada (Attorney General), 2025 BCSC 1490 decision, the British Columbia Supreme Court cast aside nearly a millennium of certainty regarding land ownership. It did this by severely limiting the rights inherent to fee simple title. It additionally declared invalid land titles under the province’s Torrens land registry system (undermining the provincial guaranty inherent in Torrens systems). Given the nature of the claim, namely ownership and development of land that occurred in the absence of a formal treaty, this decision has nationwide implications.
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December 09, 2025
Lost trust: How employee post-incident conduct becomes springboard to just cause
Employers hate when I tell them that instead of firing an employee immediately after suspected misconduct, they should conduct a proper, objective investigation that includes confronting the employee and giving them a chance to provide their version of events. After spending far too much of my life studying summary dismissal, I can confidently say that this step is critical in almost every case if the employer wants to defend a cause termination.
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December 08, 2025
After statutory review of 18 groups listed as terrorist entities, Canada removes Syria’s HTS
In light of the political shifts in Syria’s governance following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship last December, Canada has removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the list of terrorist entities in the Criminal Code.
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December 08, 2025
‘Simpler’ express entry pathway opening for foreign surgeons, family docs/GPs & clinical specialists
Ottawa says invitations to apply for a “simpler” express entry pathway to permanent residence will go out “in early 2026” to foreign doctors who have at least one year of Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation gained within the last three years.
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December 08, 2025
Quebec’s young lawyers are suffering psychological distress, report reveals
More than 60 per cent of Quebec lawyers with fewer than 10 years of experience suffer from psychological distress, a comprehensive study reveals, painting a disconcerting portrait of young lawyers overwhelmed by stress and struggling with the pressures of billable hours and long workweeks.
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December 08, 2025
Where and how you file a TN work permit application for Canadian professional matters
Many Canadians take for granted the ease with which they can apply for TN (Trade NAFTA) work authorization at a U.S. border or preclearance location. Generally, and for those who qualify, it is a quick and inexpensive way to obtain permission to work for a specific employer or U.S. clients of a Canadian business.