In-House Counsel
-
September 09, 2025
Concerned Canadians’ digital sovereignty agenda: What’s next?
Last week, a coalition of policy experts, civil society groups and other concerned Canadians sought to crystallize concerns for digital sovereignty voiced in the context of the current trade environment in an agenda to strengthen protections for Canada’s technology infrastructure.
-
September 05, 2025
Carney pauses 2026 EV mandate amid tariff stress, announces comprehensive Buy Canadian policy
Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused the 2026 electric vehicle (EV) mandate target for automakers and auto importers as part of a strategy to support sectors impacted by U.S.-imposed tariffs. The automobile sector in Canada has been one of the hardest hit by the imposition of U.S. tariffs, with Canadian cars facing 25 per cent tariffs in the U.S. Carney said that protectionist measures put in place by the U.S. were fundamentally reshaping all its trading relationships but noted that Canada currently has the best deal of any U.S. trading partner, with 85 per cent of trade between the two countries being tariff-free.
-
September 05, 2025
‘Denial of Green’ in arbitration: Missed opportunity in Vento Motorcycles v. Mexico
The appellate decision in Vento Motorcycles, Inc. v. United Mexican States, 2025 ONCA 82 (Vento) raises important questions about environmental sustainability in international arbitration.
-
September 04, 2025
Canada cuts its Russian oil price cap to reduce funds for Russia’s war on Ukraine
Ottawa’s reduction of the price cap it imposes on seaborne Russian-origin crude oil recently came into force, as part of coordinated efforts by Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom to impede the financing of Russia’s illegal all-out war against Ukraine.
-
September 04, 2025
Psychedelic disconnect: Charter rights and the case for transparency
A recent Federal Court of Appeal decision (Toth v. Canada (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health), 2025 FCA 119) about medical psilocybin use exemptions provides some interesting analysis on s. 7 Charter rights and significant policy shifts under the Vavilov framework (Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65).
-
September 04, 2025
B.C. Appeal Court rules workplace assault claims need arbitration
The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed a surveyor’s civil action against Surerus Pipeline Inc. arising from an alleged workplace assault and subsequent termination (Gabriel v. Surerus Pipeline Inc., 2025 BCCA 194). The court overturned the chambers judge’s ruling, holding that the wrongful dismissal claim must be pursued through arbitration under the collective agreement rather than in court.
-
September 04, 2025
Can foreign nationals work remotely in the U.S.?
While people have wanted to and sometimes enjoyed the opportunity to work while they are spending time outside of their home country, this practice became much more prevalent and common since the COVID-19 pandemic. With remote work far more normalized in the pandemic’s wake, it is now easier and sometimes necessary to work from wherever you are — regardless of physical boundaries or limitations.
-
September 03, 2025
Court upholds securities class action certification, rejects narrow definition of ‘public corrections’
The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld the certification of a securities class action against a health care company, ruling that disclosures can qualify as “public corrections” under the Securities Act (SA) even if they are general in nature or are not followed by a decline in share price.
-
September 03, 2025
Legal experts & advocates push PM Carney for urgent action to secure Canada’s ‘digital sovereignty’
Legal experts, advocacy organizations and prominent Canadians are asking Ottawa to urgently legislate and implement measures to counter the digital risks to Canada’s autonomy and democracy posed by artificial intelligence (AI), foreign interference and U.S. tech giants’ dominance of domestic digital infrastructure.
-
September 03, 2025
Federal Court rejects racism class action by civilian defence, armed forces employees
The Federal Court has denied certification of a proposed discrimination class action against the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) by civilian employees who claimed they experienced systemic racism.