In-House Counsel
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April 16, 2024
Exam monitoring software: Ontario Privacy Office responds to student complaint
While universities have the legal right to employ software for monitoring students during computer-based exams, they are urged by the provincial privacy commissioner to take extra precautions to safeguard student data. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) released a report on Feb. 28, 2024, addressing a complaint lodged against McMaster University’s use of exam proctoring software under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
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April 16, 2024
How employers can reduce stress in the workplace
In today’s fast-paced world, workplace stress is becoming a common challenge that many people face. From tight deadlines to a lack of work/life balance, there are various factors that play a role. If left unmanaged, stress can take a major toll on an individual’s mental and physical well-being.
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April 15, 2024
Quebec Superior Court authorizes class action against 16 drug makers connected to opioid crisis
Two Montreal law firms have announced the authorization of a class action against 16 pharmaceutical companies for their role in manufacturing, selling, marketing and/or distributing opioid drugs in Quebec.
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April 15, 2024
Property buying, money laundering: An overview
Property buying and money laundering are two interconnected issues that have garnered significant attention in recent years. Money laundering is the process of converting illicit funds, obtained through illegal activities, into seemingly legitimate assets. Property transactions, particularly real estate, have become a popular method for money launderers to clean their illegal funds. This essay will explore the relationship between property buying and money laundering, the methods used in laundering and the steps taken to combat this issue.
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April 15, 2024
Variable compensation: Calculating wrongful dismissal damages | Stuart Rudner
The theory behind damages for wrongful dismissal is fairly simple: The wrongfully dismissed employee is entitled to receive the compensation that they would have received if they had been permitted to work through the applicable notice period. That is simple when an employee earns the same amount week in and week out, unaffected by scheduling variations or variable compensation such as commissions, bonuses or incentive pay.
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April 12, 2024
Ontario court first in Canada to strike down elements of ag-gag law
In the first Canadian case to challenge one of the country’s so-called ag-gag (agriculture-gag) laws, an Ontario Superior Court judge struck several provisions of the regulations governing Ontario’s Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act.
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April 11, 2024
Union drive at Amazon facilities in Vancouver area goes before B.C. Labour Relations Board
In a bid to organize the first Amazon facilities in the country, Canada’s largest private-sector union has filed two applications to the British Columbia Labour Relations Board (BCLRB).
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April 11, 2024
Ottawa unveils affordability measures to aid ‘first-time’ homebuyers, mortgage-strapped owners
The Trudeau government is proposing measures aimed at assisting “first-time” buyers to save for a home as well as helping cash-strapped owners hang on to their mortgaged homes.
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April 11, 2024
Top court affirms privacy rights for IP addresses
On March 1, 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that an Internet Protocol (IP) address should be considered private. Police require judicial approval before asking for an IP address from an internet provider. This decision in R. v. Bykovets, 2024 SCC 6, made by a narrow majority of five judges, will likely spark more discussion in the future.
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April 11, 2024
B.C. introduces legislation on legal profession reform; law society, bar association opposed
The B.C. government has unveiled long-promised legislation to bring lawyers, paralegals and notaries under the umbrella of one regulator. But the provincial law society and bar association have both come out swinging against the proposals, saying they would erode the independence of the legal profession.