Insurance
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December 21, 2023
Court upholds $2.6M punitive damages, costs award against insurer for denial of disability benefits
The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld an award of $1.5 million in punitive damages and over $1 million in costs against an insurer, affirming that its denial of long-term benefits to an insured exhibited reckless indifference to the duty of considering her claim in good faith.
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December 20, 2023
Court upholds right to cancel life insurance conversion post-death in cancellation period
The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld a finding that a beneficiary was entitled to cancel the conversion of a life insurance policy, after the insured died within the 10-day cancellation period specified in the contract for the new policy.
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December 19, 2023
Court finds mistaken offer by insurer to release party from action not binding in priority dispute
The Ontario Court of Appeal has held that an insurance company that mistakenly offered to release a party from a personal injury action did not enter into a binding agreement to abandon any priority dispute with another insurer.
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December 18, 2023
Uncivil behaviour on rise amongst lawyers: report
Lawyers’ poor treatment of each other has become worse post-pandemic, according to a report by the Toronto Lawyers’ Association. The study, based on a recent survey involving 332 respondents from both Toronto and throughout Ontario, found that there has been a decline in “civility and professionalism” in the legal profession ever since lockdowns, self-isolation and other public health measures came to an end.
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December 12, 2023
Ottawa opens pre-budget consultations for 2024 budget aimed at unaffordability, job creation
The federal government has opened public consultations which it says will “help inform” Ottawa’s priorities for next year’s federal budget, with a deadline for submissions of Feb. 9, 2024.
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December 08, 2023
Stewart McKelvey promotes four to partner
Stewart McKelvey announced that the following lawyers will be admitted as partners, effective Jan. 1, 2024, Meaghan McCaw, David Wedlake, Lauren Henderson and John Samms.
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December 08, 2023
Canada imposes new sanctions on Russian, Iranian, Myanmar regimes for human rights violations
Canada has imposed sanctions against seven foreign nationals for their gross violations of internationally-recognized human rights.
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December 08, 2023
Law firms urge law deans to show ‘zero tolerance’ for antisemitism, hatred, bigotry on campus
Two months after Hamas’ murderous Oct. 7 attack in Israel, more than 80 Canadian law firms have signed an open letter asking law deans here to show “zero tolerance for any form of racism, discrimination, or harassment” on their university campuses, where some students and professors have expressed support for Hamas and some Jewish students have experienced harassment, intimidation and violence.
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December 05, 2023
Inquiry into foreign interference with federal elections gives standing to 22 groups, individuals
Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, the Quebec Court of Appeal judge who heads the commission of inquiry into foreign interference in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions, has green-lit 22 groups and individuals to participate as parties or interveners in the public inquiry, disclosing she also expects to issue a decision soon on requests for funding for lawyers applied for by some of those who were granted standing.
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December 05, 2023
More male than female applicants for federal benches rated ‘highly recommended’ by JACs in 2022-2023
The Liberal government appointed a few more women than men to the federal benches in the past year, although men were rated “highly recommended” by the country’s 17 independent judicial advisory committees (JACs) a bit more often, according to annual data disclosed by the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada.