Natural Resources
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November 21, 2025
Federal judges say they’ll take Ottawa to court over rejection of independent pay commission’s recommendations
The association representing Canada’s federally appointed judges decided this week to seek judicial review of Ottawa’s rejection of an independent judicial pay commission’s two key recommendations — including the commission’s advice that a $28,000 salary boost (on top of mandatory annual indexing) is necessary to keep attracting outstanding lawyers to the bench.
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November 21, 2025
Ontario seeks input on budget as key sectors face tariff headwinds
The Ontario government is inviting businesses, workers and communities to provide input on the 2026 budget as the province contends with disruptions in key industries, including the automotive and steel manufacturing sectors, caused by U.S. tariffs.
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November 21, 2025
Ontario’s impaired-driving restitution proposal: Legal and policy challenges ahead
As reported by Law360 Canada, the Ontario government is exploring a new measure that would require impaired drivers who kill a parent or guardian in a motor vehicle accident to make ongoing financial support payments to the victim’s surviving children. The idea mirrors Bentley’s Law in Texas, enacted in 2023, which mandates long-term restitution — essentially child support — whenever an impaired driver is convicted of what Texas law refers to as “intoxication manslaughter” (the Canadian analogue most closely maps to “Impaired Operation Causing Death” under s. 320.14(3) of the Criminal Code).
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November 21, 2025
The legal inevitability of the ostrich cull
However one feels about the recent cull of ostriches on a British Columbia farm, the result of the legal challenge to the cull order was inevitable because the wisdom of government policy may not be challenged on judicial review: Universal Ostrich Farms Inc. v. Canada (Food Inspection Agency), 2025 FCA 147, leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada refused Nov. 6, 2025.
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November 20, 2025
Ontario proposing legislation to prioritize local goods, services in public procurement
The Government of Ontario has announced that it will introduce new legislation on Nov. 20 that will, if passed, “protect the province’s workers and businesses by prioritizing Ontario goods and services in public procurement.”
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November 19, 2025
B.C. trade mission secures MOUs to boost lumber demand in Asia
A British Columbia trade mission to Asia has resulted in two new memoranda of understanding (MOUs) expected to boost demand for B.C. lumber in Japan and South Korea’s expanding wood-construction markets, according to a release issued on Nov. 19.
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November 19, 2025
N.S. to have ‘compliance’ officers in seafood industry
Nova Scotia has a new “compliance unit” to police the province’s billion-dollar seafood sector. According to a Nov. 17 news release, the unit will include four inspectors — their mission is to crack down on “illegal activities in the fish buying and processing sector.” They will be “responsible for monitoring, inspecting and investigating regulatory compliance and acting on offences.”
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November 19, 2025
Trade dress: Peanut butter and other spreadable products in Canada
Peanut butter and other spreadable products, beloved staples in Canadian pantries, have evolved beyond simple food items into branded products with distinct characteristics and packaging. As companies compete for consumer attention, legal protections such as trade dress play a crucial role in defining and safeguarding the identity of these products.
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November 18, 2025
Feds remove internal trade, labour mobility barriers across Canada
On Nov. 17, the federal government announced the removal of barriers to internal trade and labour mobility though the “finalized regulations stemming from the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act.”
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November 17, 2025
PROCEEDINGS - Appeals and judicial review - Deference to expertise of decision maker
Appeal by Canadian Natural Resources Limited of trial judge’s decision on liability and costs award; cross-appeal by Signalta Resources Limited on damages award.