Natural Resources
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March 28, 2024
Appeal decision upholds governments’ fiduciary duty to First Nations
In a recent B.C. Court of Appeal decision, Thomas v. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., 2024 BCCA 62, the court declared that the provincial and federal governments have an ongoing fiduciary duty to protect the Stellat’en and Saik’uz First Nations Aboriginal rights. The court upheld most parts of the lower court’s decision, although the declaratory relief granted to the appellant First Nations was notably expanded.
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March 28, 2024
Electricity association calls for legislative, regulatory action to meet net-zero targets
Canada needs to take urgent regulatory and legislative action to improve its national electrical grid if it wants to meet its net-zero emissions targets, says an industry association.
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March 27, 2024
Facilitating international document verification: Canada ratifies Apostille Convention
Canada’s recent decision to ratify the Apostille Convention marks its significant effort to simplify cross-border and global document verification.
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March 25, 2024
Ontario extending gas tax cuts until end of the year
The Ontario government is proposing legislation that would extend the existing gasoline and fuel tax cuts until Dec. 31.
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March 22, 2024
Report calls for changes to Ontario environment legislation, greater accountability
Law reform advocates in Ontario are hopeful the province’s PC government will accept a sweeping new report calling for greater accountability, as well giving people the right to a healthy environment and the ability to launch “protection actions” against rule-breakers. The new Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) report, released this month, recommends numerous amendments to the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) – changes that, among other things, centre on the provincial government being held to greater accountability when it comes to decisions potentially impacting the environment.
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March 21, 2024
Politicization of tribunal appointments worse than that of judicial appointments | Brian Cook
Recent moves by the current government to politicize the process of appointing judges have caused significant concern. The process for appointing adjudicators who sit on Ontario’s adjudicative tribunals is much worse. The government has been criticized for making political appointments to the committee responsible for making judicial appointment recommendations. There is no such committee, and virtually no other form of oversight for appointments to adjudicative tribunals.
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March 20, 2024
CROWN - Ministries, departments and agencies - Ministerial orders or directives
Appeal by appellant of the chambers judge’s decision on ground that the judge erred in concluding that the Ministerial Order did not suspend the applicable s. 3(1)(a) limitation period for 75 days.
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March 20, 2024
Banking regulator updates climate risk policy as RBC faces renewed call to reduce oil funding
Canada’s financial services watchdog is updating a policy designed to make climate threats facing the sector more transparent — even as Canada’s largest bank faces renewed accusations of greenwashing.
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March 20, 2024
Federal Court grants shipowner leave to amend claim against pollution fund
The Federal Court has granted a shipowner leave to amend a statement of claim in an action against the Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund (SOPF) for reimbursement of costs it incurred to address pollution that resulted from an incident in which its own vessel was damaged.
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March 20, 2024
Montreal cosmetics firm fined $500,000 for marketing products containing ‘forever chemical’
A Montreal-area cosmetics manufacturer is facing a $500,000 federal fine for marketing cosmetics containing a common silicone polymer classified as a “forever chemical.”