March 31, 2026
The Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Hartin v. Hynes, 2026 ONCA 227 is a useful reminder that sympathy for an injured plaintiff does not permit the law of agency to be mauled beyond recognition.
March 30, 2026
On March 30, Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the process to “select the next judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, who will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Justice Sheilah L. Martin.”
March 27, 2026
On March 27, the federal government announced that amendments to the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) had received royal assent. According to a government release, these amendments are “key to modernizing and strengthening biosecurity oversight for scientific research and maintaining Canada’s ability to rapidly respond to emerging threats.”
March 25, 2026
Before the Supreme Court of Canada reserved its impending historic decision on March 26, the top court heard starkly different interpretations this week about the nature and operation of the Charter’s s. 33 “notwithstanding” clause.
March 26, 2026
The Liberal government has introduced legislation aimed at protecting federal elections from foreign interference, cracking down on “long ballot” protest tactics and curbing election-related misinformation, according to a March 26 release.
March 26, 2026
The Yukon has introduced legislation that would pave the way for it to join a massive lawsuit against “makers and sellers” of opioid drugs.
March 24, 2026
The argument that a legislature’s use of the Charter’s s. 33 “override” clause can temporarily prevent judges from striking down a law but not from reviewing the law’s constitutionality or stating that the law infringes Charter rights and freedoms sparked a lively exchange between counsel and the bench as the Supreme Court of Canada kicked off its inquiry into the constitutionality of Quebec’s controversial “secularism” (Bill 21) law.
March 24, 2026
The use of AI chatbots by self-represented litigants and lawyers has raised alarms in the justice system because the chatbots are prone either to hallucinate cases or to cite a legitimate case for a proposition which simply cannot be found in that case. With respect to lawyers, in general, the courts have awarded personal costs sanctions against them and are beginning to refer them for potential disciplinary penalties. A lawyer has a duty to not mislead a court.
March 23, 2026
A proposed settlement of $650,000 has been reached in a class action relating to a fire at a Toronto residential building.
March 23, 2026
New Brunswick is proposing legislation that would remove the limitation period for civil claims by victims of intimate partner violence who were dependent on their assailant. A March 18 news release notes there is no civil limitation period to file claims for damages in cases of assault or battery “for acts of a sexual nature” or for “trespass to the person.”