Criminal
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December 09, 2025
N.S. police could refuse order to crack down on illegal cannabis sales: expert
Nova Scotia has directed police in the province to crack down on illegal sellers of cannabis — but one expert says they may be able to refuse due to government overreach. Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law professor emeritus Wayne MacKay said the recent directive compromises the independence of the police operations and is “pushing the limits a bit of what is appropriate.”
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December 09, 2025
B.C. case highlights differences between ‘con code’ and law’s limited understanding of jail justice
Canadian courts often invoke the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when evaluating the actions of police, prosecutors and trial judges. Section 7, guaranteeing “life, liberty and security of the person,” forms the core of our constitutional framework. However, the protection it offers does not always reach those who need it most.
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December 09, 2025
Driving this holiday season: Understanding offences of impaired driving and dangerous driving
The holiday season is upon us. Every year, it feels as though everyone is trying to accomplish in one month what they set out to do in a year. The days of our lives and the roads grow busier. Then, factor in the holiday office parties, inclement weather and poor road conditions. Together, it is a recipe for disaster.
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December 08, 2025
After statutory review of 18 groups listed as terrorist entities, Canada removes Syria’s HTS
In light of the political shifts in Syria’s governance following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship last December, Canada has removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the list of terrorist entities in the Criminal Code.
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December 08, 2025
Quebec’s young lawyers are suffering psychological distress, report reveals
More than 60 per cent of Quebec lawyers with fewer than 10 years of experience suffer from psychological distress, a comprehensive study reveals, painting a disconcerting portrait of young lawyers overwhelmed by stress and struggling with the pressures of billable hours and long workweeks.
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December 08, 2025
Look out! Bait-and-switch tactics during the holiday season
The holiday season in Canada is a time for celebration, gift-giving and, sadly, an increased volume of deceptive advertising practices. As consumers navigate the wave of tantalizing promotions and discounts, it becomes essential to understand legal protections, particularly regarding bait-and-switch tactics, and to remain vigilant when making purchases.
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December 08, 2025
Lawyer’s desecration of Holocaust monument highlights rise of professional-class antisemitism
On Dec. 1, Justice Anne London-Weinstein of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice heard sentencing submissions for Iain Aspenlieder, an Ottawa municipal lawyer who vandalized Canada’s National Holocaust Monument. Her Honour said that Aspenlieder’s actions exemplify a growing and deeply unsettling reality: antisemitism in Canada is increasingly emerging not from the poor or uneducated, but from the educated and professionally empowered.
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December 08, 2025
From hallucination to indictment: The criminalization of the AI-enabled lie
On Dec. 4, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice crossed a Rubicon that legal technologists and ethicists have been watching with trepidation for years. In Ko v. Li, 2025 ONSC 6785, Justice Fred Myers referred a lawyer, Jisuh Lee, to the Attorney General of Ontario for criminal contempt of court proceedings.
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December 08, 2025
APPEALS - Grounds - Question of law - Leave to - Powers of appellate court
Appeal by Crown from summary conviction appeal (SCA) judge’s acquittal decision. The respondent drove her motor vehicle through a red light and collided with another vehicle.
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December 05, 2025
SCC okays jury charge; whether suicide aiders may face murder charges had ‘no bearing’ on case
The Supreme Court of Canada has affirmed the guilt of a nurse who was convicted in Ontario of attempting to murder both her mother and child via insulin overdoses; however, the top court’s majority declined to decide if and when murder charges can be laid in respect of actions that aid the suicide of others.