Opinion

Thursday, May 16, 2019 @ 11:51 AM

Compounding the government’s numerous other cuts to programs and services for Ontario’s most vulnerable, Ontario’s attorney general has opted to make things worse by slashing their capacity to receive legal help and to be heard in our courts and tribunals. She and the government have done this by imposing much larger cuts on legal aid than on her Ministry as a whole, protecting other Ministry programs while dramatically reducing access to justice for people who need legal assistance. ... [read more]

Tuesday, May 14, 2019 @ 8:43 AM

It is the classic line used by judges and arbitrators when they find that summary dismissal was not warranted: “Some lesser form of discipline was appropriate.”   ... [read more]

Friday, May 10, 2019 @ 8:28 AM

There is a biblical saying: “Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind”. That is what the benchers did when they made it mandatory for every licensee to subscribe on the Law Society of Ontario Annual Report form to the Statement of Principles (SOP). It was all so unnecessary. They could have voted for Joe Groia’s opt-out proposal or included equivalent principles in the Rules of Professional Conduct, to which every licensee must conform. ... [read more]

Thursday, May 09, 2019 @ 8:40 AM

On April 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed proceedings seeking arbitration filed by South African runner, Caster Semenya, in respect of regulations adopted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the international sports federation that governs the sport of athletics (track and field). The regulations pertained to the eligibility for female competitions of athletes with differences of sex development (referred to as the DSD regulations) to compete in the female classification in certain events at international athletics competitions. ... [read more]

Tuesday, May 07, 2019 @ 1:01 PM

It was with dismay bordering on disbelief that I read Sam Goldstein’s article in The Lawyer’s Daily regarding crime victim compensation. ... [read more]

Monday, May 06, 2019 @ 11:16 AM

Premier Ford’s government is taking a lot of criticism for changes to the justice sector. The recent Ontario budget announced a 30 per cent reduction in Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) funding and eliminated certificates for refugee hearings altogether. A Toronto Star headline claimed victims of crime are about to be stiffed in compensation by the Ontario budget; and, the CBC proclaimed that the Ontario Progressive Conservatives were immunizing themselves from civil liability with proposed changes to the Proceedings Against Crown Act (PACA). ... [read more]

Monday, May 06, 2019 @ 8:36 AM

“If they actually looked into it, there is more money being spent on lawyer fees and less cases. The people that actually need the system to help them, they aren’t getting the proper support. We have to hold these people accountable. When there’s more money to the lawyers and less money to the people, I’ve got an issue with it.” — Ontario Premier Doug Ford, April 22, 2019. ... [read more]

Friday, May 03, 2019 @ 9:56 AM

Since the SNC-Lavalin deferred prosecution agreement issue surfaced in the media, along with the assertions that prosecuting the company could harm Canada’s economy, I have been wondering whether our approach to corporate criminal liability should be reconsidered. ... [read more]

Wednesday, May 01, 2019 @ 2:29 PM

Another election has come and gone in Alberta, and with it another opportunity to get family law reform and access to justice on the radar. ... [read more]

Wednesday, May 01, 2019 @ 8:57 AM

Firm leaders expect employees to follow the rules, follow the policies and share the ethics and the visions of the firm. In exchange, the employee can stay and will be paid. How can a law firm achieve this intentionally? The first step is to answer the following questions: ... [read more]