Access to Justice
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December 05, 2024
Claims of police trickery dismissed, new trial ordered in B.C. murder case
Leanne MacFarlane and Jeffrey Taylor were fatally shot at a residence in Cranbrook, B.C., on May 29, 2010. Doug Mahon, a gang member, had previously rented the unit.
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December 05, 2024
A path to truth, reconciliation and bridge-building | Tony Stevenson
Good day, everyone. I just wanted to describe the work that we do in the communities, schools, universities and the organizations that invite us to help educate the participants on the history of the First Nations people. This is the history that many of you were never taught in school. Why? I honestly don’t know. Whatever the reason, it was very detrimental to our relationships in this country. If those history books had included the whole truth of Canada’s history, I believe we would all be prospering and living cohesively.
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December 04, 2024
Manitoba enacts new laws, regulations for amateur combative sports
Manitoba now has new laws strengthening safety standards for amateur fighting sports — thus opening the door to the hosing of “combative” competitions. According to a Dec 3 news release, the province’s Combative Sports Amendment Act and its corresponding regulations came into force Dec. 1.
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December 04, 2024
Our land for the future: What NWT PFP means for Indigenous-led conservation
On Nov. 14, 2024, 22 Indigenous partners, alongside the federal and territorial governments and private philanthropists led by Pew Charitable Trusts, gathered in Behchokǫ̀ to celebrate a landmark achievement in conservation and reconciliation: the signing of the Northwest Territories (NWT) Project Finance for Permanence Agreement (NWT: Our Land for the Future Agreement). This agreement represents a transformative step toward long-term, Indigenous-led stewardship of Canada’s northern ecosystems.
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December 04, 2024
Why Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed ineffective counselling claim in sex assault case
Darius Clarke appealed his conviction for sexual interference and sexual assault, claiming that he had ineffective assistance of counsel. He also blamed the trial judge for misapprehending the evidence of where DNA was found on the complainant. He was also critical of the trial judge’s acceptance of the complainant’s testimony and finding it credible. The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Clarke’s appeal in written reasons handed down on Oct. 31, 2004 (R. v. Clarke, 2024 ABCA 346).
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December 03, 2024
Privacy Commissioner: New Ontario law regulating AI in public sector has significant shortcomings
Ontario’s privacy commission Patricia Kosseim has said that a lack of transparency and explicit independent oversight in a recently passed bill addressing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems at public sector entities should be a “cause of concern of Ontarians.”
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December 03, 2024
Removal of right to sue in Ontario bike lane legislation leads to ‘slippery slope’ concerns: lawyers
Municipal politicians and cyclists have expressed strong opposition to Ontario’s recently passed law permitting the removal of bike lanes in Toronto and other cities, but members of the personal injury bar are raising concerns about limitations in the legislation on the ability to sue for people who may become injured or die as a result of the lanes being taken out — which they say could lead to a “slippery slope” of such provisions being included in other legislation.
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December 03, 2024
B.C. expands public sector whistleblower protections to research universities and WorkSafeBC
British Columbia has expanded the scope of the province’s whistleblower protection legislation, the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA), to include research universities and WorkSafeBC, according to a release.
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December 02, 2024
Alberta to end ‘cash cow’ photo radar on highways in 2025
The Alberta government has announced it will end photo radar ticketing on numbered provincial highways effective April 1, 2025, saying photo radar will be eliminated where revenue is generated with no traffic safety benefit.
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December 02, 2024
Transport Canada faces possible class action over alleged water contamination in Newfoundland town
A proposed class action against Transport Canada has been filed in the Federal Court concerning microplastic forever chemicals found in the drinking water of a Newfoundland and Labrador community.