Access to Justice
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April 03, 2025
Federal Court allows discrimination claim against Canada Revenue Agency to proceed
The Federal Court has allowed parts of an amended statement of claim to be heard on the merits in a case that alleged discrimination by the Canada Revenue Agency in its hiring process. The claim was previously struck in its entirety.
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April 03, 2025
Sexual assault and IPV survivors sue Ottawa, argue Jordan fallout violates their s. 7 Charter rights
Fourteen sexual assault and intimate partner violence survivors have sued Ottawa for $15 million in Charter damages and systemic remedies for the federal government’s alleged unjustified breach of their Charter s. 7 right to fundamental justice by not responding effectively to R. v. Jordan, 2016 SCC 27 and its fallout.
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April 02, 2025
Harmonizing justice: Exploring intersection of law and popular music | Connie L. Braun
For decades, popular music has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries to become a formidable force in articulating societal issues, particularly those intertwined with law and justice.
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April 02, 2025
Federal Court: Residential schools settlement bars class action by survivors’ children
A proposed class action against the Crown brought by an Indigenous person who was abused by his father, a residential school survivor, has been struck on the basis that it is barred by the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
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April 02, 2025
Nova Scotia strengthens support for Black, Indigenous impacted by gender-based violence
Indigenous and Black victims of gender-based violence in Nova Scotia will be given increased support from the province’s government.
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April 02, 2025
What I know about halfway houses, part two | Michael Crowley
Halfway houses, a.k.a., community residential facilities (CRFs), serve a number of functions, but primarily they are intended to assist people who have been incarcerated, sometimes for many years, to begin the process of reintegrating back into society. They provide, or should provide, nothing less than safe environments where the residents can go to school or find employment, begin the process of resettling into their families, and do all of that in appropriate, prosocial ways.
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April 01, 2025
Alberta’s proposed auto insurance model creates system where ‘insurers call the shots,’ lawyer says
Alberta is proposing what it calls a “care-first” automobile insurance system aimed at moving away from court battles and providing more affordable coverage for drivers, but legal observers are saying it would take too many rights away and put too much power in the hands of insurance companies.
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April 01, 2025
What I know about halfway houses | Michael Crowley
The use of halfway houses has been a part of the fabric of the criminal justice system in Canada for many years and will continue for the foreseeable future.
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March 31, 2025
Court approves $30-million settlement in securities class action against cannabis firm Aphria
The Ontario Superior Court has approved a $30-million settlement in a securities class action against cannabis company Aphria Inc., stemming from allegations of misrepresentations regarding certain acquisitions that unfairly benefited company insiders at the expense of non-insider shareholders.
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March 31, 2025
Inmate abuse underscores need for jail change | John L. Hill
They just let an inmate die. Three guards and a supervisor were charged with criminal negligence, but the prosecution was dropped after a preliminary hearing. A warden and deputy warden were fired. That was the outcome after Ashley Smith died gasping for air while correctional officers observed her suicide attempt at Kitchener’s Grand Valley Institution but did not intervene.