Constitutional
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December 20, 2024
SCC clarifies scope of Quebec youth court’s power to remedy ‘encroachments’ on children’s rights
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled 9-0 that the statutory power of Quebec’s youth court to order help for a “child in difficulty” whose rights have been “encroached” upon only authorizes corrective measures that relate directly to the particular child’s situation.
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December 20, 2024
Trudeau unveils new cabinet with strong legal background as NDP threatens confidence vote
With his faltering government facing a non-confidence motion as early as Jan. 27, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced eight new cabinet ministers whose tenure may last only weeks.
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December 19, 2024
Observers concerned about use of notwithstanding clause to protect Ontario trespass, drug use law
Ontario legislators will soon be grappling with recently introduced legislation to toughen trespass laws and tackle public drug use as part of its efforts to deal with homeless encampments in the province, but legal observers are raising questions about its constitutionality — and whether the provincial government will take steps to override the Charter to ensure it stays in place.
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December 19, 2024
‘Lessons to be learned’ from report on University of Alberta campus protest, legal expert says
An independent review by a retired judge is calling the University of Alberta’s decision to call in police to remove pro-Palestinian protesters from its campus earlier this year reasonable, while also noting the school did an “about-face” after it promised earlier not to dismantle the protest encampment as long as it was peaceful.
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December 18, 2024
Alberta threatens to sue over ‘unconstitutional’ clean energy regulations
Alberta is threatening to take the federal government to court over its recently announced clean energy regulations, saying they are an unconstitutional intrusion on federal jurisdiction.
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December 18, 2024
Bill to form new Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission enacted into law
A bill replacing the ministerial review process for miscarriages of justice with an independent review commission has been enacted into law, the Department of Justice Canada announced in a news release.
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December 16, 2024
Section 15 Charter argument in drug consumption site lawsuit a ‘no-brainer,’ legal expert says
Ontario has been hit with a lawsuit challenging controversial legislation that will lead to the shuttering of several supervised drug consumption sites in the province which says the province's moves are unconstitutional and will lead to more people dying.
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December 13, 2024
Meta agrees to pay $9M to settle Quebec class action over unauthorized sharing of user data
Tech giant Meta has agreed to pay $9 million to settle a Quebec class action concerning allegations that Facebook shared the personal and private information of its users with third parties without their consent.
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December 13, 2024
Federal government intervenes to end postal strike as early as next week
In what one labour lawyer calls a significant challenge to legal norms, the federal government has announced that the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) will intervene to potentially bring an end to a strike by 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) as early as next week.
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December 13, 2024
Nova Scotia education minister moves to justice file
Nova Scotia has a new justice minister. Lawyer and former education minister Becky Druhan has been given the job of justice minister and attorney general following the Progressive Conservatives’ recent re-election as a majority government.