Access to Justice
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August 13, 2025
Cowichan Nation descendants successful in land claims in ‘longest trial’ in Canada
In an Indigenous land claim case that spanned 513 trial dates, the B.C. Supreme Court has found that descendants of the historic Cowichan Nation have a claim to land and right to fish in an area of Richmond, B.C., and on the southern arm of the Fraser River. The province has noted it plans to appeal the decision.
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August 13, 2025
What to make of the Wapekeka courtroom shooting, part two
Systemic issues run deep. The longstanding failure of Canadian policing systems to address the needs of Indigenous communities has been documented in numerous reports and legal inquiries. For instance, Canada’s Supreme Court affirmed in Quebec (Attorney General) v. Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan, [2024] S.C.J. No. 39 that Quebec’s refusal to adequately fund First Nations policing violated its duty to negotiate in good faith and breached the honour of the Crown.
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August 12, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal upholds unlimited liability in 2020 Ukraine International Airlines disaster
In what one lawyer describes as a “turning point” for global aviation safety,” the Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld a trial judge’s finding that Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) was negligent in allowing Flight PS752 to depart Tehran on Jan. 8, 2020, confirming the airline faces unlimited liability under the 1999 Montreal Convention for the deaths of all 176 people on board when the aircraft was shot down by Iranian missiles.
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August 12, 2025
Yukon brings changes to help residents create ‘enduring’ powers of attorney
Yukon has brought into force legislative changes allowing residents to officially designate a power of attorney without having to hire a lawyer.
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August 12, 2025
Admissibility of fresh evidence in question in murder appeal
On June 30, 2019, rival groups, which included two men, Moadd Maadani and Ryan Kabuya-Ntumba, clashed outside the PPL bar in Ottawa’s ByWard Market.
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August 12, 2025
What to make of the Wapekeka courtroom shooting, part one
On July 31, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in Wapekeka First Nation fatally shot 23-year-old Tyresse Kenny Padro Cree Roundsky during a court proceeding at the community’s Youth Centre. This is not an isolated tragedy. Over the past 18 months, at least three members of this small community have died in encounters with law enforcement.
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August 11, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal overturns lower court ruling related to temporary foreign worker class action
In a split decision, the B.C. Court of Appeal has rejected a lower court ruling that found one of Canada’s largest convenience store chains was vicariously liable for illegal fees that an immigration consultant hired by Mac’s Convenience Stores Inc. charged to hundreds of temporary foreign workers who were recruited for jobs at the chain, now known as Circle K.
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August 08, 2025
B.C. judge certifies Indigenous child welfare class action despite Federal Court of Appeal setback
The British Columbia Supreme Court has certified a class action on behalf of thousands of off-reserve Indigenous children and families affected by what plaintiffs call the “Millennium Scoop,” alleging the ongoing, widespread removal of Indigenous children from their families by the child welfare system.
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August 08, 2025
Ontario announces expanded London Justice Centre to aid at-risk youth
The Government of Ontario has announced the opening of the London Justice Centre expansion, a “newly renovated downtown facility located in Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s (YOU) Joan’s Place.”
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August 08, 2025
New N.S. AI guidebook warns of over-reliance in legal practices
Nova Scotia’s law society is using a new guidebook to warn members against becoming over-reliant on artificial intelligence in their practices — and urging them to heed instances where lawyers ended up in hot water over its misuse.