The Complete Brief
-
August 19, 2025
Ontario court to hear climate change constitutional challenge in December
The stage has been set for the next step in the long-simmering court battle over the constitutionality of Ontario’s climate change target. Seven young climate activists will return to the Ontario Superior Court at the beginning of December to argue that their equality rights and right to life, liberty and security of the person under the Charter have been violated by Ontario’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target, and the province’s plan to reach that target.
-
August 19, 2025
DISCIPLINE AND TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT - Arbitration and mediation
Appeal by the appellants (“Surerus” and “Pecquery”), from a chambers judge’s dismissal of applications to dismiss or stay a civil claim. The respondent (“Mr. Gabriel”) initially brought an action that related to an alleged assault that occurred at the respondent’s workplace.
-
August 19, 2025
Feds announce probe into unpaid airline work in light of Air Canada flight attendant strike
As Air Canada flight attendants have reached a tentative deal to end their strike, the federal government has announced it is launching consultations regarding unpaid work in the airline sector. Meanwhile, labour unions are calling for an end to the “unconstitutional” section 107 of the Canada Labour Code.
-
August 19, 2025
Why some lawyers chase bills
I recently saw a lawyer in my network post on LinkedIn a lamentation about how she works so hard, late nights and weekends, but always has to chase bills from her clients. Her reasoning was that lawyers are simply not respected in their work.
-
August 19, 2025
Binding arbitration vs. the right to strike: A transatlantic tussle over labour rights
If you’ve been keeping a keen eye on things in the backyard, you’ll have undoubtedly caught wind of the rather sticky wicket that Air Canada and its flight attendants have found themselves in. It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as organized labour: the delicate dance between workers’ rights and economic stability.
-
August 19, 2025
Changing of the Guard and Notice of Change in Representation
I just came back from a short but action-packed trip with my wife to London. We did the typical — London Eye, Tate Modern. But when I got to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, with all the pomp and circumstance, I paused to think of what happens when a client changes counsel and how drastically different it is from how the Brits replace their outgoing guards.
-
August 19, 2025
Court denies stay in securities case concerning privileged documents
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has denied a stay of proceedings sought by an appellant challenging the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC)’s jurisdiction over privileged communications in a case that it brought against him.
-
August 19, 2025
Determining value for corporate beneficial ownership registers
Recently enacted legislation requires additional reporting of beneficial ownership for private company shares, including as regards shareholders that are trusts. In order to comply, one criterion to determine is whether an ownership interest has sufficient value to be reported, an area where the legal rules combine with business valuation principles to arrive at the correct reporting position.
-
August 19, 2025
Privacy challenge in DUI blood test case fails to sway Quebec Court of Appeal
Fighting an impaired driving charge can be challenging, but it is not impossible. Obstacles often stem from potential errors in police procedures, faulty breathalyzer readings and alternative explanations for a toxicologist’s report. These issues were highlighted in a recent Quebec Court of Appeal decision (R. v. Chartrand, 2025 QCCA 945).
-
August 18, 2025
Ottawa proposes tax measures to enable capital gains rollover, business sales to employees
The federal government has released draft legislative proposals to implement a slew of tax measures including a relaxation of conditions for capital gains rollover on small business investments and a capital gains exemption on the sale of businesses to employee ownership trusts (EOTs).