Civil Litigation
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February 25, 2026
Statutory contribution claims under Tort-Feasors Act cannot circumvent arbitration agreements: court
A defendant in a tort action cannot rely on the Alberta Tort-Feasors Act (TFA) to avoid an arbitration clause governing disputes with a third party from whom it seeks contribution, the Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled.
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February 25, 2026
Gary Demeulenaere appointed to P.E.I. Supreme Court
Gary G. Demeulenaere, a partner at Stewart McKelvey in Charlottetown, has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
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February 25, 2026
What the Ontario Court of Appeal wants you to know about commercial contracts
One of the fundamental rules of contract interpretation is that courts adopt a practical, common-sense approach that is not “dominated by technical rules of construction” (Sattva Capital Corp. v. Creston Moly Corp., 2014 SCC 53 at para. 47). The contract is read as a whole, giving the “words used their ordinary and grammatical meaning, consistent with the surrounding circumstances known to the parties at the time” of contract formation.
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February 25, 2026
B.C. decision shows Canadian courts continue to hold privacy in high regard, lawyer says
B.C.’s top court has ruled against an AI company that was arguing that the province’s information and privacy law did not apply to it, with a lawyer saying the decision will likely be cited across the country when courts look at the reach of Canadian privacy laws in the digital age.
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February 25, 2026
Experts, civil liberties associations warn against passing of ‘draconian powers’ in budget bill
More than 100 legal and human rights experts, industry leaders and civil society organizations have released an open letter to Parliament warning that the proposed amendments to the Red Tape Reduction Act in Bill C-15 sets Canada on a “dangerous anti-democratic track” and that sweeping exemption powers for corporations should be removed.
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February 25, 2026
Family agreements: Key provisions regarding governance of multigenerational businesses
In part one of this article, we discussed many key provisions that families should consider including in a family shareholders’ agreement (a “family agreement”) in the context of succession planning. In part two, we will discuss the following additional key provisions that can be addressed in family agreements:
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February 25, 2026
Court slams Human Rights Tribunal’s refusal to hear cases
The Ontario Divisional Court has dismantled a major pillar of the Human Rights Tribunal’s unfair drive to reduce its backlog by dismissing most claims without a hearing.
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February 25, 2026
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS - Governance of - Discipline - Professional misconduct - Treatment, authorization for
Appeal and cross-appeal by appellant and Alberta College of Pharmacy (College) from decisions of the Appeal Panel (Panel) concerning findings of unprofessional conduct against the appellant. The appellant faced allegations arising from complaints about cosmetic services, advertising, and his response to an investigation.
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February 24, 2026
Senators greenlight immigration overhaul despite Senate study echoing bar’s objections
A Senate committee has passed, without amendment, the Carney government’s controversial immigration overhaul, even though the Senate’s own in-depth study of Bill C-12 backs bar members’ concerns that the proposed immigration provisions are unfair, counterproductive and, in some respects, unconstitutional.
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February 24, 2026
Court denies $5B class action over alleged drug price fixing
The Federal Court has denied the certification of a proposed class action seeking $5 billion in damages against pharmaceutical companies for allegedly conspiring to fix drug prices in Canada and the U.S. on an industry-wide basis.