Constitutional
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April 22, 2026
Nova Scotia failed to consider impact of 2025 woods ban on rights: lawyer
People’s constitutional rights “cannot be ignored by government decision-makers — period,” says the lawyer of a man ticketed during Nova Scotia’s controversial woods ban. That man, Jeffrey Evely, was the face of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia’s April 17 ruling in Evely v. Nova Scotia (Minister of Natural Resources), 2026 NSSC 118, in which it was found the province failed to consider people’s Charter-protected mobility rights when it prohibited them from entering forested areas for a period last summer.
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April 21, 2026
B.C. premier backs off plan to revise Indigenous rights law
B.C. Premier David Eby has walked back his pledge to change the province’s landmark Indigenous relations law during the current legislative session. In a statement issued alongside B.C.’s First Nations Leadership Council, Eby said the government will not be introducing legislation to suspend or amend the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) during the spring session — something Eby had previously said was “non-negotiable.”
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April 20, 2026
New OBA campaign brings rule of law understanding to public
This month, the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) launched its Rule of Law campaign in which local lawyers host discussions in their communities to help the public better understand the rule of law and its everyday importance to democracy.
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April 20, 2026
Federal Court awards inmate $65K over guard assault, rejects claim CSC fails to discipline staff
In a decision released on April 16, the Federal Court awarded a prison inmate significant damages for injuries he sustained after being assaulted by a guard and for a breach of his Charter s. 7 right to security of the person, but stopped short in agreeing with the plaintiff’s argument that Correctional Service Canada (CSC) is unwilling to discipline staff for misconduct.
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April 16, 2026
Ottawa proposes rules mandating French services at certain federally regulated businesses
Ottawa has tabled sweeping new rules that would require banks, airlines, telecom companies and other federally regulated businesses to offer and provide services in French and ensure employees in many workplaces can work in French.
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April 16, 2026
Indigenous leaders object to ‘one project, one review’ agreement between Manitoba, Ottawa
First Nations leaders in Manitoba are claiming to have been wrongly left out of an agreement between the province and Ottawa designed to accelerate assessments of how development projects will impact the environment.
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April 16, 2026
B.C. moves to implement treaty with Kitselas First Nation
The British Columbia government has introduced legislation as part of a treaty implementation process with the Kitselas First Nation.
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April 15, 2026
B.C. bar president says UNDRIP law implementation must be transparent, protect court access
As B.C. contemplates making changes to its landmark Indigenous relations law, the president of the province’s bar association is affirming her organization’s support for the legislation and is calling on the government to be transparent in its implementation. In a statement issued April 14, Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch (CBABC) president Patricia Blair called the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), which mandates the B.C. government to bring provincial laws into alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the cornerstone of British Columbia’s commitment to reconciliation.
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April 13, 2026
Ontario privacy commissioner launches challenge to boost transparency, data access
Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) is calling on provincial ministries, municipalities and other public institutions to showcase innovative projects that advance access to information and transparency as part of Transparency Challenge 3.0.
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April 13, 2026
B.C. land claim decision ‘merits careful attention,’ lawyer says
A B.C.-based lawyer is saying a recent decision by the province’s top court in a land claim is of “particular significance and precedential value” as it represents the first time the court has made a declaration of Aboriginal title.