Insurance
-
March 13, 2026
Feds reboot new police powers, obligations to give police & CSIS ‘lawful access’ to digital data
Following public outcry and stiff political opposition to its sweeping “strong borders” omnibus bill (Bill C-2), the minority Liberal government has migrated the expanded “lawful access” powers and new obligations for electronic service providers to assist police and CSIS investigators from C-2 into standalone legislation (Bill C-22).
-
March 13, 2026
RSS welcomes Emily Dikranian to insurance law team
Emily Dikranian has joined Robinson Sheppard Shapiro LLP’s (RSS) insurance law group in Montreal.
-
March 12, 2026
Health Canada adds five fentanyl precursors to list of permanent controlled substances
Health Canada’s addition next month of five chemicals to the list of permanent controlled substances that are precursors to the manufacture of fentanyl prompted a question to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, asking why Canada, unlike the U.K. and the U.S., does not also list under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) the animal tranquillizers that frequently contaminate fentanyl.
-
March 11, 2026
Ottawa extends temporary work-sharing EI measures to help employers avert mass layoffs from tariffs
The federal government is extending temporary special measures under the employment insurance work-sharing program until March 31, 2027, from March 6, 2026, to help employers facing unexpected slowdowns avoid layoffs and maintain stability for their workers.
-
March 11, 2026
The billable hour is running out of time
Early in my career, I noticed a pattern I could not ignore. I would build rapport with clients, earn their trust and then watch everything fall apart the moment the invoice was sent. They were not upset with me personally, even though sometimes it felt that way. They were blindsided by a system that charged them in a way they found unfair. Even worse, I would get penalized if I found strategies to be fast and efficient to make it more fair.
-
March 10, 2026
Redirecting the political power of the Insurance Bureau of Canada
When an insurance company agrees to cover damages caused by a careless driver, it is natural for them to limit the driver’s accountability and reduce their overall exposure.
-
March 06, 2026
Exclusion of refugee claimants from subsidized childcare violates women’s Charter s. 15 rights: SCC
In a Charter s. 15(1) equality rights milestone, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Quebec’s exclusion of refugee claimants from eligibility for subsidized childcare in the province unconstitutionally discriminates against women based on their sex.
-
March 06, 2026
Competition commissioner emphasizes importance of open banking, data portability for consumers
Acting Commissioner of Competition Jeanne Pratt made her first speech as acting commissioner at the Open Banking Expo Canada 2026, noting that Canada is close to bringing open banking and data portability for consumers, calling for a robust regulatory framework for the legislation.
-
March 05, 2026
Class action certified for foreign workers alleging systemic denial of EI, ‘racist’ contract terms
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has certified a class action for certain temporary workers challenging their contract terms including residence requirements, termination provisions, enforced seasonality and denial of employment insurance (EI) benefits despite paying into it. They argued the terms stemmed from motives to disadvantage racialized workers.
-
March 04, 2026
Crawley MacKewn Brush adds Mitchell Fournie as partner
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP has admitted Mitchell Fournie to the firm’s partnership.