Constitutional
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November 01, 2024
Narrow, complex decision has SCC decide on eligibility for preliminary hearings
Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that two men accused of sex crimes and each facing a maximum of 10 years in prison were entitled to preliminary inquiries — even though legislative changes made during their criminal proceedings restricted such hearings to those facing a maximum of 14 years.
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October 31, 2024
Speakers at Manitoba A2J conference call for more prison libraries
Many of Canada’s provinces should take cues from Ottawa and move to properly recognize the need for libraries in prisons, say speakers at a recent event in Manitoba.
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October 30, 2024
Alberta taking feds to court over decision to exempt home heating oil from carbon levy
Alberta is taking the federal Liberal government to court to challenge the constitutionality of exemptions from Canada’s carbon pricing regime given to heating oil that were enacted last year.
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October 29, 2024
Concepts like double jeopardy don’t apply to school board proceedings: Ontario Court of Appeal
Ontario’s top court has dealt a blow to a Toronto Catholic school trustee who was challenging sanctions he received after making controversial comments at a board meeting, which were condemned as discriminatory towards the LGBTQ+ community.
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October 28, 2024
N.S. Accessibility Advisory Board releases recommendations on workplaces
Nova Scotia disability and accessibility officials have released recommendations they have made to the province’s government around workplace recruitment policies, emergency evacuation practices and job accommodations.
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October 25, 2024
Ontario mayors’ calls on homelessness, addiction raise spectre of involuntary detention: CCLA
Municipal politicians from across Ontario are calling on provincial lawmakers to take more steps to deal with the crises of homelessness and addiction that are impacting their cities, but a prominent civil liberties group is raising concerns the plans could lead to an expansion in the use of forced treatment to individuals with mental health or addiction issues.
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October 24, 2024
No unwritten exemption for media access to records in youth criminal justice law: Ontario court
Ontario’s top court has ruled against a group of media companies and reporters who were seeking access to youth court records in a high-profile murder case from 2022.
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October 22, 2024
Prairie court examines expansion of challenges for cause in jury selection
Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has moved “the line in the sand” when it comes to challenges for cause in jury selections, says the lawyer of a man accused of murder who was granted a new trial after it was found a judge was wrong to bar him from challenging prospective jurors on their possible bias toward gang members.
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October 21, 2024
First Nations reject $47.8B deal for long-term Indigenous child services reform
The federal government has expressed disappointment in a decision by First Nations chiefs to vote against a $47.8 billion deal on long-term reform of Indigenous child and family services over concerns about the uncertainty of annual funding approvals and the implementation structure of the agreement.
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October 17, 2024
Ontario Court of Appeal orders new hearing for youth-driven climate constitutional challenge
A landmark challenge of Ontario’s climate change legislation has been given new life by the province’s top court.