Criminal
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February 19, 2025
Important immigration issues impacting legal status in the U.S.
With all the recent press about illegal immigrants being deported from the United States, it seems timely to write a reminder of what kinds of issues can impact one’s legal status in the United States.
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February 19, 2025
Anti-profit views unhelpful to Charter case against long-term care law | Heather Campbell Pope
When I was a young girl in the early ’90s, I would help my father deliver bottled water throughout southern Ontario. Some days we would go to downtown Toronto, where we brought spring water to the backstages of the city’s storied theatres, hydrating the performers and crews. Other times we delivered to airlines and the homes of famous athletes.
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February 19, 2025
Protecting pets and domestic abuse: The urgent need for Ruby’s Law
Domestic abuse is a prevalent issue that not only affects victims directly but also family members and companion animals. Perpetrators often use the victim-pet relationship as a tool for controlling and intimidating victims. This can often present insurmountable obstacles for victims in fleeing abusive relationships and environments.
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February 18, 2025
Saskatchewan gives update on special police teams
Saskatchewan’s government is lauding the progress of two of its specialized policing outfits.
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February 18, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal applies Charter to quash multiple drugs, weapons convictions
The Court of Appeal for British Columbia applied the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to quash the conviction of a Vancouver man on multiple counts of drugs, firearms and weapons offences. The unanimous decision in R. v. Khamvongsa, 2025 BCCA 33, announced February 5, resulted in a new trial for Khamphou Khamvongsa, after having been convicted on 13 counts in the Provincial Court of British Columbia (R. v. Khamvongsa, Vancouver Docket 255078-2) in 2023.
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February 18, 2025
Duty to give AI reasons: Explainability at work
Procedural fairness is the cornerstone of any legitimate legal system. It ensures that legal proceedings are conducted with transparency, equity and respect for the rule of law. In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into judicial and administrative decision-making, two principles are emerging as non-negotiable requirements of procedural fairness: explainability, and the “human-in-the-loop” (HITL) principle.
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February 18, 2025
Never say you are suicidal | David Dorson
On admission to any provincial jail or federal prison one of the first questions you will be asked is whether you have any suicidal feelings. This makes sense; the experience of being arrested can be quite traumatic, and sitting in a jail cell thinking about the consequences can easily bring thoughts of despair. Your life looks ruined and the future can seem bleak indeed.
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February 14, 2025
Jump principle properly considered in sentencing, Appeal court decides
Sentencing is often said to be the most challenging part of a trial judge’s duties. As pointed out in R. v. Hamilton (2004), 189 O.A.C. 90 (C.A.), sentencing is a human process that requires a look at the specific offence as well as the unique attributes of the offender.
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February 14, 2025
Civil liberties groups say police use of facial recognition technology ‘demands critical scrutiny’
A coalition of civil liberties organizations from around the globe has developed a series of minimum principles they say law enforcement should follow when using facial recognition technology.
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February 14, 2025
Quite the departure | Marcel Strigberger
“Only two things are infinite — the universe and man’s stupidity; and I’m not too sure about the universe.” — (often attributed to) Alberta Einstein