Labour & Employment
-
December 20, 2024
Trudeau unveils new cabinet with strong legal background as NDP threatens confidence vote
With his faltering government facing a non-confidence motion as early as Jan. 27, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced eight new cabinet ministers whose tenure may last only weeks.
-
December 20, 2024
Nova Scotia court certifies class action against Northwood care facilities over COVID-19 deaths
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court has certified a class action against Northwood Group concerning allegations that the Halifax-area elder care provider’s failure to adhere to existing protocols to prevent infections in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the deaths of 53 residents at its facilities.
-
December 19, 2024
Federal Court of Appeal orders reconsideration of maternity leave discrimination complaint
The Federal Court of Appeal has ordered reconsideration of an unjust dismissal complaint by an employee who was laid off after returning from maternity leave, finding that the adjudicator had not addressed key issues raised by the employee.
-
December 19, 2024
Cumberland v. Maritime College: Lessons in termination law and damages introduction
Roderick Cumberland, a long-serving (with approximately seven years’ tenure) academic instructor at the Maritime College of Forest Technology, faced significant challenges at work. His strict methods, differing opinions and conflicts with staff and students culminated in his termination for cause. The trial court found that Cumberland’s actions indeed reflected the issues raised by his employer. However, both the trial and appellate courts held there was no cause for termination due to the lack of progressive discipline.
-
December 18, 2024
Ottawa proposes legislation, oversight body to crack down on forced labour in supply chains
The federal government plans to introduce legislation to compel companies and government agencies to monitor their supply chains to avoid suppliers that use forced labour or commit other violations of fundamental labour rights.
-
December 17, 2024
Ottawa extends accelerated investment incentive amid rising fiscal deficit to boost competitiveness
The federal government has extended its Accelerated Investment Incentive (AII) and other immediate expensing measures in a bid to boost private investment growth — a move expected to cost the treasury $17.4 billion from 2024-25 to 2029-30 and unveiled as part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement (FES).
-
December 17, 2024
New sanctions target Venezuela’s top judge and justice officials complicit in ‘fraudulent’ election
Venezuela's top judge, a prosecutor and two other judges are among five Venezuelan justice officials targeted by Canadian sanctions for what Ottawa says was their undermining of democracy and participating in “the fraudulent declaration of Nicolás Maduro as the winner” of Venezuela’s presidential election last July.
-
December 17, 2024
Vavilov at five | Sara Blake
Five years ago, on Dec. 19, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada, in Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65, re-set the standard of review for questions of statutory interpretation. In that case, and two others decided in the same week, the court demonstrated how the new standard of review is to be applied.
-
December 16, 2024
Federal fiscal update after Freeland’s shock departure features tax, legal changes of note to bar
Boosting the number of judges in Ontario’s Unified Family Court and Court of Appeal, making “bail and sentencing laws stricter,” and new civil remedies — and criminal penalties of up to $1 million for corporations — under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, were among the new measures proposed in the 2024 fall fiscal update by the minority Liberal government after Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stunned Ottawa by resigning from the Cabinet a few hours earlier.
-
December 13, 2024
Feds to remove 30% Canadian pension fund investment cap, boost R&D in Fall Economic Statement
In a bid to boost domestic investment by Canadian pension funds, the federal government is set to remove a cap that restricts pension funds from owning more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of a Canadian entity, according to a release.