In-House Counsel
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September 03, 2024
Consequences of arbitrating non-commercial disputes under Commercial Arbitration Act
Through the enactment of the Commercial Arbitration Act (the Act), the federal government adopted the 1985 version of the UNCITRAL Model Law, although with some significant changes. While arbitration is not a subject matter falling within federal constitutional jurisdiction, it is within the federal government’s jurisdiction to legislate with respect to the liability of the Crown and federal Crown agents.
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August 30, 2024
B.C. Court of Appeal upholds $16M penalty against CN Rail for starting 2015 wildfire
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has upheld previous decisions ordering the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) to pay British Columbia $16 million for the province’s efforts in putting out a wildfire that the company started.
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August 30, 2024
Public inquiry into foreign interference to hear from policy experts this fall
Experts on foreign interference in democratic elections and institutions will begin testifying this fall as a federal public inquiry enters a crucial policy stage that could help shape future legislative changes.
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August 30, 2024
Report: Nova Scotia workers’ compensation system needs to cut costs, time lost to injury
Nova Scotia’s workers’ compensation system (WCS) should review its cost structure and introduce penalties for workers and employers who don’t co-operate in the return-to-work process to make the underfunded system more sustainable, according to a review of the system.
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August 30, 2024
B.C. court finds hotel liable for cutting employee shifts during COVID-19 pandemic
The B.C. Supreme Court has held that a Vancouver hotel that stopped offering shifts to hourly employees during the COVID-19 pandemic is liable for breach of contract, despite a provision in the employment contracts that assignment of hours would be subject to business demand.
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August 30, 2024
P.E.I. expands nursing duties, recognizes psychiatric nursing
Expanding the scope of nursing on Prince Edward Island will broaden legal perspectives “on what appropriate care looks like” — particularly when it comes to the recognition of psychiatric nurses, says a lawyer.
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August 30, 2024
Time to rethink life with no parole | Norman Douglas
On April 3 and 4, 2024, I was enjoying a momentous weekend. I had driven to Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. from my home in Collingwood for three book signings. It was during the second one on the Saturday morning when I was shocked.
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August 30, 2024
4 judges of supreme court announced in B.C.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani announced that Andrea L. Ormiston, Tina L. Dion, David M. Layton and Eric V. Gottardi have been appointed judges of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, an Aug. 29 news release stated.
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August 30, 2024
Lawyer independence as reflected in Legal Professions Act 2024 | Michael D. Lucas
The Legal Professions Act SBC 2024 c. 26 is now law. Most of that Act has yet to be proclaimed, but the cogs are starting to turn for transitioning the regulation of legal professionals, including lawyers, from the law society, which has regulated lawyers independent of government since 1869, over to a new entity called “Legal Professions British Columbia.”
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August 29, 2024
B.C. auditor general finds no conflict of interest in administration of ZEV grant program
Accounting and consulting firm MNP did not favour its own clients or attempt to find new ones through its administration of British Columbia’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) grant program, the province’s auditor general has concluded.