Natural Resources
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December 23, 2024
Competition watchdog launches two-month public consultation on anti-greenwashing amendments
The Competition Bureau seeks feedback from the bar and the public on the recent anti-greenwashing amendments to the Competition Act.
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December 23, 2024
Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights at 30 years: Time for some spit and polish? | Michael Cochrane
As co-chair of the task force that designed Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights 30 years ago, I took great interest in the Final Paper of the Law Reform Commission of Ontario (LCO) that was released in March 2024. Presumptuously titled, A New Environmental Bill of Rights for Ontario, it is in reality simply a number of proposed amendments — 56 to be exact — to the current legislation.
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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.
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December 19, 2024
Saskatchewan Court of Appeal rules thumbs up emoji was valid signature in contract dispute
A thumbs up emoji sent through a text message is sufficient to satisfy the signature requirement for a contract under the Sale of Goods Act (SGA) under certain circumstances, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has held.
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December 19, 2024
Federal government reports Canada’s GHG emissions have hit a 27-year low
Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault says a decline in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions to a 27-year low is proof the government’s climate change plan is working and underlines the need for its proposed cap on emissions from the oil and gas industry.
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December 18, 2024
Alberta threatens to sue over ‘unconstitutional’ clean energy regulations
Alberta is threatening to take the federal government to court over its recently announced clean energy regulations, saying they are an unconstitutional intrusion on federal jurisdiction.
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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).
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December 17, 2024
Leave to appeal allowed for electricity costs decision not subject to judicial review
The Ontario Court of Appeal has allowed leave to appeal a decision concerning costs relating to electricity for a new development, noting that it would be important for public economic interest to determine whether the electricity regulator is subject to judicial review on the matter.
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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.
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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.