Pulse
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March 14, 2025
A system in crisis: Rebuilding the dwindling Crown Attorney’s Office | Shawn Patten
While I enjoyed being a general practitioner for the first few years of my legal career, I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor. Colleagues warned me that openings at the Provincial Crown Attorney’s Office were a rarity and that competition was fierce. They were right. For a year, I scoured the newspaper looking for job openings. While solicitor jobs in government were few and far between, Crown Attorney positions were non-existent.
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March 13, 2025
New associate joins McKenzie Lake
Ontario law firm McKenzie Lake Lawyers welcomes associate Cristina Tomaino to its Guelph office.
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March 13, 2025
Two new judicial appointments made to Manitoba courts
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani has announced that Douglas E. Johnston has been appointed a judge of His Majesty’s Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba (Family Division) in Winnipeg, and Christian L. Monnin has been appointed a judge of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba in Winnipeg.
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March 12, 2025
Ottawa and Ontario send mixed messages on Canada reopening talks early on free trade deal with U.S.
Accelerating next year’s review of the Canada-U.S-Mexico (CUSMA aka USMCA) free trade agreement is not under discussion with U.S. trade officials, according to several federal Cabinet ministers, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are poised to “start a conversation” tomorrow “toward a free trade deal that’s fair for both countries.”
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March 12, 2025
Two new judges appointed to Quebec courts
Bruno Guillot-Hurtubise and Patrick Girard have been appointed judges of the Superior Court of Quebec for the districts of Longueuil and Montreal, respectively, announced Minister of Justice and Attorney General Arif Virani.
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March 12, 2025
An interlude: Shared facilities agreements from RECO course | Harjot Atwal
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
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March 12, 2025
The legal stage: Exploring famous operas with legal themes | Connie L. Braun
Opera originated in Italy during the late 16th century to present a positive image of the ruler and his court to visiting dignitaries. With grand narratives and emotional depth, opera has long been a medium through which complex societal issues are explored.
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March 12, 2025
Improperly issued, executive employment contracts may be unenforceable | Frank Portman
The legal community was abuzz this week with the sudden exit of Diana Miles, the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) chief executive officer, with only a terse news release being provided to the public. Miles had been with the law society for more than 23 years. She was named acting CEO of the LSO in September 2017; the position was made permanent in March 2018.
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March 12, 2025
The SCC’s temporary validity doctrine: A well-intentioned misstep? | Hodine Williams
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has long been celebrated as the guardian of the Constitution, the institution tasked with ensuring that the laws of the land align with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But over the past few decades, a judicial innovation known as “temporary validity” has crept into the court’s toolkit, raising profound questions about its role, its adherence to constitutional principles, and its relationship with the other branches of government.
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March 11, 2025
Law Society of Ontario awards honorary doctorate at ceremony
During the Law Society of Ontario’s (LSO) Call to the Bar ceremony that took place on March 10, Ronald D. Manes received a degree of doctor of laws, honoris causa (LLD).