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Bill 32 introduced Monday, December 4, 2017 restricts the activities of political action committees (PACs). Political collusion between PACs and parties, candidates or leadership contestants will also be stamped out, and a $150,000 spending limit will be imposed starting in the December prior to an election year. The government’s bill contains no definition of PACs,…

The proposed legislation: “A Better Deal for Consumers and Businesses Act” aims to protect Albertans who are looking to buy or repair a vehicle by holding the automotive industry more accountable and transparent. The changes would include requiring automotive businesses to disclose important vehicle information to consumers, like a vehicle’s history, requiring a standard bill…

The federal government has halted the implementation of a part of Canada’s anti-spam law, which would have allowed Canadians to sue businesses that violate spam rules. The “private right of action” provision of the law was scheduled to take effect July 1. But in response to “broad-based concerns” raised by businesses and various organizations, the…

The Canadian government  plans to amend the legislation on Access to Information and national security. The planned amendments include giving the information commissioner the power to order release of government records and ensuring the access law applies to the offices of the prime minister, cabinet members and administrative institutions that support Parliament and the courts. The bill to…

Bill C-6, an act amending Canada’s Citizenship Act, has received Royal Assent and is now law. Under the new legislation, permanent residents of Canada may apply for citizenship sooner than previously. However, it should be noted that some of the measures contained in the legislation will not come into force until later this year or early 2018, while…

An unconscious person cannot consent to sexual activity; the government has confirmed in new legislation that aims to update Canada’s Criminal Code. Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould tabled the multi-pronged bill, which cleans out so-called “zombie” laws and expands provisions for sexual assault complainants. The bill introduces a series of amendments to clarify and strengthen the sexual assault and…

Access to Justice was at its finest depiction in Alberta recently. As a last resort to help the very vulnerable in our society, Alberta Youth Court Judge Steve Lipton summoned the media into the courtroom on a case relating to lack of services and support for an indigenous boy. At play are very complex issues of…

Public consultations on Canada’s first national law for disabled people have identified high unemployment rates, inaccessible buildings and barriers in transportation as some of the key issues that need to be addressed. The report was released by the federal government on Monday, May 29, 2017 summarizing eight months of consultations held with 6000 Canadians and…

In a lesson teaching the importance of clarity for drafters of legislation and contracts alike, the United States First Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard and ruled in favour of unionized workers in a class-action case whereby an ongoing $10 million action hinges on a single comma. Unionized workers in this case were alleging that…