Articles 2023

An overview and welcome address to the Ontario Bar Association's 2019-2020 Labour and Employment Section.

On October 3, 2019, the Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association hosted the 18th Annual Charter Conference. Leading practitioners and experts of Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) law provided updates on recent Charter decisions and upcoming cases, developments in Charter jurisprudence and strategies for effective Charter advocacy.

Why your choice of typeface may be affecting the efficacy of your legal writing.

A true story of how one Ontario firm almost became the victim of spear phishing cyber-fraud, and six tips on how lawyers can protect themselves from such online fraudsters.

When the Patent Law Treaty comes into force for Canada on October 30, 2019, it will be the second time this year and the third time within the last two years that Canada has made an official statement to the international community that it is serious about “going global” and joining yet another major international WIPO treaty.

Some practical advice for any lawyers looking to improve their practice on obtaining and utilizing mentors and mentor-type figures throughout their legal career.

In the past, relocation of large quantities of soil excavated in construction projects was sporadically regulated by provincial governments. In 2019, both Ontario and Québec governments are proceeding with new regulatory schemes that will impose legal requirements on the movement and disposition of excavated soil. This article reviews the requirements imposed by the new regulatory schemes and their impact in both jurisdictions.

On August 28, 2019, Canada’s new federal environmental legislation under Bill C-69 and Bill C-68 came into force. These new statutes and legislative amendments introduce enhanced Indigenous consultation requirements for mining, pipeline, and other projects that require federal impact assessments and certain federal regulatory approvals and permits.

Before the ongoing round of collective bargaining between the Crown and bargaining agents for school boards and education workers, the Ontario government introduced legislation that would cap the compensation of public sector employees, including education workers.

In July 2019, a fine of $2.7M was levied against Kirby Offshore Marine Operating LLC for violations of the Fisheries Act. The news raises a broader question: are fines for environmental offenses rising faster than inflation? If so, to what end? Is there any indication that these larger fines are changing behaviour? This review looks at the legislative changes in the minimum and maximum environmental fines, and whether these changes are actually having any real effects on the quantum of fines.