Alberta Has a New Privacy Tort: Intrusion upon seclusion
The new tort of intrusion upon seclusion provides a remedy for Albertans who have experienced a serious invasion of privacy. In the recent case of BD v Germain, 2026 ABKB 590, the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta recognized a new privacy tort in Alberta’s common (judge-made) law: the tort of intrusion upon seclusion. Background […]
Breaking the Cycle of Debt Bondage: How can Canada protect temporary foreign workers from exploitation?
Debt bondage happens when overseas recruiters charge workers high fees to access jobs in Canada. Advocates say major changes to law and policy are needed to prevent it. Southeast Asian and eastern European women, hired as domestics but forced into jobs as sex workers. Jamaican, Guatemalan and Mexican workers toiling in agriculture. Vietnamese women working […]
Takeaways from Recent Alberta Employment Law Decisions
Two recent Alberta employment law cases clarified the law on just cause for dismissal and calculating reasonable notice. An Overview of Dismissals in Alberta In Alberta, an employer needs just cause (a justifiable reason) to dismiss an employee immediately, without advance notice or compensation for their job loss. For all other dismissals (dismissals without cause), […]
AI Quick Start Guide for Legal Help: Part II – Tips and Best Practices
Thinking of using AI tools for legal help and information? Read this first. Earlier this year, CPLEA worked with Alberta Law Libraries (ALL) to gather frontline insights about how people are using AI tools to find legal help and information. We used our findings to develop a new public resource, Using AI for Legal Help. […]
AI Quick Start Guide for Legal Help: Part I – Know Your Tools
Thinking of using AI tools for legal help and information? Read this first. Earlier this year, CPLEA worked with Alberta Law Libraries (ALL) to gather frontline insights about how people are using AI tools to find legal help and information. We used our findings to develop a new public resource, Using AI for Legal Help. […]
When “I Quit” Isn’t the Whole Story: What the Volpi Case Means for People Who Support Workers
If an employee quits because of a known mental health condition, the employer has a duty to ask about their reasons for quitting instead of just accepting the resignation. EDITOR’S NOTE This article first appeared on the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre’s blog on July 15, 2026 and is reposted with permission. Sometimes, a resignation […]
‘New’ Abolitionism: Its role in helping end sexual exploitation and sex trafficking
Despite decades of reactive responses, sex trafficking and sexual exploitation continue to grow. An abolitionist approach would aim to reduce the demand and end the harms. In his book Whatever Happened to Justice?, Richard J. Maybury introduced two basic principles for a just society: “Do all you have agreed to do,” and “Do not encroach […]
The Legal Process for Secession in Canada
Canadian law does not allow a province to separate on its own. A province must negotiate with the rest of Canada to change the Constitution before it can become independent. In October 2026, Albertans will vote on whether the province should remain in Canada or start the process for a second, binding referendum on secession […]
