EDITOR'S NOTE | Changes to Canada's Divorce Act now come into effect on March 1, 2021 (not July 1, 2020). Two big changes to the legislation on family law are coming next year: one that’s important if you live in Alberta and another that’s important if you’re getting divorced no matter where … [Read more...]
From the Trenches of High-Conflict Family Litigation
Never have I ever: set out to engage in high-conflict family litigation. And when I say high-conflict, I mean cases where the parties can’t put their own emotions aside to make good decisions for themselves and their children. Somehow, though, it finds me. Time and again I have tried to minimize the … [Read more...]
In Loco Parentis
… only minor corrective force of a transitory and trifling nature. [No] corporal punishment of children under two or teenagers. Degrading, inhuman or harmful conduct is not protected. Discipline by the use of objects or blows or slaps to the head is unreasonable. Teachers may reasonably apply force … [Read more...]
Gay-Straight Alliances
Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) are groups formed in schools and run by students with teacher support or sponsorship. The purpose of a GSA is to create welcoming, caring, respectful and safe spaces for LGBTQ2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Two-Spirit, Intersex, … [Read more...]
Distracted Driving and the Traffic Safety Act
As the new school year begins, it is important to be even more alert on the roads while driving and particularly in school zones and playground zones. Distracted driving has become a major public safety issue with the proliferation of mobile technology and the in-dash features of modern … [Read more...]
Student Legal Assistance
Celebrating 40 Years of Providing Access to Justice in Calgary and Area In 1979, a small group of law students at the then newly minted law school at the University of Calgary formed a non-profit society to focus on access to justice for low-income Calgary and area residents. Forty years later, … [Read more...]
Student Legal Services
Celebrating 50 Years of Providing Access to Justice in Edmonton and Area From September to June of each year, over two hundred and fifty law students at the University of Alberta provide free legal information and assistance to low-income individuals in Edmonton and area. These students volunteer … [Read more...]
Legal Response in Canada to the Opioid Crisis
Over the past few years, there has been a profound increase in the number of deaths associated with problematic opioid use in Canada. From the beginning of 2016 to mid-2018, there have been over 10,300 opioid-related deaths. And according to Statistics Canada, the national life expectancy at birth … [Read more...]
Medical Assistance in Dying and its Enforceability in a Personal Directive
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a blanket prohibition on assisted dying in its 1993 decision Rodriguez v. British Columbia (AG), in which the Court stated that aiding or abetting a person to commit suicide was considered a criminal offence. Many argued that this left individuals with an unfair … [Read more...]
Building the New Jerusalem, One Clause at a Time
The Saskatchewan Bill of Rights, 1947, was landmark legislation that inaugurated a new era in Canadian law. The Bill, which contained a clear description of the rights and freedoms to be protected by the provincial government, anticipated the much better known document of the United Nations, which … [Read more...]
