As individuals age and medical conditions become more prevalent and significant, the need for assistance in daily activities increases. As a result, many consider moving to nursing homes, retirement homes, or smaller apartments or condos. Alternatively, some may choose to remain in their home but … [Read more...]
AI in healthcare is coming, and we need to be ready
From the alarming forecasts of tech moguls to vigorous debates on online forums, there’s a growing public discussion about the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) and how to manage its development. People often talk about AI by evoking grandiose prophecies about the future. While one … [Read more...]
A little nudge goes a long way in increasing organ donor registrations
Each year, hundreds of Canadians die waiting for organ transplants. At the end of 2017, for example, 4,333 people were waiting for transplants; 242 of them died. Many of these deaths could be prevented if people signed their organ donor registration cards. And even though the vast majority of … [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...]
The Legislative Process: How We Make Our Laws
Except when something particularly noteworthy occurs – such as the implementation of a radical new law or the defeat of a government over legislation it is trying to get passed – many Canadians are not aware of the details of our legislative process. In this article, I will sketch out an overview of … [Read more...]
Moving Toward a New and Improved Senate
The following is the summary of a study completed by Paul G. Thomas on the Senate of Canada. The Senate of Canada has changed significantly as a result of the 2014 decision by Justin Trudeau, then leader of the Liberal party, to remove Liberal senators from the parliamentary caucus; and by his … [Read more...]
How Are Environmental Laws Made?
Written environmental laws come in all different sizes and shapes. For example, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 has 356 sections, six schedules and fifty-seven sets of regulations. Other environmental laws are only one page long. Big or small, they all have a few things in common. … [Read more...]
The Continuing Relevance of International Law in Canada
To some Canadians, international law may be perceived as an amorphous body of law with little, if any, direct impact on their day-to-day life. After all, international law was historically referred to as the “Law of Nations”: the laws which governed the conduct of sovereign states as actors on the … [Read more...]
Where the Monarchy Meets the State: Canada’s Vice-Regal Offices
It is a role that straddles several worlds - political, royal, legal and diplomatic - and combines tact, careful judgment, discretion and wisdom. Welcome to the offices of the governor general of Canada and the provincial lieutenant governors. As a constitutional monarchy, Canada’s Parliament has … [Read more...]
R v Reeves: Shared Computer? Don’t Fret—Your Secrets are Safe
People share things. They share rooms, apartments, and wi-fi passwords. They share socks, Netflix accounts, and leftovers. But what does this sharing entail, exactly? As a shared owner, what rights do you actually have? Does shared ownership allow one to unilaterally decide what happens to the … [Read more...]
