In September 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada significantly changed the law on public interest standing. It did so under the banner of advancing access to justice. After being released, Canada (AG) v Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence, 2012 SCC 45 [SWUAV] received praise for … [Read more...]
Public Interest Standing and the Bedford Case
According to law professor Jane Bailey, inaccessibility of justice is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem for middle-class Canadians. Exorbitant fees and lengthy timelines often act as barriers for many who may be interested in having their concerns formally heard and addressed through the … [Read more...]
Can Administrative Agencies Grant Common Law Public Interest Standing?
Whether administrative agencies can grant public interest standing the way that courts do is an unsettled question. This question usually arises at environmental agencies whose enabling legislation provides standing based on affected personal interests. Multiple court cases have found that specific … [Read more...]
Unpaid Internships: The Views of a Survivor!
Last week a Craigslist post made the rounds of my social circle in Vancouver. It advertised an exciting opportunity for a peppy, earnest young person to become a "Barista Intern", to learn to handle, and I quote, "thirst and hunger requirements." Needless to say, it was torn apart and taken down not … [Read more...]
Unpaid Interns have Little Protection under the Law
Imagine spending years in university, only to graduate and find out that in order to secure a job, you would have to work an undetermined amount of time for free. At the end of the internship, there will be no assurance of employment; instead, you can chalk it up to getting some good experience … [Read more...]
Possibly, Maybe, Perhaps: Empty Promises Spell the Death Knell of the Unpaid Internship
Unpaid internships are prevalent in Canada, with as many as 300,000 people currently working for free for some of the wealthiest and biggest transnational corporations. It has sparked nation-wide debate that has resulted in the naming and shaming of many businesses and corporations, including Bell … [Read more...]
Is Good Luck Taxable?
Easy Money There seem to be plenty of opportunities to win – big and small – in our lives, from lotteries to radio contests to a friendly wager with a friend. Whether it’s $10 on who wins the golf game, or $10 million from the lottery, does the tax man share in our good fortune? In Canada, the … [Read more...]
Turning a Loss into a Win
I remember the morning well: my mother had asked me to bring in the mail, and as I was sorting through it, a bright envelope with the sentence, “You Are A Grande Prize Winner” caught my attention. My heart leapt; my family just won an astronomical amount of money! When I showed the envelope to my … [Read more...]
Canadian Regulation of Contests, Prizes and Games
Canadians like to participate in public, advertised contests and games. We compete for prizes. Most often we are unaware that the promoters of these events are governed by specific rules in relation to them. The law on contests, prizes and games is sometimes classified under marketing law. A … [Read more...]
Aboriginal Children and Child Welfare Policies
Although nearly everyone has heard the term, “Residential Schools,” it would appear that few really have a proper comprehension of the cruel realities and shame of Canada’s collective history. With its origins in “civilizing the ‘petits sauvages’” [1] for the purpose of serving as wives and mothers … [Read more...]