Feds settle class action, compensating 1,700 who became ill on parental leave
February 13, 2019 The federal government’s about-face in settling a multi-million dollar class action in the Federal Court of Canada means more than 1,700 individuals who become ill while on parental leave between 2002 and 2013 will be compensated for the government’s refusal to convert their benefits into employment insurance sickness benefits. For 11 years […]
Issues that keep boards awake at night
25 Feb 2019 With proxy season looming, Canadian public issuers are taking their usual rear-view mirror peek at last year’s developments in corporate governance and disclosure, all with a view to ensuring that boards are properly prepared to meet shareholders’ expectations and demands. And, increasingly, dealing with these issues becomes more daunting. “On the one […]
All that glitters is not gold
Bitcoin and other cryptoassets may be today’s darling, but regulators are struggling to keep up with their evolution, including how to apply tax law to them Feb 14, 2019 If the sudden demise in the price of Bitcoin — from almost US$20,000 in late 2017 to about $3,600 in early January 2019, erasing some $200 […]
Top 10 Business Decisions of 2018
Canadian courts delivered a number of notable decisions that affected Canadian business in 2018, including the Federal Court of Appeal overturning Tsleil-Waututh Nation v. Canada (Attorney General) Feb 14, 2019 While six of Lexpert’s top 10 business decisions from Canadian appellate courts and administrative tribunals in 2018 came out arguably in favour of the business community, that trend […]
Do incumbents have an edge?
01 Apr 2019 In the last bencher election, in 2015, all 22 incumbent lawyer benchers that ran for re-election kept their seats in Convocation, of 40 available spots, according to statistics from the Law Society of Ontario analyzed by Law Times. With the bencher election coming later this month and a record-setting number of candidates, hopefuls are […]
Court of Appeal rejects recognizing tort of harassment
The Ontario Court of Appeal has emphatically rejected “harassment” as a freestanding tort, at least in employment cases — but it didn’t close the door on the tort forever. 25 Mar 2019 The Ontario Court of Appeal has emphatically rejected “harassment” as a freestanding tort, at least in employment cases — but it didn’t close […]
$20-million judgment overturned
The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a summary judgment for $20 million based on a criminal conviction for fraud over $5,000. 25 Mar 2019 The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a summary judgment for $20 million based on a criminal conviction for fraud over $5,000. “The case cried out for scrutiny,” says Doug Cunningham […]
Ontario court grants appeal for employee in long-term disability case
March 27, 2019 The Ontario Court of Appeal has ordered a full trial for an employee who sued for $300,000 in long-term disability benefits despite signing a document that released such claims. The decision in Swampillai v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada reverses a lower court decision that summarily found the release to be […]
Driving Innovation
Technology aimed at lawyers continues to change the way law is practised as those with deep subject-matter expertise recognize there’s a better way to service clients Mar 14, 2019 Berating the legal profession as lacking in innovative drive — particularly when it comes to technology — verges on the fashionable. But fashion passes, frequently into […]
Are big fund managers’ sizeable holdings in companies hurting competition? The Competition Bureau thinks it might
Common ownership by the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard in airlines and soft drinks sectors have led to higher prices and less innovation in those markets, one analyst says March 5, 2019 | 2:09 PM EST Canada’s Competition Bureau, following the lead of other international regulators, is investigating an increased emphasis on common ownership in […]