Courts taking consumers out of consumer protection
Monday, May 07, 2018 Two recent decisions from B.C. and Ontario have seen consumers getting the wrong end of the stick from the courts. Forjay Management Ltd. v. 0981478 B.C. Ltd. 2018 BCSC 527 is the more egregious of the two, evidencing a judicial disdain from B.C.’s Supreme Court for one of Canadian society’s most pressing […]
A look at Sears’ U.S. pension prospects as Canadian windup ordered
April 30, 2018 Whatever the fate of Sears Holdings Corp.’s operations in the United States, the company’s American pensioners are likely to emerge better off than their Canadian counterparts. Much of that is due to the broad powers available to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which regulates pensions in the United States. “The PBGC can act […]
A closer look at Ontario political parties’ pension, benefits promises
May 30, 2018 Despite not yet announcing its election platform, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party may have the greatest potential for affecting pensions and benefits in Ontario. “The Conservatives’ broad focus on balancing the budget, which may result in their rationalizing OHIP and delisting some services, represents the real impact potential in this election,” says Anneliesje […]
Internet research by jurors and judges during cases challenged
‘Judges shouldn’t be doing their own research about the dispute or the parties except to the extent that the information is in open court’ June 5, 2018 Toronto lawyer Paul Slansky has alleged that judges or court staff at the Federal Court of Canada (FCC) appear to have conducted independent internet searches of his client’s […]
Chatbot aids firms’ privacy compliance by tagging clients’ exposure to data breach laws
‘Parker,’ with AI conversations, could save businesses from giant fines imposed by GDPR, PIPEDA legislation July 4, 2018 A chatbot named Parker will help clients of the global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright navigate new rules around how companies handle their customers’ personal information. The launch of the bot continues the steady incursion of artificial-intelligence-powered software […]
Ontario’s pension-solvency rules mean non-unionized workers can’t get the best plan
‘We should urgently be doing everything possible to protect the financial future of 60% or 70% of Ontario workers who have no pension’ July 10, 2018 The Ontario government’s policy of granting preferential pension funding rules to unionized workplaces may be impairing the ability of workers in non-union and non-profit workplaces to prepare and plan […]
Blockchain is coming your way
Blockchain technology is transforming businesses in a wide range of industries. Are you ready? Jul 6, 2018 When Samuel Osei of Samuel Osei Law Corporation in Vancouver first found himself dealing with blockchain and cryptocurrency issues, he chose to keep his activities under wraps. “When I first started doing the work, I didn’t put cryptocurrency in […]
Cannabis Is a Complicated Business
Politics and societal moral concerns add layers of complexity to legitimizing the sale of cannabis Jul 5, 2018 It’s not often that a handful of Canadian stocks get the attention of Barron’s, the venerable newspaper that, for the most part, covers US financial information and market developments. But not only did Canada’s cannabis stocks get attention, they […]
Will the US trade wars affect Canada?
Lawyers are advising their clients to look at new markets on both the supply and demand ends Jul 4, 2018 EVEN AS THE US and China ramped up their trade war rhetoric, international trade lawyer Darrel Pearson found himself busier than he’s ever been in his 36 years of practice. “We anticipate that the workload will continue to […]
Finally, a judgment against CRA for negligence in audit of business
Court finds tax collector took certain positions for strategic reasons rather than good faith legal reasons. There will be an appeal September 6, 2018 A Quebec Superior Court judgment awarding two Montreal businessmen nearly $5 million in damages against the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) means taxpayers may have an easier time holding the tax collector […]