On May 7, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC” or "the Court”) released the decision of R. v. C.P., 2021 SCC 19 [C.P.]. In the decision of C.P., the Court was tasked with ruling on the constitutionality of s. 37(10) of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, S.C. 2002, c.1 [YCJA]. Facts of the Case […]
The open court principle has long been a protected right under s. 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms [Charter]. In 1989, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC” or “the Court”) confirmed that “the courts must be open to public scrutiny and to public criticism of their operation by the public” (Edmonton Journal […]
Ontario Teacher Candidates’ Council v The Queen, 2021 ONSC 7386 [Ontario Teachers] has made headlines as Premier Doug Ford’s provincial government continues their education reform plan—this time, to the detriment of teacher aspirants.
There has been confusion in the courts surrounding the applicable framework for determining applications under section 17 of the Divorce Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.) to retroactively reduce or rescind the amount of owed child support (Colucci v Colucci, 2021 SCC 24 [Colucci], para 3). This confusion has partly resulted from the courts' […]
Introduction Generally, a criminal matter in Canada can only have two outcomes: (1) an accused is found not guilty and acquitted or (2) found guilty, whereby a conviction is entered. However, in R v R.V., 2021 SCC 10 [R.V.] the Supreme Court of Canada ("SCC") clarifies what happens in a scenario where an accused is […]
Canadian law is clear that liability extends to ‘lookouts’ and ‘get-away’ drivers. For this reason, an accused cannot put forward the defence that they were not directly involved in the offence and are thereby innocent. The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”), however, encounters difficulties when applying the law on abetting and counselling in R v […]
If one is engaged in public discourse, are comments that might damage another’s reputation protected? This is the question to be taken up in Glen Hansman v Barry Neufeld, SCC Case No. 39796, and a central concern of anti-SLAPP legislation, which seeks to strike a balance between protecting reputation and the value of rigorous debate. […]
In Canada v Alta Energy Luxembourg S.A.R.L., 2021 SCC 49 [Alta Energy], the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) unanimously held that taxpayers are entitled to arrange their affairs under international tax treaties to minimize their liability. These arrangements – also referred to as ‘treaty-shopping’ – will not necessarily be considered abusive unless the absence of […]
Strip searches are an invasive police power that, if conducted without the proper preconditions, can infringe s. 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms 1982, Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (UK), 1982, c 11(“the Charter”). S.8 protects an individual’s right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure. It is established in […]