Home »

Christina Di Lella

Francis v Ontario: The ONCA Upholds Charter Breaches for Any Period in Administrative Segregation for Seriously Mentally Ill Inmates

In an unanimous decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA” or “the Court”) dismissed the Ontario government’s appeal against the $30 million solitary confinement class action. Francis v Ontario 2021 ONCA 197 [Francis] is a significant decision for two reasons. First, the ONCA upheld the motion judge’s finding that placing seriously mentally ill (“SMI”) inmates […]

Fraser v Canada: Paving the Road Towards Gender Equality

The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) (“The Court”) released their decision regarding the case of Fraser v Canada (Attorney General) 2020 SCC 28 [Fraser] in October 2020, however, the significance of this decision is noteworthy at this particular time in society, as we continue to grapple with discrimination and inequality.

A Double-Edged Sword: Bissonnette c. R.

The Court of Appeal’s (“CA”) decision in Bissonnette c. R., 2020 QCCA 1585 (“Bissonnette”), illuminated the importance of respecting Parliament’s authority to re-write legislation when a court declares a statute unconstitutional.

R v Chung : Accelerating Quickly Gets You Nowhere Fast

The concept of mindfulness involves being present in the moment and allows an individual to take into consideration their surroundings, which may play a role informing their decision making. When someone is mindful of their circumstances, especially when driving, arguably they are in much better position to achieve the best results.

Five Years Too Long - R v Thanabalasingham: The Jordan Rule Affirmed

The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) or (“the Court”) released their decision on R. v. Thanabalasingham 2020 SCC 18 [Thanabalasingham] on July 17, 2020. This case has been consistent with the Court’s trend towards discouraging prolonged institutional delays.