author archive



Can a Google Search Suggestion Be Defamatory?

by John Gregory

February 3rd, 2012

The Paris court of appeals has decided that a suggested search query generated by the Google Suggest function defamed the company whose name was first entered into the search box. This feature works by… [more]

The EU privacy directive (1995 version – I gather that it is being revised, though I don't know on what timetable) provides that member countries may not release personal information… [more]

Electronic Seals: The Public Sector

by John Gregory

December 23rd, 2011

In my last column, I reviewed the uses of seals in transactional documents and the means by which seals could be created in electronic communications. Here I will deal with… [more]

Seasonal Disclaimers – and Copyright?

by John Gregory

December 19th, 2011

'Tis the season for law firms (and no doubt others) to send out season's greetings by email, most often accompanied by the usual wordy and sometimes bilingual notices that the… [more]

Internet Defamation – Worse Than Other Media?

by John Gregory

December 12th, 2011

We read from time to time that Internet defamation is worse than that in other media because of its global reach and persistence over time. Thus the Ontario Court of… [more]

More on Licence Plates as Personal Information

by John Gregory

December 8th, 2011

Last April, David Canton noted an Alberta Court of Appeal decision that Leon's Furniture was justified in collecting licence plate information from people picking up furniture at the store. The… [more]

Online Defamation – Liability of Hosts Once on Notice

by John Gregory

December 2nd, 2011

An English (and Welsh) court has held that Google, as owner of Blogger.com, is not liable for defamation posted to a blog, even after the subject of the defamation gave notice… [more]

Evidence-Based Policy?

by John Gregory

December 2nd, 2011

The Honourable Rob Nicholson responded to critics of the current crime bill who said that crime is declining and the vast majority of Canadians feel safe, “We don’t govern on… [more]

Electronic Seals

by John Gregory

October 28th, 2011

Canada’s electronic commerce legislation in Canada tells us how to create an electronic document that will satisfy a legal requirement that the information must be in writing. Most such legislation… [more]

Browsewrap "Contract" Upheld in Canada

by John Gregory

October 21st, 2011

The British Columbia Supreme Court has recently given judgment for Century 21 Real Estate company against a company (affiliated with Rogers Communications) that scraped real estate listing information from the… [more]

A U.S. court has decided that a bank whose client lost money because someone hacked into its account and transferred funds out of it, was not liable to the client… [more]

Lawyers, Engineers and Technology: A Case Study

by John Gregory

August 25th, 2011

Lawyers and engineers see the world differently. It is as if they speak different languages, and difficulties of mutual understanding arise. The problem is not so much that they use… [more]

SlawTips      

SlawTips Open Access Journals
Wednesday, February 8

There is good leagal content that doesn’t necessarily come in the neat packages that we usually look in.  Though our commercial legal database subscriptions have linked, vetted, edited, and easily. […] »»

Research

SlawTips Use join.me to Get on the Same Page Across the Web
Wednesday, February 8

When you need to collaborate on a document displayed on your screen, it’s great to have a colleague from down the hall come into your office and look over your … »»

Technology

SlawTips Top 10 Financial Errors: #8 Always Assume More Risk Than Needed
Friday, February 3

You should assess whether you can accept the financial risks associated with taking the matter, just as clients will assess whether they can (and will) pay your fee. Spend time at the beginning of the. […] »»

Practice

noted on Slaw    

MLB Selected Case Summaries    

These summaries of selected recent cases are provided each week to Slaw by Maritime Law Book.
More information.

  • Banks and Banking - Liability of banks to third parties - Negligence - General

    The plaintiffs were the former shareholders of a company that failed. They sued the defendant bank alleging that it breached its contract with the company and the plaintiffs and breached a duty ...

  • Actions - Cause of action - General principles - New or extended cause of action - Opening of floodgates

    The plaintiff and defendant worked at different branches of the same bank. The defendant’s common-law husband was the plaintiff’s ex-husband. Over a four year period, the defendant ...

  • Aliens - Definitions and general principles - Immigration consultants

    The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) had been designated as the sole regulatory body of immigration consultants in Canada from 2004 until June 2011. On June 30, 2011, Bill C-35 came into force, which significantly amended ...

  • Criminal Law - Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Public morals - Obscenity - Possession of child pornography

    The accused was convicted of making child pornography available and two counts of possession of child pornography (see [2010] Sask.R. Uned. 197). Subsequently, he was sentenced ...

  • Criminal Law - Procedure - Charge or directions - Jury or judge alone - Directions regarding pleas or evidence of witnesses, co-accused and accomplices

    Rowe was convicted by a jury of five offences. He appealed.

    The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed ...

  • Narcotic Control - Offences - Possession - General

    The accused wished to access marijuana for medicinal purposes but did not have an authorization to possess marijuana issued under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. He was notified that a package of marihuana addressed to him had been ...

  • Narcotic Control - General - Legislation - Exemptions - Medicinal marijuana

    McCrady, who had an application pending under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to possess and grow marijuana, was convicted of possession of marijuana (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), s. 4(1)). Hearn pleaded guilty ...

  • Criminal Law - Sentence - Trafficking in hashish or marijuana (incl. possession for purposes of trafficking)

    The accused pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment to be served intermittently and 11 months’ ...

  • Municipal Law - Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Imposition and collection of taxes or fees 

    Catalyst Paper Corp. operated a paper mill in the District of North Cowichan. Catalyst objected to the tax rate that it paid compared to residential ratepayers. In 2009, the ...


law foundation icon

The re-development
of Slaw is assisted by
a grant from the
Law Foundation of Ontario

TalkLaw/ParLoi    

This is a listing of a few upcoming events in Canada of interest to lawyers, law students, legal librarians, and others involved in the practice of law.

Clicking on any event in the list below will give you access to more information and to links allowing you to see the full entry and to add the event to your own calendar.

Click this link for a fuller version of the TalkLaw/ParLoi calendar of events and for instructions as to how to add events and calendars to your own calendar.

Switch to our mobile site