Monday’s Mix

Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award­-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible.

This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. Meurrens on Immigration 2. Legal Post Blog 3. Employment & Human Rights Law in Canada 4. Family LLB 5. Canadian Securities Law

Meurrens on Immigration
Duress and Inadmissibility to Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada has “clarified” the elements of the duress defence. The defence is important because it can affect admissibility. For example, in Guerra Diaz v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 88, the Federal Court of Court determined that the Immigration and Refugee Board improperly applied the test of whether duress applied, and ordered a new hearing by a different member. Duress and Inadmissibility It is basically trite law that where there is duress, then a person does not have the mens rea do either commit a crime or be a member in a group that renders the individual inadmissible to Canada. In Jalloh v. Canada (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2012 FC 317, the Federal Court stated that: In my view, …

Legal Post Blog
How workplace investigations quietly stripped power away from CEOs

Howard Levitt: What I see in my board advisory work is that the most influential voices are external investigators. Twenty years ago, the most powerful people inside major corporations were obvious. The CEO. The board chair. Perhaps the founder. Occasionally the CFO. Today, during moments of internal crisis, the balance of power inside many organizations is very different. What I see in my board advisory work is that the most influential voices are external investigators, HR executives, employment lawyers, reputational advisors, governance consultants and communications strategists. Quite a team — and not often for the better. …

Employment & Human Rights Law in Canada
Mentoring in the Age of AI

Mentoring has always required a deliberate and intentional approach. It is not something that happens automatically, even in traditional workplaces. In a virtual environment, that becomes even more apparent. Without the benefit of informal, in-person interaction, mentoring has to be built into how the organization operates. That includes recurring check-ins that are actually scheduled, as well as peer buddy systems so people have someone they can go to with day-to-day questions, brain-storming and support. It also means ensuring access to more senior team members in a way that feels natural, not overly formal and that removes the mentee’s fear of “bothering” the mentor. …

Family LLB
When Family Heirlooms Become Legal Battles

Family heirlooms often carry deep emotional significance, but when relationships end, they can also become sources of legal conflict. Understanding how Ontario law treats gifts, inherited property, and sentimental items can help prevent disputes and protect both financial and emotional value. This overview guides you through key considerations when family treasures are on the line. …

Canadian Securities Law
Proposed Amendments to Canadian Issuer Bid, Take-over Bid and Beneficial Ownership Reporting Rules

The Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) have published for comment proposed amendments to Canada’s issuer bid, take-over bid and beneficial ownership reporting regimes (the “Proposed Amendments”). If adopted, the Proposed Amendments would be the first material amendments to these regimes in over a decade and, among other things, address issues that have arisen in practice and regulatory hearings during the past 10 years. The CSA have stated that the Proposed Amendments are also intended to provide issuers with greater flexibility to repurchase their own securities, enhance transparency of ownership of derivative interests in certain circumstances and reduce regulatory burden through clarifying amendments and supplemental policy guidance. Comments on the Proposed Amendments are due by August 12, 2026. …

_________________________

*Randomness here is created by Random.org and its list randomizing function.