Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) addresses much more than unwanted commercial messages. CASL also prohibits, among other things, installation of software onto a person’s computer without consent. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) exercises enforcement powers in respect of the software provisions of CASL.

The CRTC reported on July 11, 2018 that their Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer has issued Notices of Violation to Datablocks and Sunlight Media for allegedly aiding in the installation of malicious computer programs through the distribution of online advertising. This is the first time the CRTC has taken action against the installation of malicious software . . . [more]

The federal government’s “Budget 2017,” Innovation Canada project has led to the badly drafted National Standard of Canada, Electronic Records as Documentary Evidence CAN/CGSB-72.34-2017 (“72.34-2017”). It should not be relied upon to conduct any business, government or other transaction based upon the reliability and integrity of electronically-produced records. And so, on July 11, 2018, I, Ken Chasse, notified: (1) the Standards Council of Canada, being the agency that declared it to be a national standard; and, (2) the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. On, July 20, 2018, I received the Standards Council’s reply, and on July . . . [more]

Each Wednesday we tell you which three English-language cases and which French-language case have been the most viewed* on CanLII and we give you a small sense of what the cases are about.

For this last week:

1. Newell v. Sax, 2018 ONSC 4517

[1] The Applicant moves pursuant to section 6(9) of the Solicitors Act and Rule 54.09 to oppose confirmation of the Report and Certificate of Assessment Officer A. Palmer dated October 6, 2017…

(…)

[24] I note that counsel for the Respondent addresses the issue of ‘importance’ in several paragraphs toward the beginning of his written costs submissions. . . . [more]

Summer provides options. You can slow down, take more time, slack a little around the office or you can use it as a time to refocus where you are going when things ramp up in September. Some offices are very busy in the summer and don’t have time to think of the coming seasons. Of course there is always time for business development, no matter which category you fall into.

If you are lucky enough to step away for a bit in the summer, great you deserve it. We all need to recharge and time away from the office is . . . [more]

The international football (soccer) circus known as the FIFA World Cup rolls around every four years and I spend way too much of the early summer watching the games. The best place to watch, I think, is an outdoor patio, preferably surrounded by partisans of one or both of the contenders. In Toronto it’s easy to find supporters for every team in the tournament.

This year, the games were played at either late morning or early afternoon Toronto time. Downtown office buildings have giant screens in lobbies or food courts so fans don’t have to sneak too far away from . . . [more]

Here are excerpts from the most recent tips on SlawTips, the site that each week offers up useful advice, short and to the point, on practice, research, writing and technology.

Practice

The Delegation Dilemma
Ian Hu

You’ve had an up and down year, and suddenly when it rains, it pours. Clients are coming in by the bucket, tasks are piling up, and you have got to delegate your work. Your articling student ambles up to your office with a gentle knock, asking, “Hi – just wondering if you have any tasks I can help out with?” …

Research & . . . [more]

On Oct. 20, 2018, the City of Toronto its 86th municipal election, the largest city in Canada, with the 6th largest government in the country and nearly 8% of the entire country’s population. On July 27, 2018, just a few months before this election, the new Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, announced that he will reduce the number of city council seats from 44 to 25.

There have been calls supporting and opposing this exact change, years before Premier Ford won the provincial election this year. Other cities around the world have effectively functioned with similar numbers in representation. The . . . [more]

One Sunday each month OnPoint Legal Research provides Slaw with an extended summary of, and counsel’s commentary on, an important case from the British Columbia, Alberta, or Ontario court of appeal.

H.M.B. Holdings Limited v. Replay Resorts Inc., 2018 BCCA 263

AREAS OF LAW:  Practice & procedure; Solicitor-client privilege; Implied waiver; Abuse of process

~ A party must “voluntarily inject into the litigation” legal advice it received for there to be an implied waiver of privilege regarding that advice. ~

BACKGROUND:

The Appellant, H.M.B. Holdings Limited (“HMB”), is the former owner of the Half Moon Bay Resort in Antigua and . . . [more]

Every week we present the summary of a decision handed down by a Québec court provided to us by SOQUIJ and considered to be of interest to our readers throughout Canada. SOQUIJ is attached to the Québec Department of Justice and collects, analyzes, enriches, and disseminates legal information in Québec.

MAGISTRATURE (DÉONTOLOGIE JUDICIAIRE) : Le juge R. Peter Bradley a enfreint les articles 1, 6 et 8 du Code de déontologie de la magistrature; la Cour d’appel ne recommande pas à la ministre de la Justice de le démettre de ses fonctions et estime qu’une réprimande, soit la sanction . . . [more]

What should people who want to practice law have to do before they are licensed? This perennial debate has bloomed once again. The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) is seeking feedback on its Options for Lawyer Licensing consultation paper (Slaw summary here). Two of the LSO’s four options would abolish articling. Candidates would instead have to pass exams covering both legal skills and substantive knowledge. There would also be a law practice program, either required for all candidates (LSO’s Option 4) or only for those practicing in smaller firms (Option 3).

Thinking of licensing in terms of footbridges over . . . [more]

New Brunswick violence and harassment provisions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and General Regulation 91-191 aimed at identifying and preventing violence and harassment in the workplace will take effect September 1, 2018. Currently, New Brunswick is the only Atlantic province that does not specifically address the issue of workplace violence in its health and safety laws. All Atlantic provinces do not currently address harassment in health and safety laws. New Brunswick will be the first.

While certain occupational groups, such as health-care workers, tend to be more at risk of workplace violence or harassment, these new regulations will . . . [more]