Faculty in the News

Here's what you're giving up to get an iPhone 6 or BlackBerry Passport 
Publication: Financial Post
Michael Geist, Canada research chair of Internet and e-commerce Law, explains that the share everything plan can make sense when you have a lot of family members who need phones.

Health Canada is not protecting health of Canadians 
Publication: Toronto Star Online
In this Op-Ed, Amir Attaran, asks "Should we reduce, or nearly abolish, Health Canada’s drug regulatory functions? Could we be safer by trusting in the decisions of larger, better-funded, foreign drug regulators instead of little lame Health Canada?" This comes after Health Canada allowed the import and sale of potentially dangerous medicines.

Tragédie d'OC Transpo : une cinquième poursuite contre la Ville d'Ottawa 
Publication: Radio-Canada
Selon, Bruce Feldthusen, Section de common law, commente la poursuite dont la Ville d’Ottawa fait face suite à la collision l’an dernier entre un autobus d’OC Transpo et un train de Via Rail.

Kim Campbell wants double the number of seats in Parliament and give half to men, half to women 
Publication: National Post
Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell would like to see gender equality in Parliament. However, “gender is not the only imbalance, we have traditionally had race, ethnicity and disability imbalances,” says Constance Backhouse, Common Law Section. “You could end up with an unworkable situation.”

CRTC vs. Netflix: Has Canada's broadcast regulator started a fight it can't win? 
Publication: Toronto Star
In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, comments that with the prospect of a future court battle involving Netflix and the CRTC, the key legal question will turn on whether “broadcasting” as defined by the Broadcasting Act can be interpreted broadly to include online video services. The answer to that question is far from certain.

Want details on Toronto trustees' expenses? That will cost $3,300 
Publication: Toronto Star 
The Toronto District School Board is charging people for access to information. Costs for access to information requests are often used to delay or obstruct the release of documents, said Michel Drapeau, Civil Law Section.

Tax judge issues rare ruling in own defence 
Publication: Financial Post
Patrick J. Boyle, a federal Tax Court judge, in reaction to a written argument submitted in an ongoing appeal of one of his cases, issued a written decision, defending himself against what he believed were unfair characterizations of him, and removing himself from future hearings in the matter. Mr. Boyle’s extraordinary ruling is now “in the judicial domain,” says Vern Krishna, Common Law Section. “It is on the street. Any tax lawyer or tax judge is aware of it.”

« Nous ne nous laisserons pas intimider », dit Ottawa 
Publication: La Presse
En guise de réponse aux menaces de l'État Islamique, le gouvernement fédéral envisage révoquer leur passeport aux citoyens ayant été impliqué dans l'organisme. Selon Errol Mendes, section de common law, cette mesure pourrait contrevenir à la liberté de circulation prévue à l'article 6 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés. « Ils seront peut-être capables de le valider en vertu de l'article premier de la Charte. Mais en même temps, il y a des contestations constitutionnelles potentielles et elles devraient faire l'objet de discussions », a déclaré Mendes.

Fighting climate change is affordable: notables 
Publication: Radio Canada International
The world can take steps to fight climate change and still have healthy, growing economies, says the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. “The costs are relatively low. On the flip side, the costs of not dealing with climate change are much, much higher in terms of the impacts it will have on our environment, on our economy, dangerous weather events, disruptions of agriculture, melting arctic ice caps,” says Stewart Elgie, Common Law Section.

 Health Canada needs to show backbone with drug companies: Editorial 
Publication: Toronto Star
Health Canada failed to stop pharmaceutical giant Apotex from importing suspect drug ingredients from one of its troubled manufacturing plants in India. Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, called Health Canada’s response “feeble, inadequate and incompetent.”

Ottawa's disturbing appetite for Internet subscriber information: Geist 
Publication: Toronto Star
In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in internet and E-Commerce Law, discusses the federal government's increasingly numerous requests for telecom and Internet subscriber information, which emerged as a major concern in recent months with revelations of tens of thousands of requests annually.

Publication: Globe and Mail
In this Op-Ed, Adam Dodek, Common Law Section, discusses how the federal government can be kept accountable.

Publication: Globe and Mail
Newly released federal documents show that many federal agencies do not keep record of their mass data requests. The article mentions Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, and his blog.

Poor record of fed requests to telecom companies for Canadians' data 
Publication: Globe and Mail
Newly released federal documents show that many federal agencies do not keep record of their mass data requests. The article mentions Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, and his blog.

Holding the Harper government to account, one written question at a time 
Publication: Globe and Mail
In this Op-Ed, Adam Dodek, Common Law Section, discusses how the federal government can be kept accountable.

'Feeble' Health Canada can't block dodgy drug imports 
Publication: Toronto Star Online
Health Canada failed to stop pharmaceutical giant Apotex from importing suspect drug ingredients from one of its troubled manufacturing plants in India. Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, called Health Canada’s response “feeble, inadequate and incompetent.”

Whitecaps online video removed after complaints of sexism 
Publication: Leader-Post
After a new online video promoting the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team received criticism and complaints that it was sexist, club management quickly cut the clip. Rakhi Ruparelia, Common Law Section, agreed the video, even in the context of the series, seemed less like marketing to female fans, and more like using females for marketing. "I could see why this would alienate a lot of women," Ruparelia said.

Mike Duffy's lawyer presses for early trial on fraud charges 
Publication: Toronto Star
Mike Duffy’s lawyer signalled the senator would like to set a trial date as soon as possible on charges including fraud. That could mean a trial is held during the election year. Adam Dodek, Common Law Section, comments on privileges that could be invoked by the prime minister, should he wish to avoid testifying.

Légaux, ces formulaires que vous signez pour renoncer à des poursuites? 
Publication: Radio-Canada
Les clauses de renonciation à des poursuites futures contreviennent au droit civil, mais « dans les provinces de common law, la philosophie est que quand une personne exerce une activité, on part avec l'idée qu'elle accepte elle-même les risques qui y sont rattachés, » explique Louise Bélanger-Hardy, section de Common Law.