Faculty in the News

Fire kills 3 children, 6 adults on remote Ontario reserve

Publication: CBC News Canada

Joseph Magnet, Common Law Section, comments the conditions of the Pikangikum First Nation reserve, after a fatal fire claimed nine lives on the reserve. "[The houses are] all wildly overcrowded. They're in outrageous disrepair. They don't have indoor plumbing, they don't have adequate water. They wouldn't meet anybody's fire code regulations."

Joseph Magnet, Section de common law, commente les conditions de vie dans la réserve de la Première nation de Pikangikum, après qu’un incendie mortel ait pris neuf vies.

Confidential doesn't mean 'privileged' when it comes to advice from accountants

Publication: Financial Post

In this Op-Ed, Vern Krishna, Common Law Section, discusses communications between an accountant and a client, and explains how, under common law rules, they are generally not privileged.

Spy agency watchdog 'in a difficult position' with huge budget cuts looming

Publication: National Post

Craig Forcese, Common Law Section, comments on the funding of the Security Intelligence Review Committee. 

Elgin Street school can't ship out kindergarten students, trustees told

Publication: Ottawa Citizen

This article mentions that Amir Attaran, Section de common law, participated in a meeting at the Jack Purcell Community Centre where parents from Elgin Street Public School gathered to discuss how to solve overcrowding at the school.

Vern Krishna: Confidential doesn’t mean ‘privileged’ when it comes to advice from accountants

Publication: Financial Post 

Vern Krishna, Common Law 

Ghomeshi blanchi par la justice

Publication: Le Devoir

Blair Crew, Section de common law,  commente le verdict du procès de Jian Ghomeshi.

Dion adviser Jocelyn Coulon critical of Saudi arms deals

Publication: The Globe and Mail

Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, outlines the Canada-Saudi Arabia relationship, after senior policy adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion, Jocelyn Coulon's comments regarding the Saudi-Canada arms deal. This article also mentions an essay written by Roland Paris, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, on Canada’s international policies.

Time to name an Aboriginal justice to the Supreme Court

Publication: Toronto Star

Rosemary Cairns Way, Common Law Section, is mentioned in this article on the lack of representation of Aboriginal and visible minorities as appointees in Canada’s highest court.

How Canada can fight the rise of superbugs

Publication: Toronto Star

In this Op-Ed, Colleen Flood, Common Law Section, discusses the dangerous over-prescription of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs in Canada and other countries.

Canada needs to keep next billion-dollar startup at home: Geist

Publication: Toronto Star

In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, discusses the emphasis on innovation in the federal budget.

After Ghomeshi verdict, debate over justice reform

Publication: CTV News

Carissima Mathen, Common Law Section, discusses Jian Ghomeshi's trial decision.  

Ottawa's guidance to CSIS being kept under wraps

Publication: Global News Canada

Craig Forcese, Common Law Section, comments the lack of transparency in regards to information on guidance given to Canadian Security Intelligence Service under Bill C-51.

Battle rages over immersion, busing at Elgin Street school

Publication: Ottawa Citizen

This article mentions that Amir Attaran, Section de common law, participated in a meeting at the Jack Purcell Community Centre where parents from Elgin Street Public School gathered to discuss how to solve overcrowding at the school.

View e-cigarettes as harm reduction, not health risk: Prof

Publication: Metro News Ottawa

David Sweanor, Common Law Section, says the federal government is taking the wrong approach to vaping. “The problem is smoke, not the nicotine. If we can give people nicotine without the smoke we largely solve the health problem.” 

Several agencies using information-sharing provisions in Bill C-51

Publication: CTV News

Craig Forcese, Common Law Section, comments federal agencies' use of information-sharing act in Canada's new anti-terrorism law, Bill C-51. "The risk is that it's being used in ways that are going to be difficult to predict because of the overbreadth and uncertainty of that act, and it's going to be used in ways that are difficult to police."

Taking flight and pushing off with jet and bunker fuel taxes

Publication: Embassy News

In this Op-Ed, Nathalie Chalifour, Common Law Section, discusses aviation and maritime shipping emissions.

Jian Ghomeshi Trial: Spotlight Returns To Ex-CBC Host As Verdict Looms

Publication: Huffington Post Canada

Constance Backhouse, Common Law Section, believes Jian Ghomeshi's case has already had an impact on the reporting of sexual assaults and the public's understanding of how they are prosecuted. "It's really important to have conversations to discuss issues of sexual assault, consent, the role of the criminal law in assessing this ... Here we brought all of these things to the fore."

Taking flight and pushing off with jet and bunker fuel taxes

Publication: Embassy News 

Op-Ed by Nathalie Chalifour, Common Law Section and Laurel Besco, Law PhD graduate

Senate's political dynamics shift as new appointments put independents in majority

Publication: National Post

Errol Mendes, Common Law Section, comments on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's nomination of seven Senate candidates. "When he decided that he wanted a non-partisan Senate, you have to give Justin Trudeau credit because he must have known that was going to be very risky. When you have a majority who are non-partisan, there will be times when your legislations will be, not completely killed, but delayed."

Deloitte LLP acquires Conduit and other legal moves and grooves for March 21

Publication: Financial Post

Errol Mendes, Common Law Section, will be awarded the Law Society Medal for his outstanding service within the lawyer community. 

New appointees a move towards less partisan Senate: experts

Publication: Yahoo! News Canada

Penny Collenette, Faculty of Law, comments the announcement of seven new senators on Friday.

When it comes to the TPP, U.S. demands could trump Canadian desires: Geist

Publication: Toronto Star

In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, discusses the implementation of the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Three important questions as Trudeau names seven new senators

Publication: The Globe and Mail

This article quotes Adam Dodek, Common Law Section, who had previously commented on the issue of partisanship in the Senate.

3 agressions sexuelles sur 1000 se soldent par une condamnation. Pourquoi?

Publication: L'Actualité

Blair Crew, Section de common law, discute du taux d’acquittement pour agression sexuelle, en relation avec le procès de Jian Ghomeshi qui aura lieu le 24 mars prochain. «La défense pour agression sexuelle permet de questionner le consentement de la victime, ce qui n’est tout simplement pas disponible ou avancé dans n’importe quel autre cas.»

Higher rates of psychosis among refugees, study shows

Publication: Ottawa Sun

John Packer, Human Rights Research and Education Centre, comments on a study that suggests refugees in western Europe have three times more schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis than the rest of the population. “Undoubtedly a large percentage of this population have gone through quite scary, anxious, abnormal events, and they are trying to adjust to normality and manage it.”

Ontario's vaping policy: Did smoke get in their eyes?

Publication: Ottawa Citizen

In this Op-Ed, David Sweanor, Common Law Section, discusses the recent announcement from the Ontario government to treat vaping the same as cigarette-smoking.

Un programme de common law en français en Saskatchewan

Publication: Radio-Canada - Le midi 30

Caroline Magnan, Section de common law, discute du partenariat entre les universités d'Ottawa et de la Saskatchewan qui permet d'offrir un nouveau certificat en common law en français aux étudiants en droit en Saskatchewan.