The Terrible Reach of Citizens United
America's advance as a true corporatist state was given a huge boost by the USSC's decision in Citizens United. That decision launched the United States into its first $6-billion election.Money…
2012
Why can’t you e-mail your doctor? Virtual health care is here, but will we accept it?
Ed Brown asked how many people in the audience were able to e-mail their family doctor? A small handful in the Mount Sinai hospital auditorium raised their hand. When asked…
A Conversation between Clayton Thomas Muller and David Suzuki
David Suzuki is a scientist, author, broadcaster, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, established in 1990 to “work with government, business and individuals to conserve our environment by providing…
Cutting down oak trees to save the children
This has seemed to evoke universally negative opinions: Mom wants city oaks torn down to protect kids with nut allergies. If this has anything greater than a zero chance of…
Justin on pot
I’ve defended Trudeau a few times on Sun News saying that he’s not a “shiny pony” (their words) but that, while not an intellectual (even Justin says that), he’s a…
Appeals are from Orders and not Reasons
Almrei v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 779 makes the often overlooked point that appeals are from orders and not reasons for orders: An appeal lies from an order and…
Intel Driver Error Causes Blue Screen of Death
If you have an Intel Centrino wireless adapter, and get a Blue Screen of Death, update the driver to version 15. 13.x and 14.x can generate BSODs especially when connecting…
Now Lets Move On
Pot decrim is indeed a common sense idea, esp. now that our Southern neighbors are coming around to it. But it shouldn't be the headline policy of the LPoC or…
From Platitude Central
Kim Campbell once famously said that "an election is no time to discuss serious issues." Given the paucity of substance emerging thus far from declared candidates in both the Ontario…
Nov. 15: A high grade for the TandT….
The high grade is for the story on Dr. Cleary's talk last night when she discussed her report on shale gas in New Brunswick. The high grade is a D…
Ineffective assistance of counsel
R. v. W.E.B deals with a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Court summarizes the test:To succeed on his ineffective assistance claim, the appellant must discharge his onus to…
Stay the course
The Fall Economic Update was hosted this week by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. It seems Minister Flaherty wanted to be sure of friendly faces when he announced that the…
Incorrigible Romney
Last week, Garry Wills -- who has made a career of evaluating America's presidents and would be presidents -- asked in the New York Review of Books:What lessons will Romney…
New column day
Here, following up on this post as to the public returns Saskatchewan stands to lose if Brad Wall insists on giving away liquor profits to private operators rather than working…
Take patent discussions, health care out of Canada-Europe free trade talks
Here's a letter I wrote to my beloved prime minister via the Canadian Health Coalition's campaign against patent protection and health care's inclusion in Canada-Europe free trade talks. Please take…
He was just not that into you #nlpoli
By now you have heard that Dean MacDonald has decided to skip the upcoming race for the Liberal Party leadership. MacDonald told reporters that he had pressing business projects that…
LGBT human rights in Uganda, and John Baird’s dilemma.
Recent attention from both ends of the political spectrum has focused on the efforts of the Harper government to safeguard the safety and human rights of lesbian and gay people…
140Law – Legal Headlines for Thursday, November 15, 2012
Here are the leading legal headlines from Wise Law on Twitter for Thursday, November 15, 2012: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s libel case – "I had the only tape:" Granatstein Atheist…
Am I entitled to a Lunch Break? Coffee Breaks?
Under the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA) employers are required to provide eating periods to employees. An employee must not work for more than five hours in a row without…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.- Andrew Potter highlights the difficulties in practicing and encouraging truth-based politics at a time when entire parties make a deliberate strategy of lying…