James C Morton
Liberals up significantly in Quebec
This is (perhaps) significant. The NDP wave in Quebec was not so much a move to the NDP as a move away from everyone else. To keep their position the…
More retribution?
Toronto Now – July 19, 2012 Another young man has been shot dead, this time near a North York primary school. Lawrence Heights residents reported hearing gunshots around 1:15 a.m.…
Death, suicide rates among Inuit kids soar over rest of Canada
It is commonplace to have a relative who killed themselves — this is not an issue unknown to anyone who has spent time in the Arctic: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/death-suicide-rates-among-inuit-kids-soar-over-rest-of-canada/article4426600/?service=mobile A new study…
Counsel working on contingency ought not, in general, be required to post security for costs
Indcondo Building Corp v. Sloan, 2012 ONCA 502 has an interesting comment in obiter. The governing principle regarding counsel acting on contingency and security for costs is that such is improper because to…
In Canadian political news:
The proposed changes to the riding boundaries in Quebec manage to erase the names of Liberal prime ministers from the landscape: Laurier (Mtl) = gone; Louis Saint-Laurent (Qcity) = gone.…
Sad news: Robert C. Topp. (1945-2012)
Robert ''Bob'' Topp, a true gentleman and a fine lawyer, has passed. He is now reunited with his wife of 35 years, Helene Topp (nee Pilon). Robert was born in…
Boy Scouts #Fail
Sorry, this is the wrong decision. Story here Boy Scouts decide to stick with ban on gays, irking its critics NEW YORK, N.Y. After a confidential two-year review, the Boy…
Polar bears pay brief visit to Kimmirut: Mother and cubs startle resident on their way to the sea
Swimming away Story here Chris Wex, the wildlife officer in Kimmirut, said the bears passed through the hamlet in about 20 minutes on their way to the sea. On runway…
Gun ownership in Canada
Canada has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. There are almost as many rifles per capita in Canada as in the United States. The gun…
If only I had a handgun I’d be able to stand tall!
What is the delusion that guns make someone strong — candidly the thugs who are carrying guns (and then using them to shoot up block parties) merely show how weak…
Where a verdict is not unreasonable, inadequate reasons will rarely ground an appeal
R. v. Chau, 2012 ONCA 501 deals with insufficient reasons in the context of a straightforward, short, case where the decision was reasonable. The Court held that while the reasons were thin, in…
Gladue principles apply to bail hearings
Although well established it is surprisingly common for Courts hearing judicial interim release hearings to be uncertain if Gladue principles apply. Here is a list of cases that make it…
In 2008 of 12,000 aboriginal people living in the District of Kenora, 44 were listed on jury rolls
As a practical matter that means a First Nations accused has a slim chance of being tried by a jury of peers.
Questions about Scarborough shootings
Everyone has an opinion. For now I will hold mine. Questions do arise though – what type of guns were used? If they were handguns, as seems likely, what was…
Substituting, dispensing or validating service in a Contracting State, so as to avoid R. 17.05, not proper
Khan Resources Inc. v. Atomredmetzoloto JSC, 2012 ONSC 1522 deals with the interesting legal issue of whether, when dealing with a Contracting State under the Convention on the Service Abroad…