News Archives 2007

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December 31, 2007

The Honourable Mr. Justice Louis LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada explores the concept of deference in his paper Some Properly Deferential Thoughts on Deference. Mr. Justice LeBel discusses the way deference operates in three contexts: policy making powers, regulatory powers and adjudicative tribunals. This paper is from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia Administrative Law Conference - 2007.

ISC offices will be open until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 31 and closed on January 1. Regular hours will resume on January 2. The following online ISC services will still be available: online searches, packet submissions, OLS and SPPR.

December 28, 2007

Fifteen Saskatchewan lawyers were honoured with Queen's Counsel appointments today.

December 27, 2007

Sections 1(2), 3(2) and 40 of An Act to amend the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Income Tax Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act, S.C. 2006, c. 12, are proclaimed into force, effective December 30, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1920).

The Olympic and Paralympic Marks Act, S.C. 2007, c. 25, except for s. 13, is proclaimed into force, effective December 17, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1923).

The following regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 141, No. 26, December 26, 2007:

• Rules Amending Certain Rules Governing Practice and Procedure Applicable to the Federal Courts (Representative Proceedings, Class Proceedings and Other Amendments), SOR/2007-301
• Regulations Amending the Citizenship Regulations, 1993, SOR/2007-281

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 51, December 21, 2007:

• SR 125/2007 The Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission Amendment Regulations, 2008
• SR 126/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 12)

December 21, 2007

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released its Review Report La-2007-002 ( Rural Municipality of Edenwold #158).

December 20, 2007

The Saskatchewan government introduced new labour legislation. (Public Service Essential Services, Bill 5) (Trade Union Amendment Act, 2007, Bill 6)

December 19, 2007

The Law Society Discipline Committee has rendered its decision on the John David Hardy hearing.

The Federal government introduced the bill, An Act to amend the Canada Grain Act, Bill C-39, into parliament on Dec. 17, 2007.

The Saskatchewan government introduced amendments in the legislature that will set fixed election dates. (An Act to amend The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007, Bill 4)

December 18, 2007

The Consumer Price Index is available for November 2007. Consumer prices increased 2.5% between November 2006 and November 2007.

The Saskatchewan government announced the introduction of new legislation that establishes a new agency, Enterprise Saskatchewan.  (The Enterprise Saskatchewan Act, Bill 2)

December 17, 2007

On December 14, 2007, the Honourable Donald J. Manderscheid and the Honourable Keith D. Yamauchi were appointed to Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.

December 14, 2007

The Law Society is pleased to announce the winners of the Centennial Essay contest. Mitchell Anderson, from Carpenter High School in Meadow Lake won first prize. Dylan Hardy, from Bishop James Mahoney High School in Saskatoon won second prize. Congratulations Mitchell and Dylan and thank you to all students who submitted entries.

The Allan Blair Cancer Centre is seeking volunteers to serve on the Centre's Institutional Review Board Committee.

December 13, 2007

Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan has issued a directive to Crown Prosecutors about prosecuting repeat impaired driving offenders.  Prosecutors are instructed to consider proceeding by way of indictment and upon conviction to consider applying for forfeiture of the vehicle where allowed by the Criminal Code. 

December 12, 2007

The Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association is sponsoring a new teleseminar: Simplified procedure, presented by Ron Miller and Clayton Barry, on Thursday January 10, 2008.

December 11, 2007

The Throne Speech marking the opening of the First Session of the 26th Legislature is now available.

Federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley has tabled An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, Bill C-37. The proposed amendments will address the issue of "Lost Canadians". The House of Commons Standing Committee on Immigration and Citizenship has released its report Reclaiming Citizenship for Canadians: A Report on the Loss of Canadian Citizenship, which made the following recommendations:

• Citizenship law should not distinguish between people based on their year of birth, whether their parents were married at the time of their birth, or any other such factors.
• Lost Canadians should have their citizenship restored retroactive to the date it was lost, or granted retroactive to birth, as the case may be.

December 10, 2007

The Canadian Judicial Council has released a new report: Administering Justice for the Public. This report proposes the adoption of a judicial responsibility model similar to those used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and the United States to improve the efficiency of judicial administration in Canada.

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 49, December 7, 2007:

• SR 123/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 11)

December 7, 2007

The Canadian Insurance Law Blog, published by Michael Thomas of Harper Grey, a Vancouver firm, features a Case Database which is searchable by jurisdiction, issue, and type of insurance. For example, a search for commentary on Saskatchewan cases dealing with bad faith results in 2 articles.

December 6, 2007

Criminal Resources: False Confessions, by Ken Strutin, reviews web-based materials and publications about the psychology and interrogation practices behind false confessions. This article is featured on LLRX.com.

December 5, 2007

The Discipline Committee of the Law Society of Saskatchewan will conduct a sentencing hearing on Friday, December 7, 2007.

December 4, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 48, November 30, 2007:

• F-13.4 Reg 36 The Used Light Vehicles (Provincial Sales Tax) Exemption and Remission Regulations
• G-5.1 Reg 129 The Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 130 The Ministry of Agriculture Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 131 The Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 132 The Ministry of Education Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 133 The Ministry of Energy and Resources Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 134 The Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 135 The Ministry of Environment Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 136 The Ministry of Finance Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 137 The Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 138 The Ministry of Government Services Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 139 The Ministry of Health Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 140 The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 141 The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 142 The Ministry of Justice and Attorney General Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 143 The Ministry of Municipal Affairs Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 144 The Office of the Provincial Secretary Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 145 The Ministry of Social Services Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 146 The Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Regulations, 2007
• G-5.1 Reg 147 The Information Technology Office Regulations, 2007
• SR 120/2007 The Government Organization (Miscellaneous Regulations) Repeal Regulations, 2007
• SR 121/2007 The Ministerial Assistant Employment Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 122/2007 The Ministerial Assistant Employment Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No.3)

The Honourable Earl C. Wilson and the Honourable Jo'Anne Strekaf are appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.

December 3, 2007

CanLII announced that all Supreme Court of Canada decisions originating from Ontario back to 1876 are now available on CanLII in HTML and PDF formats.

Joint Tenancy Update, by Rhys Davies, a new paper from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, reviews two recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions and their impact on joint tenancies and presumptions of resulting trust and advancement.

November 30, 2007

The deadline for nominations for the C. Willy Hodgson Award is today. The C. Willy Hodgson Award is presented to individuals or organizations who exemplify integrity, leadership and character, and have made or are making outstanding contributions to advancing equity and diversity in legal education, the legal profession and/or the administration of justice in Saskatchewan or in Canada.

Library and Archives Canada has launched the Government of Canada Web Archive. The archive is searchable by keyword, date, department and document type.

November 29, 2007

Canada Justice is now providing bilingual statutes in PDF for frequently accessed statutes on the Justice Laws Web Site.

November 28, 2007

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released its Review Report H-2007-001 (Saskatchewan Cancer Agency).

Discovery of employee-owned computer equipment, by Conrad Jacoby, discusses questions to consider when determining the extent of discovery requests:

• Has the personal equipment been used for business purposes?
• Is there a unique value to the ESI stored on employee-owned equipment?
• What is the employee's importance to the dispute?
• What measures will be taken to protect personal information?
• Does the company have a policy about use of non-corporate equipment?

November 27, 2007

Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz announced changes in several senior civil service positions. Backgrounders on new deputy ministers and new chiefs of staff are available online.

The following sections of An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the DNA Identification Act and the National Defence Act, S.C. 2005, c. 25, are proclaimed into force effective January 1, 2008 (P.C. 2007-1780):

• sections 1 to 4, 6, 8 to 15 and 17.1 to 30

The following sections of An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to DNA Identification, S.C. 2007, c. 22, are proclaimed into force effective January 1, 2008 (P.C. 2007-1780):

• sections 7, 8(1), 10, 11(2) to (4), 12, 13(2), 14 to 17, 20(4), 22, 24, 26, 29, 30, 34, 35, 37(2), 38 to 41, 43(4), 45 and 46

November 26, 2007

The Federal Court issued an announcement on the designation of the surname that specifies the order in which the names are to be set out in the original notices.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia released a decision on the Tsilhqot'in Nation claim to part of the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia. (Tsilhqot'n Nation v. British Columbia, 2007 BCSC 1700)

November 23, 2007

Premier Brad Wall has announced that the next legislative session will begin on December 10, 2007.

The Ontario Civil Justice Reform Project has released its Summary of findings and recommendations. The Project has made recommendations in the following areas: judicial resources, small claims court, simplified procedure, summary disposition of cases, unrepresented litigants, civil juries, discovery, expert evidence, litigation management, pre-trials and trial management, appeals, motion and trial scheduling, venue, civility, technology in the civil justice system, and proportionality and cost of litigation.  A full report is expected later in the year.

November 23, 2007

Premier Brad Wall has announced that the next legislative session will begin on December 10, 2007.

The Ontario Civil Justice Reform Project has released its Summary of findings and recommendations. The Project has made recommendations in the following areas: judicial resources, small claims court, simplified procedure, summary disposition of cases, unrepresented litigants, civil juries, discovery, expert evidence, litigation management, pre-trials and trial management, appeals, motion and trial scheduling, venue, civility, technology in the civil justice system, and proportionality and cost of litigation.  A full report is expected later in the year. 

November 22, 2007

Premier Brad Wall was sworn into office and has named his new cabinet.

The Legal Services Act 2007, (UK) 2007, c. 29 received Royal Assent on October 30, 2007. This act creates both an independent Legal Services Board which will act as an oversight regulator for the Law Society and Bar Council and an independent Office for Legal Complaints for clients. The act also provides for outside investment in law firms, by allowing lawyers to sell shares.

November 21, 2007

Document and file security: Fulfilling your duty to preserve, a CBA PracticeLink article by Edward Poll, discusses the development of client document and file security plans. Poll suggests that lawyers should consider the potential risks for crucial paper-based documents as well as electronic data, and create a comprehensive back-up plan for items such as master files, time and billing records, court dates and appointments, wills, powers of attorney and corporate records. 

November 20, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for October 2007 is now available. Consumer prices rose 2.4% as compared with October 2006.

The following sections of the Budget Implementation Act, 2007, S.C. 2007, c. 29, are proclaimed into force effective November 17, 2007:

• s. 103(2) (P.C. 2007-1728)
• s. 91(2), 104(2) and 113(2) (P.C. 2007-1729)

November 19, 2007

Amendments to the Court of Appeal Rules were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 46, November 16, 2007. These amendments include changes to the rules, forms, tariffs and the repeal of Civil Practice Directives 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 46, November 16, 2007:

• SR 119/2007 The Labour Standards Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 4)

November 16, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as a representative on the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA) Board. Please send letters of interest to Tom Schonhoffer at reception@lawsociety.sk.ca before December 1, 2007.

November 15, 2007

Copyright and moral rights infringement litigation, by Bruce M. Green, takes a look at recent litigation and establishing fundamental elements of a copyright claim by determining:

• Does the plaintiff own copyright or moral rights in the work?
• Has the defendant infringed on those rights?
• Does the defendant have a valid defence or exemption from infringement?

This paper, part of the Intellectual Property for Litigators Seminar from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, includes a precedent for a statement of claim for infringement of copyright and moral rights.

November 14, 2007

An inquest into the death of Michael Merrill will be held November 27 to 29, 2007 at the Prince Albert Queen's Bench Courthouse. Mr. Merrill died December 13, 2005 while in custody at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert.

November 9, 2007

The Law Reform Commission of Western Australia has released its Review of the law of homicide (Project No. 97). This report considers:

• the distinction between wilful murder and murder
• the defences to homicide including self-defence and provocation 

November 6, 2007

The Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. M-9, has been brought into force by the following proclamations:

• the whole act except sections 3, 5 and 11 to 16 proclaimed into force effective November 2, 2007, P.C. 2007-1685
• sections 3, 5 and 11 to 16 proclaimed into force effective November 2, 2007, P.C. 2007-1686

November 5, 2007

LegalPubs.ca is an RSS driven web page of the most recent titles offered by Canadian legal publishers such as Canada Law Book, CCH, Irwin Law, Lexis Nexis Canada, and Thomson Carswell.

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 44, November 2, 2007:

• SR 118/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 10)

November 2, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as a representative on the CanLII Board. Please send letters of interest to Tom Schonhoffer at reception@lawsociety.sk.ca before November 23, 2007.

November 1, 2007

Persuading judges in writing: Tips for lawyers (and how technology can help), by Troy Simpson, offers tips for developing a writing style that combines logic, emotion and credibility, the three persuasion processes. This article is available on LLRX.com.

October 30, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking volunteers to fill a vacancy on the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan board. Please send expressions of interest along with practice information and a current curriculum vitae to the Law Society at reception@lawsociety.sk.ca on or before November 23, 2007.

October 29, 2007

The Saskatchewan Provincial Court has ruled that a Métis person living in Regina who has established connections with the historic and contemporary Qu'Appelle Valley Métis community has the right to fish for food pursuant to s. 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982. The Court adopted the regional approach in defining "community" as used in R. v. Laviolette, 2005 SKPC 70. R. v. Belhumeur, 2007 SKPC 114, was handed down on October 18, 2007.

October 26, 2007

The October November 2007 issue of The National is now available online. This issue's cover story is about dealing with data overload.

October 23, 2007

Please note that the dates for the Interest Based Negotiation training by the Collaborative Lawyers of Saskatchewanhave been changed to November 21, 22 and 23, 2007.

October 22, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 42, October 19, 2007:

• A-18.011 Reg 5 The Gaming Regulations, 2007 / Règlement de 2007 A-18.011 Règl. 5 sur les jeux de hasard
• P-31 Reg 19 The Seabee Surface Lease Agreement Regulations, 2007
• SR 112/2007 The Northern Municipalities Revenue Sharing Program Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 113/2007 The Northern Revenue Sharing Grants Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 114/2007 The Rural Municipalities Revenue Sharing Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 115/2007 The Condominium Property Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 116/2007 The Small Claims Amendment Regulations, 2007 / RS 116/2007 Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement de 1998 sur les petites créances
• SR 117/2007 The Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation Casino Amendment Regulations, 2007 / RS 117/2007 Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement de 2002 relatif aux casinos exploités par la Société des jeux de hasard de la Saskatchewan

Part 7 of the Budget Implementation Act, 2007, S.C. 2007, c. 29, is proclaimed into force, effective October 26, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1602).

October 19, 2007

The Law Society administration office, Regina library and Saskatoon library will be closed today at 2:00 p.m. in preparation for the President's Centennial Gala. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope to see you at the Gala.

The next SKLESI seminar Women and the Law 2007 will be held in Regina on October 25 and in Saskatoon on October 26. The dinner speaker will be Sue Paish, Q.C., CEO of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd, and former managing partner of Fasken Martineau Dumoulin in Vancouver.

The Consumer Price Index for September 2007 is now available. Prices rose by 2.5% between September 2006 and September 2007.

October 17, 2007

The Throne Speech marking the opening of the Second Session of the 39th Parliament of Canada is available online.

Rules Amending the Federal Courts Rules (Case Management), SOR/2007-214, were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 141, No. 21, October 17, 2007.

October 16, 2007

The Native Women's Association of Canada has released Matrimonial real property solutions: A People's Report. The report summarizes issues and solutions surrounding property rights on reserves.

October 15, 2007

The Collaborative Lawyers of Saskatchewan Inc. is sponsoring two upcoming training sessions: Interest Based Negotiation, on November 14, 15, and 16, and Collaborative Law Training, on December 13 and 14. For more information or to pre-register contact Shirley Costron at (306) 584-3581.

The Consumer Protection Amendment Act, 2006, S.S. 2006, c. 15, is proclaimed into force, effective October 15, 2007.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 41, October 12, 2007:

• SR 105/2007 The Minimum Wage Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 106/2007 The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Payment Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 4)
• SR 107/2007/ RS 107/2007 The Justices of the Peace Amendment Regulations, 2007/ Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement de 1989 sur les juges de paix
• SR 108/2007 The Municipal Police Equipment Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 109/2007 The Cities Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 110/2007 The Northern Municipality Assessment and Taxation Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 111/2007 The Municipalities Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)

October 12, 2007

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released its review report dealing with the University of Saskatchewan, LA-2007-001.

October 11, 2007

Saskatchewan Justice Minister and Attorney General Frank Quennell announced that the monetary limit for cases heard by small claims court will increase from $15,000 to $20,000 on November 1, 2007.

October 10, 2007

Lian M. Schwann is appointed Registrar of the Court of Appeal (effective September 18, 2007) and Registrar in Bankruptcy (effective October 1, 2007).

Marilou McPhedran is appointed Chief Commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. Ms. McPhedran is currently the visiting professor holding the Ariel F. Sallows Chair in Human Rights at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law

October 9, 2007

The CBA Task Force on Conflicts of Interest has released its consultation paper: Practical difficulties with today's conflict of interest rules. The committee is asking for comments on the following issues before November 29, 2007:

• Are loyalty requirements being interpreted appropriately?
• Should presumptions of information-sharing within a law firm be rebuttable?
• Should retainer letters be encouraged or required?
• Do the rules pose problematic challenges for particular practice areas, and rural and remote communities?

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 40, October 5, 2007:

• C-30.1 Reg 2 The Consumer Protection Regulations, 2007
• SR 97/2007 The Municipalities Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 98/2007 The Ministerial Assistant Employment Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 99/2007 The Canada-Saskatchewan Specified Risk Material Management Program Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 100/2007 The Meat Processing Investment Rebate Program Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 101/2007 The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 102/2007 The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 103/2007 The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 104/2007 The Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Amendment Regulations, 2007

Dates for the 2008 sittings of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 40, October 5, 2007.

October 5, 2007

Members of the bar and the public are invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Judge Felicia M.A.L. Daunt to the Provincial Court, Friday, October 5, 2007 at 10 a.m. at the La Ronge Provincial Court House.

Members of the bar and the public are invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Judge D. Murray Brown to the Provincial Court, Friday, October 5, 2007 at 4 p.m. at the Regina Provincial Court House.

October 3, 2007

Federal Minister of Finance James Flaherty has released draft Legislative proposals, explanatory notes and overview relating to registered disability savings plans. These proposals would amend the Income Tax Act and Regulations, and implement the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), Canada Disability Savings Grants (CDSG) and Canada Disability Savings Bonds (CDSB).

October 2, 2007

A new article on CBA PracticeLink, Ethics in the electronic era: Avoiding the icebergs, by Sharon Nelson and John Simek, lists common technology mistakes that can lead to malpractice.

October 1, 2007

The Occupational Health and Safety (Harassment Prevention) Amendment Act, 2007, S.S. 2007, c. 34 is proclaimed into force effective October 1, 2007.

A new article featured on LLRX.com, The veil doctrine in company law, written by Amin George Forji, discusses theories for the lifting of the corporate veil and reviews significant case law on the issue.

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 39, September 29, 2007:

• SR 96/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 9)

An Act to provide for jurisdiction over education on First Nation lands in British Columbia, S.C. 2006, c. 10, is proclaimed into force, effective November 22, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1446)

September 28, 2007

The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan has released two consultation papers: Vaccination and the law, and Corporate fiduciary services: Should corporate trustees and fiduciaries other than trust companies be permitted?

La Fédération des associations de juristes d'expression française de common law inc. (FAJEFCL) has released its report: National study on family law in French. This report identifies existing resources and gaps in family law services available in French.

September 26, 2007

The Law Society is seeking nominations for the C. Willy Hodgson Award. The C. Willy Hodgson Award is presented to individuals or organizations who exemplify integrity, leadership and character, and have made or are making outstanding contributions to advancing equity and diversity in legal education, the legal profession and/or the administration of justice in Saskatchewan or in Canada.

September 25, 2007

The latest issue of the National, September 2007, Vol. 16, No. 6, is now available online. This issue features interviews with several Saskatchewan lawyers. Jacqueline Ferraton talks about practicing law in a small town. Donald Worme and Joel Hesje discuss their roles as commission counsel for the Ipperwash and Stonechild Inquiries.

September 24, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 38, September 21, 2007:

• F-8.001 Reg 33 The Wildlife Damage Compensation Program Regulations
• R-8.2 Reg 7 The Health Centres (Hospital Standards Adoption) Regulations
• SR 82/2007 The Attending Health Professionals Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 83/2007 The Drug Schedules Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 84/2007 The Health Districts Repeal Regulations
• SR 85/2007 The Hospital Comprehensive Purchasing Repeal Regulations
• SR 87/2007 The Medical Laboratory Licensing Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 88/2007 The Regional Health Services Administration Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 89/2007 The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Payment Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)
• SR 90/2007 / RS 90/2007 The Vital Statistics Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2) / Règlement nº2 de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur les services de l'état civil
• SR 91/2007 The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 92/2007 The Training Allowance Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)
• SR 93/2007 The Training Programs Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 94/2007 The Disability Housing Supplement Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 95/2007 The Rental Housing Supplement Amendment Regulations, 2007

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part III, Vol. 103, No. 38, September 21, 2007:

• SR 86/2007 The Hospital Standards Amendment Regulations, 2007

September 21, 2007

The new Lawyers' Professional Liability Insurance Group Policy is now available. Law Society members should print the policy and file it in their Insurance and Loss Prevention handbook.

Gaining an Edge: Recognizing Current Trends & Understanding Financial and Taxation Issues in Family Law, the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association Fall Conference, will be November 23, 2007 in Regina. Philip Epstein and Andrew Freedman are the featured presenters. Please contact the STLA office for more details.

Not If, But When: Prepare a Disaster Recovery Plan Today, the latest CBA PracticeLink article by Edward Poll, features checklists for developing and implementing a disaster recovery plan for law firms.

September 20, 2007

Section 47 of An Act to amend certain laws relating to financial institutions, S.C. 1997, c. 15, is proclaimed into force effective October 2, 2007, P.C. 2007-1347.

The Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan has certified a class action suit against cellphone companies charging users for "system access fees". Frey v. Bell Mobility Inc., 2007 SKQB 328, was handed down on September 17, 2007

September 19, 2007

An Order Amending the Approved Breath Analysis Instruments Order, SOR 2007-197, was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 141, No. 19, September 19, 2007. This order approves the Intoxilyzer 8000 C as an "approved instrument" for the purposes of the Criminal Code.

The federal government announced the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Starting today and until September 19, 2011, former students of Indian Residential Schools will be able to submit Common Experience Payment applications. The government released a backgrounder to clarify which applications would be accepted at this point. The Common Experience Payment page on the Service Canada website has more information on the application procedure and links to the official forms.

The Consumer Price Index for August 2007 is now available. Prices rose by only 1.7% when compared to August 2006.

September 18, 2007

Saskatchewan Justice has launched its new website. Of special note, the Inter-jurisdictional Support Orders (ISO) Unit has expanded its online information, and now includes a link to its Form Support Guide and Application packet.

The Proclamation Proroguing Parliament to October 16, 2007 was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Extra Vol. 141, No. 2, September 15, 2007.

September 17, 2007

The Law Society is pleased to announce that Donna Sigmeth is appointed as Deputy Director.

Three new Provincial Court judges have been appointed. Margaret Gordon of Moosomin is appointed to the Provincial Court of Moose Jaw. Felicia Daunt of La Ronge is appointed to the Provincial Court of La Ronge. Donald M. Brown of Regina is apppointed to the Provincial Court for Regina.

All ISC offices, including the Customer Support Toll Free Line, will be closed on Monday September 17, 2007.

September 14, 2007

The Court Security Act, S.S. 2007, c. C-43.11 is proclaimed in force on September 15, 2007.

September 13, 2007

The official launch ceremony for the Canada Post stamp honouring the Law Society of Saskatchewan took place today at Government House.

September 12, 2007

A mother who intentionally breached the provisions of a divorce order dealing with medical and educational matters has been found in contempt and placed on probation for 36 months. The Court found that while the mother had breached the order on numerous occasions, and caused a serious strain on the relationship between father and child, she was a first-time offender, so it was fit and just that her sentence for civil contempt be suspended. Geremia v. Harb, 2007 CanLII 30750 (ON S.C.)

September 11, 2007

ISC will be conducting an employee development workshop for all its employees on Monday September 17, 2007. As a result, all ISC offices - including the Customer Support Toll Free Line - will be closed for the entire day. All ISC offices will re-open Tuesday September 18, 2007 for regular business hours.

The following ISC services will not be available when the offices are closed:

• Packet processing for the Land Registry
• Plan examination and approval
• Routine customer support through the Toll Free Line and the Customer Service Centres
• Staff assisted searches of the SPPR

The following online ISC services will still be available:

• Online searches (Land Registry, Plans, SPPR, Saskatchewan Writ Registry, etc.)
• Packet submissions
• OLS
• SPPR

ISC will be providing emergency customer support during this office closure. Detailed emergency response instructions will be made available on the Customer Support Toll Free Line (1-866-275-4721) on Monday, September 17 for any issues that cannot wait until the return to normal business hours on Tuesday, September 18.

September 10, 2007

The Honourable Madam Justice Pritchard has ordered the Prairie Valley School Division Board of Education to apply its Guiding Principles for Transportation Decisions with School Closure/Grade Discontinuance when dealing with Glenavon School parents' requests for busing their children to the school in Wolseley. The Court found that the Board had not used these principles when making busing decisions for the displaced Glenavon students. Loffler v. Prairie Valley School Division No 208 (Board of Education), 2007 SKQB 321

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 36, September 7, 2007:

• SR 75/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 8)
• SR 76/2007 The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 77/2007 The Automobile Accident Insurance (Injury) Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 78/2007 The Driver Licensing and Suspension Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)
• SR 79/2007 The Personal Injury Benefits Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 80/2007 The Information Technology Office Service Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 81/2007 The Securities Commission (Adoption of National Instruments) Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 4)

September 7, 2007

The Supreme Court of British Columbia has ruled that a four-time bankrupt be allowed to apply for discharge after 2 years, rather than the 15 year suspension requested by the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. Master Young wrote, "By denying the discharge today and giving him an opportunity to reapply in two years, at least I am giving him some hope that if he changes and shows some indication of financial prudence, then he may receive a shorter suspension of discharge than 15 years." Kusch (Re), 2007 BCSC 618 (CanLII)

September 6, 2007

The Securities Transfer Act, S.S. 2007, c. S-42.3, is proclaimed into force effective September 1, 2007.

The Gunshot and Stab Wounds Mandatory Reporting Act, S.S. 2007, c. G-9.1, is proclaimed into force September 1, 2007.

September 5, 2007

Advocacy in Collaborative Practice, a teleseminar presented by the Collaborative Lawyers of Saskatchewan Inc., will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 from 12: to 1:15 p.m. Brad Hunter and Ronald Miller will be the presenters.

September 4, 2007

Law Society members are invited to submit nominations for Queen's Counsel appointments. The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2007.

Dates for additional Saskatoon sittings of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 35, August 31, 2007.

August 31, 2007

Saskatchewan Justice announced the creation of the Victims Compensation Appeal Committee. The committee, chaired by Greg Walen, Q.C., will hear appeals regarding the Victims Compensation Programs decisions about reimbursement. The Victims Compensation Appeal Committee was established by the Victims of Crime Amendment Act, 2006, S.S. 2006, c. 37.

August 29, 2007

Judicial Treatment of the Undue Hardship Provisions of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, by Stuart Zukerman, reviews recent decisions on claims of undue hardship under section 10 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines. This paper is available from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.

August 28, 2007

The Saskatchewan Practice Checklist is now available online in the Members' Section. The Practice Checklist has been entirely revised. Please download the files in their entirety and replace the contents of your existing binders. If you require a binder and tabs, please contact the Law Society at (306) 569-8242. A set can be purchased for $20.00 plus GST. You may also purchase contents only for $35.00 plus GST.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled that Stephen Truscott should stand acquitted of the murder of Lynne Harper, based on a review of the evidentiary record and the additional material not previously judicially considered. Truscott (Re), 2007 ONCA 575.  Motions and Applications Related to the Reference will be available on the Court's website until February 28, 2008.

August 27, 2007

Lian M. Schwann is appointed as Acting Registrar of the Court of Appeal and Acting Registrar in Bankruptcy. This appointment is effective July 16, 2007.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 34, August 24, 2007:

• SR 70/2007 The Treaty Land Entitlement Withdrawal Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 71/2007 The Automobile Accident Insurance (Injury) Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 72/2007 The Driver Licensing and Suspension Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 73/2007 The Personal Injury Benefits Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 74/2007 / RS 74/2007 The Traffic Safety Court of Saskatchewan Amendment Regulations, 2007 / Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur le Tribunal de la sécurité routière de la Saskatchewan

August 24, 2007

The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the Board of Referees has made no error in dismissing an applicant's claim that the maternity provisions of the Employment Insurance Act, S.C. 1996, c. 23, contravene section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Under the Act, biological mothers are entitled to maternity benefits and parental benefits, while adoptive mothers are only entitled to parental benefits. The Court concluded that "in granting maternity benefits to birth mothers Parliament rightly recognized that pregnancy and childbirth justified the granting of particular benefits by reason of the physical and psychological consequences of pregnancy." (Tomasson v. Canada (Attorney General), 2007 FCA 265.)

August 23, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan Library in Regina is searching for a clerical assistant for a three-month term position. The position is available immediately for the right candidate.

August 22, 2007

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Aboriginal contexts: a critical review, a report prepared by Wenona Victor for the Canadian Human Rights Commission, examines the common challenges of issues of power, cultural differences, language barriers and impacts of colonialism on Indigenous and Western approaches in ADR. While the Western-based approach includes negotiation, conciliation, arbitration and mediation, the Indigenous approach includes a call for the rejuvenation and reclamation of culturally-grounded methods of dispute resolution, which will differ from one Aboriginal group to another.

August 21, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for July 2007 is now available. Once again, consumer prices rose 2.2%.

Confidential Information in Litigation, a paper by Karen Weslowski, provides an overview of the use of implied undertakings of confidentiality as a common law protection for litigants' privacy. This paper also discusses when documents from one claim can be used in another claim, and when documents can be used by police or others. This paper was written for the CLEBC Personal Injury Conference held in June 2007 and is available from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website.

August 20, 2007

Saskatchewan Justice has announced that the Gunshot and Stab Wounds Mandatory Reporting Act, S.S. 2007, c. G-9.1, will be proclaimed into force effective September 1, 2007.

August 17, 2007

The July/August issue of the National is now available online. This issue features articles on water law, identity theft and cameras in the courtroom.

August 15, 2007

The Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia has released the report, Grandparent-Grandchild: Access. The report discusses whether grandparents' access to their grandchildren should be an automatic or presumptive right.

August 14, 2007

Dismissing the Probationary and Short-Term Employee: Has the Court Recognized the Imbalance of Power or Have Judges Simply Gone Too Far?, by Simon K. Kent and Catherine Keri, discusses wrongful dismissal cases and trends towards longer notice periods for probationary and short-term employees. This article is available from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.

August 13, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 32, August 10, 2007:

• SR 65/2007 The Public Service Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 66/2007 The Crown Resource Land Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 67/2007 The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 68/2007 The Vital Statistics Amendment Regulations, 2007/RS 68/2007 Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur les services de l'état civil
• SR 69/2007The Employment Program Amendment Regulations, 2007

August 10, 2007

It's knucks time again! The 4th Annual Stuart Eisner Memorial Golf Tournament is on Friday, August 17, 2007, at the West Course, Saskatoon Golf & Country Club in Saskatoon. Tee time is at 1 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m.

August 9, 2007

The Emergency Management Act, S.C. 2007, c. 15, is proclaimed into force effective August 3, 2007, except for section 12 which came into force on June 22, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1162).

August 8, 2007

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart has released 2 documents: Introduction to key steps for organizations in responding to privacy breaches and Privacy breach checklist. These voluntary guidelines were developed to assist organizations dealing with the aftermath of a privacy breach.

August 7, 2007

Proposed regulations which would revise the definition of "eligible financial contract" to make it  consistent with that of the European Union and the United States, were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 31, August 4, 2007. The definition can currently be found in the following federal acts: the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Winding-up and Restructuring Act, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, and the Payment Clearing and Settlement Act.

August 2, 2007

Please note that Friday, August 3, 2007, is the Government Floating Holiday and Monday, August 6, 2007, is Saskatchewan Day. The courthouse libraries in Regina and Saskatoon will be closed on both of these days. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, August 7, 2007.

August 1, 2007

Federal Court Judge Dolores Hansen has struck down the Regulations amending the Canadian Wheat Board Regulations, SOR 2007-131, that would have allowed farmers to sell their barley independently starting August 1, 2007. (Canadian Wheat Board v. Canada (Attorney General), 2007 FC 807.)

July 31, 2007

The Law Society is pleased to announce Reché McKeague as Assistant Complaints Counsel, a new position within the Law Society, effective July 30, 2007.  Reché was previously an associate with Robertson Stromberg Pederson in Saskatoon.  Welcome Reché!

Does a judge's party of appointment or gender matter to case outcomes? An empirical study of the Court of Appeal for Ontario (Canada), a study by James Stribopoulos and Moin Yahya, showed that in certain categories of cases, both party of appointment and gender are statistically significant in explaining case outcomes. This study looked at data collected on the votes cast by individual appellate judges in every reported decision between 1990 and 2003, coding by type of law, type of litigant, the judge's gender, and the political party that appointed the judge. This paper will be published in an upcoming issue of the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, but is currently available for download on the Social Science Research Network.

July 30, 2007

The Saskatchewan Lawyers' Insurance Association (SLIA) is seeking a legal counsel. The successful applicant will be responsible for defending liability claims against lawyers and managing the insurance program.

Dates for chambers and court sittings for Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan for the period commencing September 4, 2007, and ending June 27, 2008, were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 30, July 27, 2007.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 30, July 27, 2007:

• T-18.1 Reg 6 The Vehicle Inspection Procedures Regulations, 2007
  SR 64/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 7)
  
  

July 27, 2007

Justice Canada has released What happens next? Information for kids about separation and divorce, a publication about family law developed for children between the ages of 9 and 12.

July 26, 2007

The Benchers are pleased to announce the appointment of Tom Schonhoffer, Q.C., as Executive Director of the Law Society of Saskatchewan. This appointment is effective immediately. Congratulations!

July 25, 2007

The Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association is offering two teleseminars this Fall:

• Wrongful Dismissal - Monday, September 10, 2007 at 12 p.m., presented by Eileen Libby and Sue Barber
• Immigration Law - Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 12 p.m., presented by Chris Veeman
  
  

July 24, 2007

Saskatchewan Industry and Resources announced amendments to the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, R.S.S. 1978, c. O-2 and the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, R.R.S. c. O-2, Reg. 1, which introduce the Saskatchewan Orphan Well and Facility Liability Management Program and mandatory licensing of all upstream oil and gas facilities in Saskatchewan. A summary of changes to the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 1985 is available. This document outlines amendments in the areas of well licensing, safety signage, site reclamation, equipment spacing, setback distances, emergency response plans and spill reporting.

July 23, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan Library is searching for a well-organized individual to provide confidential executive support to the Director of Libraries located in Regina.  

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 29, July 20, 2007:

• G-9.1 Reg 1 The Gunshot and Stab Wounds Mandatory Reporting Regulations
• SR 61/2007 The Wildlife Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 62/2007 The Wildlife Management Zones and Special Areas Boundaries Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 63/2007 The Training Allowance Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
  July 19, 2007

Participating in crime (LAW COM No. 305), a report from the Law Commission, looks at the circumstances in which a person ought to be criminally liable for assisting or encouraging another person to commit an offence. This report is a follow-up to Inchoate liability for assisting and encouraging crime (LAW COM No. 300), released in 2006 by the Law Commission.

July 18, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for June 2007 is now available. Consumer prices again increased by 2.2% compared with June 2006.

An inquest into the death of Terry Claude Adams will be held July 31, at 10 a.m. at the Prince Albert Queen's Bench Courthouse. Adams died September 22, 2006 while in custody at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert.

July 17, 2007

The 2007 Canadian Conference on Elder Law: Moving Forward, Moving Beyond, will be held November 8-10, 2007 in Vancouver, B.C. Special speakers will include the Honourable Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, Michael Valpy, and Rebecca Morgan.

July 16, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 28, July 13, 2007:

• SR 56/2007 The Individual Cattle Feeder Loan Guarantee Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 57/2007 The Health Hazard Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 58/2007 The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Payment Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 59/2007 / RS 59/2007 The Administration of Estates Amendment Regulations, 2007 /  Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur l'administration des successions
• SR 60/2007 The Public Guardian and Trustee Amendment Regulations, 2007

The federal government has announced the creation of the Competition Policy Review Panel. The panel's core mandate is to review Canada's competition policies and its framework for foreign investment policy. A report of the panel's findings is expected by June 30, 2008.

July 11, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 27, July 6, 2007:

• G-5.2 Reg 1 The Graduate Tax Exemption Regulations
• SR 51/2007 The Public Employees Pension Plan Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 52/2007 The Superannuation Acts Uniform Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 53/2007 The Rural Municipalities Revenue Sharing Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 54/2007 The Prescription Drugs Amendment Regulations, 2007

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part III, Vol. 103, No. 27, July 6, 2007:

• SR 55/2007 The Saskatchewan Assistance Plan Supplementary Health Benefits Amendment Regulations, 2007
  
  

July 10, 2007

Mary Elizabeth Dawson is appointed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada, effective July 9, 2007. The commissioner is responsible for administering the Conflict of Interest Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, s. 2 which came into force by proclamation on July 9, 2007.

July 9, 2007

Creative Commons Canada has released the Podcasting legal guide for Canada: Northern rules for the revolution. This guide discusses copyright issues about the use of text and music within podcasts, and legal options for distributing, licensing and copyrighting podcasts.

July 6, 2007

Sections 2 to 34 of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, are proclaimed into force effective July 9, 2007 (P.C. 2007-1111).

The Supreme Court of Canada has created a portal for self-represented litigants. The site provides detailed checklists and instructions as well as samples of appeal books and motions for both applicants and respondents.

July 5, 2007

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Saskatchewan has released its 2006-2007 Annual Report.

The following proposed regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 146, No. 26, June 30, 2007:

• Rules Amending Certain Rules Governing Practice and Procedure Applicable to the Federal Courts (Representative Proceedings, Class Proceedings and Other Amendments)
• Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations
• Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (2007-2)

July 4, 2007

In order to facilitate greater geographic and economical accessibility to the Court, the Provincial Court has established a Protocol for Telephone Appearances by Counsel in Criminal Matters in order to encourage greater use by counsel when appropriate and to ensure these appearances are arranged efficiently and conducted with the proper decorum required for all Court appearances.

July 3, 2007

Stanley D. Loewen is appointed judge of the Provincial Court of Prince Albert.

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 26, June 29, 2007:

• SR 50/2007 The Securities Commission (Adoption of National Instruments) Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)

June 29, 2007

The Securities Amendment Act, 2007, S.S. 2007, c. 41, is proclaimed into force effective July 1, 2007, except for sections 3(19), 10(3), 15, 16, 25 to 33, 39 to 42, 50 to 54, 56 and 58.

Judge Carol Snell is appointed Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan effective January 1, 2008.

June 28, 2007

An Act to Amend the Divorce Act (Access for Spouse Who is Terminally Ill or in Critical Condition), S.C. 2007, c. 14, came into force on Royal Assent on May 31, 2007. This act provides that a former spouse who is terminally ill or in critical condition may gain access to a child of the marriage.

The Office of the Correctional Investigator has released its Deaths in Custody Study: Final Report. This study looked at 82 reported suicides, homicides and accidental deaths of federal inmates during the period from 2001 to 2005.

June 27, 2007

The Canadian Bar Association has launched a Task Force on Conflicts of Interest in Law Firms. The mandate of the Task Force is:

• to propose practical guidelines for the profession in applying the duty of loyalty, and in implementing appropriate modifications or waivers of the duty
• to consider the appropriate scope and content of client engagement letters
• to propose practical guidelines for the profession in the application of the duty of confidentiality, particularly in the areas of deemed knowledge and relevance of information

The following regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 141, No. 13, June 27, 2007:

• Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Registration Regulations ( SOR/2007-121)
• Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act ( SOR/2007-122)
• Rules Amending the Federal Court Rules ( SOR/2007-130)
• various Rules Amending Tax Court of Canada Rules ( SOR/2007/142, SOR/2007-143, SOR/2007-144, SOR/2007-145, SOR/2007-146, SOR/2007-147, SOR/2007-148)

June 26, 2007

The latest Burney's Legal Tech Reviews - Gadgets for Legal Pros reviews the Tom Bihn Brain Cell laptop bag and Outlets to Go compact power strips.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia has ruled that section 6 of the Indian Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-5, discriminates against Canadians born prior to April 17, 1985 who trace their aboriginal roots through their female relatives, violating section 15(1) of the Charter of Rights. (McIvor v. Canada (Registrar, Indian and Northern Affairs), 2007 BCSC 827.)

June 25, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 25, June 22, 2007:

• M-32.1 Reg 13 The Urban Municipalities Revenue Sharing Regulations, 2007
• SR 43/2007 The Local Improvements Forms Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 44/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 6)
• SR 45/2007 The Assessment Management Agency Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 46/2007 The Northern Municipalities Revenue Sharing Program Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 47/2007 The Child Care Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 48/2007 The Labour Standards Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)
• SR 49/2007/ RS 49/2007 The Change of Name Amendment Regulations, 2007 / Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement de 1996 sur le changement de nom
  
  

June 20, 2007

The June 2007 issue of the National is now available online. This issue features articles on practicing in the North and dealing with client conflicts when switching law firms.

Justice Canada has released its Applications for Ministerial Review - Miscarriages of Justice Annual Report 2006, covering the period of April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006.

June 19, 2007

The following sections of the Oil and Gas Conservation Amendment Act, 2001, S.S. 2001, c. 26, are proclaimed into force effective June 19, 2007:

• sections 1 to 5, 7 to 9, 11, 13 and 15 to 17
  
  

Section 8 of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act, S.C. 2004, c. 2, is proclaimed into force effective December 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-957).

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released Investigation Report H-2007-001, which looked into unsealed or improperly sealed envelopes containing personal health information from Saskatchewan Health. Commissioner Gary Dickson found that Saskatchewan Health failed to take reasonable measures to minimize the risk of improper disclosure of personal health information such as birth certificates, health services numbers and drug plan information. The Commissioner made 6 specific recommendations to improve the mail-out processes.

The Consumer Price Index for May 2007 is now available. Consumer prices increased 2.2% on average in May 2007 in comparison with May 2006.

June 18, 2007

A recent article from LLRX.com, Faulkner's Practical Web Strategies for Attorneys, Are You Ready For the Web-Based Office, recommends web tools for small firms to help lessen office costs.

June 14, 2007

The following Saskatchewan statutes or sections thereof were proclaimed in force as of June 13, 2007:

• Assessment Management Agency Amendment Act, 2007, S.S. 2007, c. 19 - whole act
• Cities Amendment Act, 2007, S.S. 2007, c. 20 - s.5 and 17 to 26

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 23, June 8, 2007:

• SR 41/2007 The Parks Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 42/2007 The Adoption Amendment Regulations, 2007

June 13, 2007

The Federal government announced a new plan to set up an independent body to adjudicate specific aboriginal treaty claims.

June 12, 2007

The Federal government announced that the  bill, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (reverse onus in bail hearings for firearm-related offences), Bill C-59, has passed third reading and awaits the Senate's approval.

June 11, 2007

The following sections of An Act to amend the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Income Tax Act and to make a consequential amendments to another Act, S.C. 2006, c. 12 were proclaimed in force (P.C. 2007-917)

• s. 26(3) to (6), 27, 28(2) and (3)  - s. 9.4 of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, as enacted by s. 8 in force June 30, 2007
• s. 10, 11, 25, 26(2), 42 and 43 - s. 3(1), 5, 6, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5 to 9.8 of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act as enacted by s. 8 in force June 23, 2008

Canada Shipping Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. S-9 is repealed as of July 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-917)

The following sections of Canada Shipping Act, 2001, S.C. 2001, c. 26 will come into force July 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-917)

• s. 1 to 270, 271(1), (3), 272 to 318, 321 and 333

The Federal Court of Canada has extended and amended the Court's efiling service for certain types of actions. Consult the annex for more details

June 7, 2007

An updated Guide to international refugee law resources on the Web, by Elisa Mason, is now available on LLRX.com. This guide includes links to international and national legislation, caselaw, articles, experts databases, and other research guides dealing with refugee and forced migration issues.

June 6, 2007

Confidential Communications Between Solicitor and Client: Legal Advice Privilege, by Madam Justice Victoria Gray and Lisa Laird, summarizes how legal advice privilege is applied by the courts. This article also includes practice points for determining in what circumstances privilege will apply. This article is available from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.

June 5, 2007

Is your overhead too high? The factors involved in reducing law firm overhead costs is a new CBA PracticeLink article by Edward Poll. This article describes how to calculate an individual lawyer's impact on the firm's overhead costs and profitability. Poll links accurate fee for service structures to understanding the actual costs of operating a law firm.

June 4, 2007

Dates for chambers sittings for the Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan for the period commencing July 2, 2007 to August 31, 2007 are published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 22, June 1, 2007.

Brent Gough is appointed as the new chairperson of the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission.

June 1, 2007

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Rob Nicholson announced the following Saskatchewan judicial appointments:

• The Honourable Ysanne F. Wilkinson is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan. She replaces Madame Justice M.A. Gerwing who elected to become a supernumerary judge. This appointment is effective immediately.
• The Honourable Maurice J. Herauf is appointed a judge of her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan. He replaces Mr. Justice D.K. Krueger who recently passed away. This appointment is effective immediately.

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conditional sentence of imprisonment), ( BIll C-9), received Royal Assent on May 31, 2007, and will come into force in six months. Justice Canada has released two backgrounders: Bill C-9 Conditional Sentences Backgrounder and Justice Legislation Status Backgrounder.

At the request of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, the Court of Queen's Bench established an Estate Tariff Committee to consider revision of the rules. The Committee proposal for amendments to rule 745 is now available online. Please send comments on these revisions to reception@lawsociety.sk.ca before June 15, 2007

May 30, 2007

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has released its decision in Kvello v. Miazga, 2007 SKCA 57. (Case summary provided by the Court of Appeal.)

The Minister of National Revenue, Carol Skelton, announced the establishment of a Taxpayers' Ombudsman to "enhance the Canada Revenue Agency's accountability and service to the public." The Ombudsman will be responsible for upholding the Taxpayer Bill of Rights with respect to service-related matters.

May 28, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 21, May 25, 2007:

• SR 36/2007 The Securities Commission (Adoption of National Instruments) Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 37/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 5)
• SR 38/2007 The Oil and Gas Conservation Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 39/2007 The Education Property Tax Credit Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 40/2007 The Labour Standards Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
  
  
  

May 25, 2007

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Rob Nicholson announced that the Government of Canada has revoked the citizenship of Jacob Fast and Helmut Oberlander. The Federal Court of Canada had found that these men had obtained their Canadian citizenship by false representation and knowingly concealing material circumstances.

May 24, 2007

Driedger's Modern Principle at the Supreme Court of Canada: Interpretation, Justification, Legitimization, an article co-authored by Pierre-André Côté and Stéphane Beaulac, looks at the influence of Elmer Driedger's modern principle of statutory interpretation on Canadian law. The authors assert that "the principle provides neither a valid method for interpreting statutes nor a suitable structure for the courts' justification of interpretative decisions. One should not see in it more than a good starting point for statutory interpretation." This article will be published in the forthcoming issue of Revue Juridique Thémis. It is available for download on the Social Science Research Network.

May 22, 2007

The Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled that requiring the Hutterite Brethren to be photographed as a condition of licensing cannot be justified in a free and democratic society. (Hutterian Brethren of Wilson Colony v. Alberta, 2007 ABCA 160)

The University of Saskatchewan College of Law is welcoming the annual national conferences of the Canadian Law and Society Association, the Canadian Association of Law Teachers and the Council of Canadian Law Deans from May 28 to June 2, 2007. Conference program information is available on the Calendar of Events 2007. Law Society members are welcome to attend. For more information contact Dwight Newman, dwight.newman@usask.ca.

May 18, 2007

Need an articling student for 2007? A list of law school graduates seeking articles in Saskatchewan is available, along with a link to resumes.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2007,  S.S. 2007, c. 39, has received Royal Assent. This Act changes the definition of age in the Code to include persons over 65 years, effectively eliminating the protection for mandatory retirement policies. The current exception for those occupations, such as fire fighters and police, where advancing age relates to the ability to perform the duties required for the job, has not changed. Further information and FAQs are available online.

May 17, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for April 2007 is now available. Consumers paid 2.2% more for specific products in April 2007 than they did in April 2006.

Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day announced an extension to the current amnesty for non-restricted firearms. The amnesty will now be in effect until May 16, 2008.

May 16, 2007

The Manitoba Court of Appeal has ruled that the procedures for obtaining a stalking-related order under Manitoba's Domestic Violence and Stalking Prevention, Protection and Compensation Act, C.C.S.M., c. D93, do not infringe the Constitution Act, 1867 (U.K.), 30 & 31 Vict., c 3. While the respondent's individual freedoms of liberty under section 7 of the Charter were violated, the Court ruled that this infringement was in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. The Court agreed with the motions court judge that the "pith and substance of the Act is the nature of crime prevention and this falls under provincial jurisdiction." (Baril v. Obelnicki, 2007 MBCA 40).

May 15, 2007

The Court of Appeal for British Columbia has dismissed an appeal for damages for wrongful dismissal in a case where a branch manager lied to management about his affair with a subordinate. When the branch manager finally admitted to the affair he was offered a new position in another branch with the same salary and benefits but no supervisory tasks. He declined the position and sued for wrongful dismissal. The trial judge relied on McKinley v. BC Tel, 2001 SCC 38 (CanLII), which lays out the test for whether or not the employee's dishonesty gives rise to the breakdown in the employment relationship. (Carroll v. Emco Corporation, 2007 BCCA 186).

May 14, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 19, May 11, 2007:

• SR 31/2007 The Training Allowance Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 34/2007 The Employment Supplement Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 35/2007 The Summary Offences Procedure Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No.2)

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part III, Vol. 103, No. 19, May 11, 2007

• SR 32/2007 The Oil Shale Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 33/2007 The Petroleum and Natural Gas Amendment Regulations, 2007

Proposed Regulations Amending the Access to Information Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 19, May 12, 2007. These proposed regulations would "clarify for both government institutions and for individuals requesting copies of records under the Access to Information Act the limitations on the individual's right to the format of their choice and the institution's obligations to provide the records in the requested format as referenced in new subsection 4(2.1) of that Act." The authority for this new regulation was included in s. 163(1) of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9.

An inquest into the death of Wayne Allen Strandquist will be held May 28-31, 2007, at 10 a.m. at the Saskatoon Queen's Bench Courthouse. Mr. Strandquist, aged 46 years, died January 2, 2006, while in cells at the Saskatoon Police Service.

May 11, 2007

Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan (ISC) has changed several of its service fees effective May 28, 2007. The ISC Land Registry Fee Schedule Change Comparison Backgrounder outlines these fee changes and compares the old fee schedule with the new one.

The April-May 2007 issue of The National is now available online. This issue features an article on parental mobility rights and custody ten years after Gordon v. Goertz.

May 10, 2007

Charter applications in a criminal trial, an upcoming teleseminar from the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association will be held on June 8, 2007.

The Saskatchewan Provincial Court has added to the Small Claims Court informational web page. Sample claims forms and instructions are now available.

May 9, 2007

The Supreme Court of Canada released its May agenda.  One appeal from Saskatchewan , R. v. Daley, is scheduled to be heard on May 18, 2007.

May 8, 2007

The Saskatchewan government introduced The Status of the Artist Act, 2007, Bill 68, which provides self-employed professional artists with access to collective bargaining mechanisms and processes.

May 7, 2007

On May 3, 2007, the federal government announced that the Criminal Code (criminal interest rate) Amendment Act, 2007 S.C. 2007, c. 9 came into force on assent. This amendment to the Criminal Code regulates payday lending interest rates.

May 4, 2007

How to Make Your Office (Almost) Paperless, a CBA PracticeLink article by Ann Macaulay discusses how to stop storing and maintaining paper records and start storing and maintaining electronic files.

May 3, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan Library is searching for an innovative and creative Systems Library Technician to join the dynamic team located in Regina.   Please forward applications by May 28, 2007.

The House of Lords has handed down a decision concerning claims in tort for economic loss caused by intentional acts. The three appeal cases involve inducing breach of contract, causing loss by unlawful means, interference with contractual relations, breach of confidence, and conversion. Douglas & Ors vv. Hello! Ltd & Ors, [2007] UKHL 21.

May 2, 2007

The Perfect Legal Bill, a CBA PracticeLink article by Edward Poll, discusses how "the perfect bill is one that speaks clearly and directly to clients about how you as a lawyer have improved their lives." According to Poll, unpaid bills indicate that clients:

• don't understand either the specifics or the value of what was done
• don't consider the bill as fair because they were charged for things that weren't requested
• don't feel an urgency to pay, preferring to focus on other bills
• may no longer have the money to pay for legal services, despite having good intentions

May 1, 2007

The Honourable Bertha Wilson passed away on April 28, 2007. She was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and served from 1982 to 1991.

Proposed First Nations Land Registry Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 17, April 28, 2007. These regulations would allow for a land registry system that assigns priorities to interests in First Nation Lands as they are registered, and permit instruments to be submitted on-line to the registry, features not available under the current system.

April 30, 2007

The following section of the Public Safety Act, 2002 S.C. 2004, c. 15, is proclaimed into force effective May 4, 2007 (P.C. 2007-601):

• s. 4.82(1) to (10) and 4.82(12) to (20) of the Aeronautics Act, as enacted by s. 5

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 17, April 27, 2007:

• SR 24/2007 The Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 26/2007 The Building and Accessibility Standards Administration Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 27/2007 The Mineral Exploration Incentive Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 28/2007 The Saskatchewan Flax Development Plan Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 29/2007 The Summary Offences Procedure Amendment Regulations, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part III, Vol. 103, No. 17, April 27, 2007:

• SR 25/2007 The Provincial Lands Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)
• SR 30/2007 The Saskatchewan Assistance Amendment Regulations, 2007

April 27, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking applications for the position of Assistant Complaints Counsel. Please see announcement for further details.

Donna Scott, Q.C. is appointed a judge of the Provincial Court for Saskatoon.

April 26, 2007

Centennial merchandise is now available on the Centennial Memorabilia web page. Items for sale include custom golf shirts, fleece vests, book bags, book plates, travel mugs and key chains. Online ordering with payment by credit card is available.

April 25, 2007

Proposed Regulations Amending the Canadian Wheat Board Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 16, April 21, 2007. The proposed amendments would allow barley producers to sell directly to any domestic or foreign buyer including the Canadian Wheat Board, and also continue CWB barley pools for those farmers who wanted to continue to sell through the Board. These amendments would implement marketing choice for barley effective August 1, 2007.

April 24, 2007

The Saskatchewan government has introduced the Occupational Health and Safety (Harassment Prevention) Amendment Act, 2007 (Bill 66). Proposed amendments would expand the definition of personal harassment to include abuse of power and bullying.

April 23, 2007

The International Bridges and Tunnels Act, S.C. 2007, c. 1, is proclaimed into force effective April 25, 2007 (P.C. 2007-560).

The following section of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, S.C. 1992, c. 20, is proclaimed into force effective April 19, 2007 (P.C. 2007-561):

• s. 108(2) applies in British Columbia

The following sections of An Act to amend the law governing financial institutions and to provide for related and consequential matters, S.C. 2007, c. 6 are proclaimed into force effective April 20, 2007 (P.C. 2007-554):

• s. 1 to 8, 10 to 23, 25 to 27, 29, 30(2),
  the portion of s. 439(3) before paragraph (a) and s. 439(3)(b) of the Bank Act as enacted by s. 30(3),
  s. 32, 34 to 47, 48(3), 57, 75 to 82, 84, 86, 87, 88(2),
  the portion of s. 558(3) before paragraph (a) and s. 558(3)(b) of the Bank Act as enacted by s. 88(3),
  s. 90, 92 to 110, 112 to 128, 130 to 146, 148 to 159, 161 to 163, 164(2),
  the portion of s. 385.04(3) before paragraph (a) and s. 385.04(3)(b) of the Cooperative Credit Associations Act as enacted by s. 164(3),
  s. 166, 168 to 185, 186(2), 186(3), 187 to 196, 198 to 231, 233 to 256, 258 to 262, 264 to 270, 272 to 274, 277, 279 to 284, 288 to 291, 293 to 295, 299 to 308, 309(1), 310 to 315, 317 to 342, 344 to 357, 359 to 361,
  the portion of s. 425(3) before paragraph (a) and s. 425(3)(b) of the Trust and Loan Companies Act as enacted by s. 362,
  s. 364, 366 to 385, 392 to 408, 413 to 421, 422(5),
  s. 4(4) of the Canadian Payments Act as enacted by s. 423,
  s. 424 to 426, 429(1), 429(2), 429(4), 430(1), 432 to 434, 436, 438, 440 to 444, 446(2), 448 to 451.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 16, April 20, 2007:

• SR 22/2007 The Open Seasons Game Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 23/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 4)

April 20, 2007

The Court of Appeal of Alberta has ordered a new trial in a case dealing with a breach of contract. The Court found that the trial judge erred in awarding rescission of the sale contract as a remedy for fundamental breach of contract. The proper remedy is termination of duty for future performance still due but unperformed by the innocent party and damages. A second error at trial was the legal test used to admit opinion evidence. Schmidt v. Guarantee RV Centre Inc., 2007 ABCA 89.

April 19, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for March 2007 is now available. Consumers paid 2.3% more for specific products in March 2007 than they did in March 2006.

April 17, 2007

Important Notice Regarding the University of Saskatchewan College of Law Library

The University of Saskatchewan Law Library has posted a notice on its website that it will be closed from April 18 to September 3, 2007. In order to minimize interruptions with the College Law Library while under construction, the Law Society Library will be directing requests for books and photocopies not in the Law Society library system to the Edmonton Law Society Library, where applicable.

We wish the University of Saskatchewan College of Law a smooth and successful renovation project.

"I'm not a lawyer, your Honour": Tips for dealing with the self-represented litigant, an article by Andrew P. Morrison, Alastair Wade and Kurt Wedel, offers strategies for dealing with self-represented litigants during chambers applications. This article is featured on the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website.

April 16, 2007

The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan in collaboration with the Manitoba Law Reform Commission has released A Report on Private Title Insurance (April 2007). The report "considers the effects of title insurance within the context of residential real property conveyancing and contains 15 recommendations aimed at protecting the interests of residential property owners and purchasers and protecting the public land registration system, while ensuring freedom of choice for consumers."

The following errata notice was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 15, April 13, 2007:

• Errata Notice The Freehold Oil and Gas Production Tax Amendment Regulations, 2006

How to make your office (almost) paperless, by Ann Macaulay, a new article on CBA PracticeLink, looks at the advantages and concerns about converting client files to digital format.

April 13, 2007

The Remote Sensing Space Systems Act, S.C. 2005, c. 45, is proclaimed into force effective April 5, 2007, except for section 46 which came into force on November 25, 2005 (P.C. 2007-432).

April 12, 2007

Section 172.01 of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, is proclaimed into force effective April 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-369).

Section 3.1 of the Access to Information Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1, as enacted by sections 142, s. 141(2), 143, 147, 148, 159, 163(1), 164, 181(2), 188 and 190 of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, is proclaimed into force effective September 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-370).

The Canadian Human Rights Commission has released a Guide for Managing the Return to Work. This guide features an outline of key legal principles that apply to return-to-work situations, procedures for case management, and case studies dealing with hypothetical scenarios.

April 11, 2007

The Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association has launched a test case to see if the Alberta Government's automobile minor injury policy contravenes section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The policy sets a ceiling of $4,000 on the amount of damages courts can award for soft-tissue injuries.

April 10, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking a Chief Executive Officer. Letters of application should be sent to Victor Dietz, Q.C., President of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, c/o 1000 - 2002 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 0R7. The application deadline is May 11, 2007.

A proposed Order Amending the Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2006) was published in the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 141, No. 14, April 7, 2007. The proposed Order would extend for one more year the amnesty period created under the original order, the Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2006) [Amnesty Order 2006]. The Amnesty Order 2006 came into force May 17, 2006, and will end on May 16, 2007, unless it is extended by the Amending Order. The Amending Order would be made pursuant to subsection 117.14(1) of the Criminal Code, and would apply to owners of non-restricted firearms (commonly known as ordinary rifles and shotguns or long guns) whose licences expired or will expire during the period from January 1, 2004, to May 16, 2008, and/or owners who have not obtained registration certificates for these firearms.

April 9, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is seeking a volunteer to serve on the Western Law Societies Conveyancing Project. The ideal candidate must have extensive experience in residential real estate conveyancing, be aware of national trends and developments in the area and be willing to donate some time. The majority of meetings are by way of conference call but some travel (mostly to Calgary) is required. Interested volunteers may send their expressions of interest along with information about their qualifications to reception@lawsociety.sk.ca by May 15, 2007.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 14, April 5, 2007:

• F-8.001 Reg 32 The Canada-Saskatchewan Specified Risk Material Management Program Regulations
• G-5.1 Reg 128 The Forestry Secretariat Regulations
• SR 20/2007 The Health Information Protection Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 21/2007 The Department of Environment Amendment Regulations, 2007

The following amendment was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part III, Vol. 103, No. 14, April 5, 2007:

• SR 19/2007 The Provincial Lands Amendment Regulations, 2007
  April 5, 2007

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released two reports: Review Report No. F-2007-002 (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) and Investigation Report (Breach of Privacy) F-2007-001 (Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board).

April 4, 2007

The following noteworthy regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 141, No. 7, April 4, 2007:

• Rules amending the Bankruptcy and Insolvency General Rules (Miscellaneous Program), SOR/2007-61, in force March 22, 2007
• Guidelines amending the Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/2007-59, in force April 1, 2007
• The Western Producer is looking for a lawyer to write a weekly column dealing with topics of rural or agricultural interest.

Construction claims and contracting strategies, by Bryan S. Shapiro, deals with a variety of contracting strategies, risk allocation and project delivery alternatives that help to reduce the effect of risk factors such as cost escalations, delays, changes in project scope, geotechnical and site-related problems. weather and force majeure conditions, and negligence in both design and construction. This paper is from the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.

April 3, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 13, March 30, 2007:

• E-0.2 Reg 17 The 2006 - 2007 School Grant Regulations
• R-4.21 Reg 1 The Reclaimed Industrial Sites Regulations
• SR 14/2007 The Forest Resources Management Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 15/2007 The Water Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 16/2007 The Cities Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 17/2007 The Crop Insurance Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 18/2007 The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Payment Amendment Regulations, 2007

An inquest into the death of Patrick Albert Segu will be held April 9-11, 2007, at 10 a.m. at the Regina Queen's Bench Courthouse. Mr. Segu died July 29, 2005 while a patient at the Regina General Hospital.

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has released Report F-2007-001 (Saskatchewan Northern Affairs).

April 2, 2007

The Honourable Murray D. Acton is appointed a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench. He replaces Madam Justice Darla Hunter who was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Saskatchewan. This appointment is effective immediately.

March 30, 2007

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has upheld the Queen's Bench decision in Canada (Attorney General) v. Sparvier regarding fees payable to Merchant Law Group stemming from the settlement of Indian Residential School claims. (Sparvier v. Canada (Attorney General), 2007 SKCA 37) (Case summary provided by the Court of Appeal.)

March 29, 2007

The Law Society is very pleased to announce the Honourable Gerald Morin as the recipient of the C. Willy Hodgson Award. Family, friends and colleagues of both Willy Hodgson and Judge Morin attended the award ceremony held at the Prince Albert Grand Council on March 28, 2007. This award is given in memory of Willy Hodgson, C.M., S.O.M., and her many contributions to advancing equality and diversity in the administration of justice for the people of Saskatchewan. Mrs. Hodgson was a Law Society Lay Bencher from 1997 to 2001. The award recognizes Judge Morin's commitments to the Aboriginal community and access to justice through his work with the Cree court circuit in Northern Saskatchewan and his support for scholarships in Cumberland House and Peter Ballantyne Secondary.

Saskatchewan Justice announced that amendments to the Health Information Protection Regulations are now in force. A backgrounder describes the types of personal health information which may be disclosed without a patient's consent during a police investigation.

March 28, 2007

The Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan has updated A guide to the law for Saskatchewan women. The guide covers family law; criminal justice system; victims of crime, violence, and abuse; women's health; rights and freedoms; language rights; work; money and property; and legal representation and options.

March 27, 2007

The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, S.C. 2005, c. 46, is proclaimed into force as follows effective April 15, 2007 (P.C. 2007-425):

• Whole Act except s. 59 and the reference to the "Canada Pension Plan Investment Board" in Schedule 1

Law blogs are an effective way to combine personal observation with facts and insights from a lawyer's area of focus into a marketing tool to reach current and potential clients. Blogging policies and best practices for lawyers and law firms, a CBAPracticeLink article by Edward Poll, discusses the importance of implementing policies for blogging that consider the following areas: the blog's purpose, technology costs, personal expense and time, and professional responsibility. Links to several corporate blogging policies are included.

March 26, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 12, March 23, 2007:

• SR 11/2007 The Securities Commission (Adoption of National Instruments) Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 12/2007 The Automobile Accident Insurance (General) Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 13/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 3)
  March 22, 2007

Saskatchewan Finance Minister Andrew Thomson has tabled the 2007-08 Budget and supporting documents:

Budget and Performance Plan Summary
Estimates
2007-08 Financial Highlights (Green Sheet)
The British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILLI) has launched a new website. New features include:

Case Law Search Form (searchable by citation or keyword)
Legislation Search Form (searchable by keyword)
Other Materials Search Form (Law commission reports)
A-Z title browse lists
Leading Cases Lists
March 21, 2007

Alma Wiebe, Q.C. is appointed a member of the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission.

The Consumer Price Index for February is now available. Consumers paid 2.0% more for specific products in February 2007 than in February 2006.

March 20, 2007

New on the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website, an article by David C. Dundee, Ties that bind? Support and the payor's estate looks at the case law dealing with the following questions:

Can the court make a support order binding on the estate of the payor? If so, when is this appropriate?
Can parties contract for on-going support after the death of the payor and how should this be recognized?
Can an estate apply to cancel or vary such support orders?
Is there a way to avoid the whole problem?

March 19, 2007

The federal Budget 2007 information is now available.

Michael W. Milani, Q.C., has been confirmed as President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

March 16, 2007

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada has launched its website. The PPSC's mandate is to initiate and conduct prosecutions under federal jurisdiction and to intervene in cases affecting prosecutions and investigations. The PPSC also provides advice to law enforcement agencies and investigative bodies on investigations that may lead to prosecutions. The PPSC is independent of the Department of Justice Canada and reports to Parliament through the Attorney General.

March 15, 2007

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that a woman wrongfully charged with killing her daughter is allowed to sue the pathologist whose expert testimony contributed to her arrest and detention. Dr. Charles Smith conducted the post mortem examination and gave an oral opinion that the child had been stabbed to death by scissors or a knife. A second post mortem revealed that the child had been injured by a dog. The Court found that the woman's claim against the pathologist is in respect to his role as a public official investigating a suspicious death and not to his role in testifying in her criminal prosecution. The Court stated that "this is a classic example of the type of case that should be allowed to proceed to trial to enable the court to make a decision on Dr. Smith's witness immunity claim, which he has the burden of establishing, on the basis of a complete factual record." Reynolds v. Kingston (Police Services Board), 2007 ONCA 166, (March 14, 2007).

March 14, 2007

Proposed amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Registration Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 10, March 10, 2007. These proposed amendments expand Canadian customer due diligence and transaction reporting requirements for financial institutions and intermediaries, set out a framework for the registration of money services businesses, and expand the list of information that the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) may disclose to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The Supreme Court of Canada has released a special edition of the Bulletin of Proceedings: Statistics 1996 to 2006, a view of the Court's work in 2006, with comparisons to the previous 10 years' work.

March 13, 2007

TD/Canada Trust has incorporated the Western Law Societies Conveyancing Protocol into instructions to Alberta lawyers effective March 12, 2007.

An inquest into the death of James Burns will be held March 27-28, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. at the Prince Albert Queen's Bench Courthouse. Mr. Burns died October 21, 2005, while an inmate at the Prince Albert Correctional Centre.

Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Lawrence Cannon and United States Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced that the Open Skies agreement between Canada and the U.S. came into force on March 12, 2007.

March 12, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 10, March 9, 2007:

• F-8.001 Reg 31 The Bison Breeder Associations Loan Guarantee Regulations
• T-18.1 Reg 4 The Vehicle Impoundment (Public Order) Regulations, 2007
• SR 8/2007 The Cattle Breeder Associations Loan Guarantee Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 9/2007 The Cattle Feeder Associations Loan Guarantee Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 10/2007/ RS 10/2007 The Queen's Bench Amendment Regulations, 2007 / Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur la Cour du Banc de la Reine

March 9, 2007

The March 2007 issue of The National is now available online. This issue features articles on office design, small-firm billing and parental leave.

Jennifer Lynch, Q.C., is appointed to the position of Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

March 8, 2007

The Access to Justice - Family Committee is reviewing accessibility issues related to family law services in Saskatchewan. A questionnaire about lawyer-client issues is available in both PDF and MS Word formats. Please send completed questionnaires before March 28, 2007 by mail, facsimile or email, to:

Colleen Freed
Policy, Planning and Evaluation Branch
Saskatchewan Justice
Room 310 - 1874 Scarth Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4B3
Telephone: (306)787 - 3481
Facsimile: (306) 787-9008
Email: cfreed@justice.gov.sk.ca

The 2007 Heald Lecture in Administrative Law is  "Are Grey Holes Worse than Black Holes for the Rule of Law?" by Professor David Dyzenhaus. The lecture is at 12:30 p.m. on March 19, 2007 in the Law Library at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law.

March 7, 2007

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada National Family Law Program is asking for proposals for papers for its 2008 program.

March 5, 2007

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Rob Nicholson, Q.C., announced the following judicial appointments on March 2, 2007. These appointments are effective immediately.

The Honourable Madam Justice Darla C. Hunter, a judge of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, is appointed a judge of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. She replaces Mr. Justice N.W. Sherstobitoff (Regina) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.
The Honourable Ralph K. Ottenbreit, Q.C., a partner with the law firm of Robertson Stromberg Pedersen in Regina is appointed a judge of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench. He replaces Mr. Justice J. Klebec (Saskatoon) who became Chief Justice of Saskatchewan in September 2006.

March 2, 2007

The Supreme Court Advocacy Institute provides free, non-partisan advocacy advice to parties who are scheduled to appear in an appeal before the Supreme Court of Canada. The Supreme Court Advocacy Institute is not a program of the Supreme Court of Canada, nor is it associated with the Court, its Justices or its administration. The Institute's program is targeted principally at counsel who are appearing before the Court for the first time.

Part 8 of the Public Safety Act, 2002, S.C. 2004, c. 15, is proclaimed into force, effective March 31, 2007 (P.C. 2007-253).

March 1, 2007

The following sections of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, have been proclaimed into force:

sections 247 to 253 are proclaimed into force, effective April 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-202)
sections 283 to 289 are proclaimed into force, effective April 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-203)
sections 239 to 242 are proclaimed into force, effective April 27, 2007 (P.C. 2007-204)
The Reclaimed Industrial Sites Act, S.S. 2006, c. R-4.21, is proclaimed to force, effective March 1, 2007.

The Saskatchewan minimum wage increased by 40 cents today, to $7.95 an hour.

February 28, 2007

The Regina Queen's Bench Courthouse is undergoing low risk asbestos removal in its basement. There will be no access allowed to the basement after 5 p.m. on February 27 and 28, 2007. Please call the Regina library if you need after-hours access to law reporters or other province statutes during this time.

The Federal Department of Justice announced the launching of a new website for accessing legislation.

February 27, 2007

On December 12, 2006, The Director of Public Prosecutions Act came into force as Part 3 of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9. The government has released a series of fact sheets about the Federal Accountability Action Plan, including information on Creating a Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Canadian Bar Association Saskatchewan Branch Law Day 2007 events include the seventh annual McKercher Cup Mock Trial Competition and Law Day luncheons with Maher Arar. Registration and ticket order forms are available on the CBA Saskatchewan webpage.

February 26, 2007

The Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association Spring Conference Administrative law: Is it really patently unreasonable? will be held on April 27, 2007 in Saskatoon.

The impact of gifts and inheritances on the division of assets on marriage breakdown, an article by Diane M. Bell, discusses current Canadian case law on the division of marital assets when gifts and inheritances are involved. Bell concludes that there will be more litigation in the area of contingent gifts and inheritances especially where one spouse has received an anticipated inheritance and the marriage breaks down before the other spouse receives his/her anticipated inheritance. This article is available on the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website.

February 23, 2007

The following sections of the Midwifery Act, S.S. 1999, c. M-14.1, are proclaimed into force effective February 23, 2007:

s. 1 to 6, 7(1), 11 to 17, 44 to 46, 48 and 50 to 52

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 8, February 23, 2007:

• SR 7/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007 (No. 2)

February 22, 2007

Saskatchewan Justice has announced that the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.S. 2006, c. R-22.0001, will come into force effective March 1, 2007.

The following sections of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, are proclaimed into force, effective March 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-178):

s. 3.01 of the Access to Information Act, as enacted by s. 142 of the Act,
s. 3.01 of the Privacy Act, as enacted by s. 182 of the Act,
s. 149, 154, 157, 158, 160, 172, 172.1, 179, 184, 186, 187 and 189

The following sections of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, are proclaimed into force, effective April 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-179):

s. 144 to 146, 165 to 171, 183, 191 to 193

Section 154 of the Public Sector Investment Board Act, S.C. 1999, c. 34, is proclaimed into force effective March 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-182).

The following sections of An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, S.C. 2003, c. 26, are proclaimed into force, effective March 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-182):

s. 1 to 3, 6 to 12, 13(1), 13(2), 14 to 20, 22 to 25, 26(4), 27 to 29, 31, 33 and 35,
s. 82 to 93 of the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, as enacted by s. 36 of the Act,
s. 37 to 41, 48 to 55 and 65 to 68

February 21, 2007

Seven legal technology trends for 2007: Widening the digital divide in law practices, an article by Dennis Kennedy, discusses specific technology trends law firms should address in 2007.

February 16, 2007

The Manitoba Attorney General announced the release of the  inquiry report into the trial and conviction of James Driskell.  (Dirskell Inquiry Report)

February 14, 2007

The Court of Appeal of Alberta has ruled that a contract releasing a man from parental rights and obligations towards his partner's child would not be valid. The couple brought an originating notice seeking a declaration that such an agreement would bind them and any third party, including any government authorities. The Court ruled that while the man was not the child's biological father, he had entered into a relationship of interdependence of some permanence with the child's mother and thus also with her child who lived in their shared household. While he had no intention of being a parent to the child, section 48(2) of the Family Law Act, R.S.A. 2003, c. F-4.5, could be interpreted as coming from the child's perception of what is a parental figure. (Doe v. Alberta, 2007 ABCA 50)

February 13, 2007

A resolution calling on law societies to adopt and enforce guidelines for the conduct of lawyers who act for residential school survivors will be debated at the Canadian Bar Association's upcoming Mid-Winter Meeting of Council. These guidelines were adopted by the CBA in 2000. The council will also discuss a resolution on the rights of children in child welfare proceedings.

February 12, 2007

Sections 173 to 178 of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, are proclaimed into force effective February 10, 2007 (P.C. 2007-141).

The following sections of An Act to Amend the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Income Tax Act and to Make a Consequential Amendment to Another Act, S.C 2006, c. 12 (Bill C-25), are proclaimed into force effective February 10, 2007 (P.C. 2007-142):

• subsection 1(1), sections 2, 4, 7, 9, and 12 to 24, subsections 26(1) and 28(1) and sections 29 to 39, 41, and 44 to 46

February 8, 2007

The latest issue of the National is now available online.

February 7, 2007

The Labour Market Commission Act, S.S. 2006, c. L-0.11, is proclaimed into force, effective February 7, 2007.

The following sections of the Federal Accountability Act, S.C. 2006, c. 9, are proclaimed into force, effective March 1, 2007 (P.C. 2007-107):

sections 244, 246, 261, 262(1), 262(3), 263 to 266, 269 and 295

Multi-Jurisdictional Wills, an article by Fiona Hunter, discusses the challenges presented by clients who live "internationally." Both the domicile of the client and the location of his or her assets could require a complicated estate plan. This paper points out when and why a multi-jurisdictional situation may exist and discusses aspects of drafting a will in such circumstances. This paper is available on the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website.

February 6, 2007

The Law Society of Saskatchewan Administrative office will be closed February 6, 2007. We would like to thank our members for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience while we move to our new location. We will be open for business on Wednesday, February 7, 2007.  Our new address is 1100 - 2002 Victoria Avenue, Regina, S4P 0R7.  Our telephone and fax numbers will remain the same.

The Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association Civil Jury Law Reform Committee has released an Information paper: Civil jury trials in Saskatchewan, written by Jeffrey Pfeifer. This paper looks at the issue of civil jury trials in Saskatchewan and includes a discussion of current research and literature as well as the perceptions of lawyers, judges and jurors.

February 5, 2007

Murray Hinds is appointed a judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan for Regina.

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 5, February 2, 2007:

• I-2.01 Reg 4 The Employee's Tools Credit Regulations
• SR 2/2007 The Driver Licensing and Suspension Amendment Regulations, 2007
• SR 3/2007 / RS 3/2007 The Inter-jurisdictional Support Orders Amendment Regulations, 2007 / Règlement de 2007 modifiant le Règlement sur les ordonnances alimentaires interterritoriales

February 2, 2007

The Podiatry Act, S.S. 2003, c. P-14.1, except for sections 14(2)(n) and (o), is proclaimed into force effective February 2, 2007.

The Canadian E-Discovery Case Law Digest was recently updated. This digest is arranged by topic with links to rules, legislation and caselaw and is maintained by the eDiscovery Subcommittee of the Task Force on the Discovery Process in Ontario and the Ontario Bar Association.

10 things you should do before installing Windows Vista, by Steven Pittsley, discusses factors to address while preparing existing computers to run Windows Vista. Pittsley identifies the graphics card requirement as the biggest hurdle to running the new operating system. This article is available from the CBA PracticeLink.

February 1, 2007

The National Class Action Database is designed to give lawyers and the public easy access to court documents submitted with regard to class action lawsuits currently underway in Canada. This database is a pilot project of the Canadian Bar Association and will act as a repository for information about the existence and status of class actions across Canada. This initiative is strictly voluntary and is not a comprehensive listing of all Canadian class action lawsuits.

The Saskatchewan Waste Electronic Equipment Program ("SWEEP") starts today. SARCAN facilities across the province will accept televisions, computers, monitors and printers. SWEEP is funded by Environmental Handling Fees (EHF) paid when purchasing new electronic equipment in Saskatchewan.

January 31, 2007

The Office of the Rentalsman will hold public information sessions in February about the new Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.S. 2006, c. R-22.0001. This act is not yet proclaimed.

January 30, 2007

The Saskatchewan government has announced changes to a number of fees for the upcoming year. The Changes to fees and charges 2007-08 backgrounder provides details, effective dates and contact information.

The Honourable Maureen Dorothy Forestell, the Honourable Thomas R. Lederer, the Honourable Julianne Alys Parfett, and the Honourable James Alexander Ramsay are appointed judges of the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario.

January 29, 2007

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench released the decision in a child custody case where a biological mother placed her baby in the care of a third party family without the consent of the biological father. Based on the evidence, the Court found that the child's best interests were served by granting custody to the third party family. (Hendricks v. Swan, 2007 SKQB 36) (Case Summary provided by the Court of Queen's Bench.)

The following regulation was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 4, January 26, 2007:

• SR 1/2007 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2007

January 26, 2007

The Honourable Mr. Justice Barry Strayer, Deputy Judge of the Federal Court of Canada, will address the issue of judicial review under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as the speaker for the 2007 Timlin Lecture on February 20, 2007. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in Convocation Hall at the University of Saskatchewan.

January 24, 2007

Set your law firm apart with a formal client service standard policy, an article by Janet Ellen Raasch on CBA PracticeLink, discusses how client service rather than legal expertise plays a major role in how clients distinguish one law firm from another. Poor client service is likely to send a client looking for legal advice elsewhere. This article provides sample service statements and strategies for implementing a service standard policy.

January 23, 2007

The Consumer Price Index for December is now available. Consumers paid 1.6% more than they did last December. Statistics Canada has also announced a major update to the Consumer Price Index which comes into effect on June 19, 2007.

The issue of tort law raised in a recent Court of Appeal for Ontario decision was "whether a defendant may be liable for damages for psychiatric harm where the harm, by any objective measurement, consists of an exaggerated reaction by an obsessive person of particular sensibilities to what, in reality, is a relatively minor or trivial incident - the sight of a dead fly in a bottle of consumer water." The court overturned the lower court's award of $340,000 in damages. Mustapha v. Culligan of Canada Ltd., 2006 CanLII 41807 (ON C.A.)

January 22, 2007

An amended schedule for Court of Queen's Bench Chamber Sittings in Melfort, Moose Jaw, Regina and Yorkton was published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part I, Vol. 103, No. 3, January 19, 2007. The amended schedule accommodates the Family Day statutory holiday in February.

January 17, 2007

The faculty at the Osgoode Hall Law School has launched The Court, a blog devoted to the recent and upcoming work of the Supreme Court of Canada.

January 16, 2007

The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner has announced two upcoming conferences concerning privacy issues. The Prairie Health Information Privacy Day 2007, will be held on April 16, 2007 in Regina. The Saskatchewan Access and Privacy Conference 2007, will be held on April 18, 2007 in Regina.

January 15, 2007

The Courts of Saskatchewan has created a Strike Information page outlining registry and court sitting information for locations affected by the strike action. This page will be continually updated.

The child specialist in collaborative separation and divorce, an article by Dr. Susan Gamache, discusses the role of a child specialist, a licensed mental health practitioner, as a member of a collaborative team working through separation and divorce issues. The child specialist remains a neutral third party who focuses exclusively on the children's concerns and interests. This role includes therapeutic assessment of the children, direct observation of children and parents, and consultation with extended family or community members as necessary. These assessments are reported back to the parents and to the team. The child specialist may also work with the parents to create a parenting plan. This article is available on the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia website.

January 12, 2007

In a recent review of a family law arbitral decision the Honourable Justice Nation of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta identified several errors of law that may be instructive for lawyers drafting arbitration agreements. The arbitration agreement in question did not deal with remedies in the event that the arbitrator's decision could be appealed on a question of law.  Another issue was the time commitment for lawyers who act as arbitrators.  Justice Nation wrote: "...lawyers who take on arbitrations have to be honest about their work commitments, and should only take on arbitration work with time limits which they can achieve. One of the main advantages touted for arbitration is to get a quick decision, faster than court. That advantage is often lost when the award is delayed." (Metcalfe v. Metcalfe, 2006 ABQB 798)

January 11, 2007

The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics has released its report Child and spousal support: Maintenance enforcement survey statistics, 2005/2006 (No. 85-228-XIE). This report analyzes the characteristics of cases that are registered with maintenance enforcement programs across Canada.

January 10, 2007

The federal Justice Laws Web Site has several new features:

• Point-in-time access to consolidated Acts (beginning January 1, 2003) and regulations (beginning March 22, 2006)
• A new advanced search engine which includes word proximity and wildcard operators
• Regulations are now listed alphabetically on the new 'Regulations by Title' page

January 9, 2007

The Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission announced the fees paid to private bar lawyers will increase from $60/hour to $72/hour with an effective appointment date on and after January 1, 2007. The Private Bar Appointment Policy (January 1, 2007) explains the new policies and tariffs.

January 8, 2007

The following regulations were published in the Saskatchewan Gazette, Part II, Vol. 103, No. 1, January 5, 2007:

• SR 115/2006 The Securities Commission (Adoption of National Instruments) Amendment Regulations, 2006 (No. 3)
• SR 116/2006 The Assessment Management Agency Amendment Regulations, 2006
• SR 117/2006 The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Payment Amendment Regulations, 2006 (No.3)
• SR 118/2006 / RS 118/2006 The Small Claims Amendment Regulations, 2006 (No. 2) / Règlement no 2 de 2006 modifiant le Règlement de 1998 sur les petites créances
• SR 119/2006 The Milk Control Amendment Regulations, 2006 (No. 12)

The Index to periodical articles related to law is now available through the Law Society of Saskatchewan Members' Section as part of the HeinOnline Law Journal Library. The Index identifies bibliographic information for articles published from 1958 to 2006 in periodicals not widely read by the legal profession. This index focuses on items not indexed in LegalTrac, Current law index, Legal resource index, Index to foreign legal periodicals & books, or the Index to Canadian legal literature.

January 5, 2007

Lessons learned: Lawyers' biggest career mistakes and successes, a CBA PracticeLink article by Ann Macaulay, features Canadian lawyers talking about their biggest mistakes and how these shaped their careers. Lessons learned include:

• Own up when you're wrong
• Realize that what goes around, comes around, so deal with others in a civil manner
• Make connections with others, professionally and socially
• Avoid problem clients
• Maintain your integrity
• Manage client expectations
• Cope effectively with stress
• Learn how to handle yourself in the courtroom

January 4, 2007

The Ontario Court of Appeal released a ruling declaring that A.A. is a mother of D.D.  A.A. and C.C. have been in a same-sex union since 1990 and decided to start a family with the assistance of their friend B.B. D.D. was born in 2001. A.A. applied for a declaration that , like B.B. and C.C., she was D.D.'s parent.  (A.A. v. B.B., 2007 ONCA 2)

January 3, 2007

The Regional Health Services Amendment Act, 2006, S.S. 2006, c. 32, is proclaimed into force, effective January 2, 2007.

The Boiler and Pressure Vessel Act, 1999, S.S. 1999, c. B-5.1, is proclaimed into force, effective January 1, 2007.

The Cancer Agency Act, S.S. 2006, c. C-1.1, is proclaimed into force, effective January 2, 2007.

The Honourable Dallas K. Miller is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. Mr. Justice Miller graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1984 from the University of Saskatchewan.

January 2, 2007

Well-run appeals, a paper by the Honourable Mr. Justice J. E. Côté, looks at appellate court procedures from across Canada and makes recommendations for best practices. This paper is available from the Canadian Judicial Council website.