Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Top 5 Legal Questions
Special Report: Access to Justice
Departments
Columns
 
 

Featured Articles: Top 5 Legal Questions

What Do I Have to Tell the Police if They Stop Me?
Charles Davison
It depends on why they’re asking you to stop and what you’re doing at that moment.
What Do I Do With My Tenancy if I’ve Lost My Job?
Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta
Laws for tenants in Alberta if their employment ends.
Police Records Checks – What Can They Disclose?
Heather Forester
Understanding how information in a screening tool may be a barrier to equal opportunity.
What You Should Do if You are Injured in a Car Accident
Donald L. McFarlane
A handy list of steps to take if you are in a motor vehicle collision.
Can I Leave Someone Out of My Will?
Donna L. Gee
The difference between those who you can cut out of your will and those you can’t.

Special Report: Access to Justice

Defending the Court Challenges Program
Carissima Mathen and Kyle Kirkup
A powerful symbol of commitment to Canada’s Constitution
Public Interest Law Clinic at the University of Calgary
Christine Laing and Drew Yewchuk
The forces shaping access to justice are shaping the future of legal practice and education.
Supreme Court of Canada Endorses A New Approach to Self-Represented Litigants
Sean Sutherland and Cassie Richards
Strict application of court rules against a self-represented litigant may lead to injustice.

Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Wills and Estates
Special Report: The Senate
Departments
Columns

Featured Articles: Wills and Estates

“Have You Heard the One About The Canadian Who Died Without a Will?”
Kathy Hawkesworth
Harness “will power”; light-hearted twist on a serious topic with five excuses and rebuttals.
People Always Told Me, Be Careful What you Do: Wills and Dependency Legislation
Fred R. Fenwick QC and Andrea MacLean
Struggles and balancing of interests inherent in Alberta’s wills and dependency legislation.

Round Two: Blended Families and Estate Planning
Mandy England
Issues commonly arise when estate planning for blended families.
Inheritance Issues in Bankruptcy
Doug Hoyes
When someone files for bankruptcy, he/she surrenders all non-exempt assets including inheritances.
Death and Taxes: When the Certainties Collide
Christie Hoem-McNall and Hugh Neilson
As the cliché goes, the only certainties in life are death and taxes. When the former occurs, the Personal Representative of the Estate must address the latter.
Setting Up Wills and Trusts
Doug Surtees and Amanda S.A. Doucette
To understand your choices in estate planning, it is essential to understand the difference between a will and a trust.
Mental Capacity Has Different Meanings in Different Contexts
Donna L. Gee
Capacity in a will-making is not the same as the capacity to make decisions concerning personal care, health and managing one’s financial affairs.

Special Report: The Senate

A Renewed Senate That Works for Canadians
Senator Peter Harder
Remodelling the Senate to build a more independent institution.
The Senate Reference: Supreme Court of Canada Outlines Constitutional Road to Reform
Katherine Creelman
Parliament finds out how it can change or abolish the Senate.
An Insider’s Look at Senate Committees
Marjun Parcasio
The work of Senate Committees is often undervalued and overlooked.

 Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Aboriginal Children
Special Report: Innovations in Legal Services
Departments
Columns
 

Featured Articles: Aboriginal Children

Aboriginal Child Protection and Dual Citizenship: Membership has its Benefits
Troy Hunter
Aboriginal children often have dual citizenship in one or more Indian bands. This complicates things!
The Missing Children Project
Stephanie Jansen
Thousands of Aboriginal children are missing or unaccounted for. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission wants to know what happened to them.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Decision and the Jordan Principle
Edward Apolonio
How long must Aboriginal Children wait to receive funding equal to other Canadian children?
Envisioning an Indigenous Jurisdictional Process
Janice Makokis
Onion Lake Cree Nation is undertaking an Indigenous law-making and governing process.
The “Sixties Scoop”: A Dark Chapter in Canadian History
Rachel Shabalin
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has delivered a decision on the devastating effects of the ‘60s Scoop of Aboriginal children

Special Report: Innovations in Legal Services

Technology, the Legal System and Legal Services
Lois Gander Q.C.
Changes in technology have made it possible to think in entirely new ways of addressing the law, legal information and legal services.
Exploring New Frontiers for the Delivery of Legal Services in Canada
Amer Mustaq
Canadian lawyers are learning that they can’t practice law in the same old ways.
Current Trends in Technology for the Provision of Legal Information
Scarlett Chan
There is a lot going on in the interface of law and technology. Let’s explore what’s out there.

 Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Transgender Issues
Special Report: Canada’s Judiciary
Departments
Columns

Featured Articles: Transgender Issues

It’s Time to Enshrine the Rights and Protections of Transgender Canadians
Senator Grant Mitchell
A Bill presently before the Senate of Canada will deliver long-awaited protections for Canada’s transgender community.
Transgender Protection in Provincial Human Rights Codes
Peter Bowal and Sydney Smith

Supporting Transgender People in the Workplace
Melissa Luhtanen
In Alberta employers must protect against discrimination and harassment based on gender identity.
Canada is Working to Create Inclusive  Environments for Transgender Athletes
Rachel Corbett
A guidance document by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport sets out an overall philosophy of full inclusion in developmental and recreational sport.

Special Report: Canada’s Judiciary

Scrutinizing the Bench:  Judicial Appointments in Canada, and England and Wales
Marjun Parcasio
Canada’s judicial system is modelled on the United Kingdoms’ but there are differences in how we select our judges.
Continuing Education for Canadian Judges through the National Judicial Institute
Adele Kent
Canadian Judges  work hard to keep abreast of developments in the law, hone their courtroom skills and deepen their understanding of the people who come before them. They also share their expertise with judges around the world.
The Appointment of Supreme Court of Canada Justice Malcolm Rowe
Drew Yewchuk
Recently, a Question and Answer session introduced newly selected Justice Malcolm Rowe to invited participants, and through them, to the Canadian public.
When Will We See an Aboriginal Justice on the Supreme Court of Canada?
Matthew Wolfson
Canada’s aboriginal people are still without Supreme Court of Canada representation.

Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Medical Assistance in Dying
Special Report: Students and the Law
Departments
Columns

Featured Articles: Medical Assistance in Dying

Medical Assistance in Dying: From Rodriguez to Bill C-14
Juliana Ho
Much has changed in Canada since the Supreme Court of Canada turned down Sue Rodriguez’ plea for help to end her life.

Medical Assistance in Dying: An Enormous Change in Canadian Social Policy
Teresa Mitchell
Here is a look at the most important features of Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying Act.
Medically Assisted Death Offers Options
Charles Davison
Medical Assistance in Dying creates the opportunity for Canadians to choose their  responses  to grievous health situations.
Critiques of Assisted Dying
Peter Bowal and Paulami Saha
When the sanctity of life is displaced by a culture of respectable voluntary death, this change in attitude could eventually disrupt the personal autonomy of the  living.

Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Municipalities and Environmental Law
Special Report: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Departments
Columns
 

Featured Articles: Municipalities and Environmental Law

Unleashing the Environmental Power of Municipalities
Brenda Heenan Powell
A new Municipal Government Act for Alberta could substantially boost the powers of municipalities to protect the environment.

In Praise of Urban Forests
Mike Rosen
Provincial laws make it possible for cities to build communities with trees.
Common Neighbourhood Disputes and Resolutions
Melanie Webber
Neighbours should always talk first and complain to City Hall if that fails.
The Municipal Government Board
Peter Bowal
Learn the difference between LARBs and CARBs as we walk you through the most powerful of municipal boards.

Table of Contents

Featured Articles: Protecting Children
Special Report: The State of our Jails
Departments
Columns
 

Featured Articles: Protecting Children

An Overview to Child Intervention Services in Alberta
Amanda Baretta
Child and Family Services in Alberta will intervene when children need protection.

Signs of Safety
Heather D. Malaryk
Signs of Safety is a promising new child protection casework practice being implemented in Alberta.
Litigating Deaths of Children in Care
Avnish Nanda
A shocking number of children have died in care in Alberta.
Marriage Breakdown Affects Taxes and Child Benefits
Christie Hoem-McNall
There are lots of tax issues that arise if you have children!