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Gun lobby loses bid to thwart Quebec long-gun registry

The National Firearms Association and a Quebec-based pro-gun lobby group failed to put a stop to Quebec’s provincial long-gun registry after Quebec Superior Court held that the registry was constitutionally valid.

In a 26-page ruling that did not take any constitutional experts by surprise, Quebec Superior Court Justice Lukasz Granosik held that Bill 64, Firearms Registration Act, does not infringe on federal jurisdiction because it essentially is about public safety, which is related to provincial jurisdiction on issues of property and civil law as well as the administration of justice.

Why it matters: The gun lobby now fears that other provinces may follow Quebec's lead.…

Judiciary News July 24, 2017

Allegations of conflict of interest against three judges dismissed

The Canadian Judicial Council has dismissed allegations of conflicts by three judges who attended privately sponsored receptions or conferences.

The three judges, all of whom hear tax cases, landed in hot water after the CBC and Radio-Canada reported that they had attended social events at an International Fiscal Association Conference in Madrid in September 2016. The conference was approved by the CJC as a continuing education opportunity for judges involved in tax law matters.…

ILA-Canada calls for conference paper proposals

ILA-Canada, the Canadian branch of the International Law Association, is calling for paper proposals for a conference entitled "Participation of Indigenous Peoples in the UNDRIP Implementation in Canada – Prospects and Challenges in Light of Parallel International Law." The conference will be held on September 21, 2018 at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in Toronto. Proposal abstracts are due by June 30, 2018. More information can be found here.

Quebec financial watchdog seeking provincial court and municipal judge

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is seeking candidates to serve on an advisory committee that will examine the practices of representatives pursuing activities under the Act respecting the distribution of financial products and services.

The committee will serve as a forum between the AMF and industry stakeholders involved in the distribution of financial products and services covered by the Distribution Act. Deadline is June 15th. More details can be found here.

Call for papers for the 2019 Baxter Family Competition on Federalism

McGill University’s Faculty of Law and the Peter Mackell Chair in Federalism are seeking original essays related to any aspect of federal theory or practice. Comparative angles to federalism are particularly encouraged. Deadline is January 14, 2019. More information can be found here.

In the same vein, McGill University's Faculty of Law, in conjunction with American Society of International Law International Economic Law Interest Group, the Canadian Council on International Law, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation, are seeking papers on Managing International Economic (Dis)Integration: Challenges and Opportunities. Information can be found here.

Handbook for lawyers on business and human rights

The International Bar Association published a Handbook for Lawyers on Business and Human Rights to provide guidance for business lawyers and their corporate clients on how to address human rights risks in corporate and commercial transactions. It can be read here.

Handbook for young lawyers

The Barreau du Quebec published a handbook for newly sworn in Lawyers. It can be downloaded here.

Quebec Court of Appeal's Guide to Legal Citation

The guide aims to provide the legal community with standardized writing and reference rules. While the rules are not mandatory, the Court "invites" lawyers and litigants to use the rules when writing pleadings, briefs or memoranda they submit to the Court. It's in French only but it does have a useful bilingual lexicon. It can be downloaded here.

A heart-breaking story about a McGill music student who was awarded $350,000 after his girlfriend stalled his career. The story can be read here, and the decision here.

Nearly 19 million people in the world are afflicted with dementia, a figure expected to surge to 41 million by 2050, according to a new report by the OECD. The worldwide health and social costs are projected to reach over US$1 trillion per year in 2018. “People with dementia are failing to live independently in the community because initiatives to make communities safe, accessible and socially inclusive remain fragmented,” according to the report. It can be read here.

The Quebec Human Rights Commission published a study that examines the situation of special needs students within the Quebec school system. In a word, it is “alarming.” It can be downloaded here.

"Law firms in transition 2018." The survey, conducted in March and April 2018, polled managing partners and chairs at 801 US law firms with 50 or more lawyers. It sheds light on industry trends, market demand and competition, productivity, profitability, pricing, efficiency of legal service delivery, lawyer staffing strategies and economic performance. It can be downloaded here.