Federal Court Rejects Anti-Abortion Challenge to Government Funding Restrictions

On October 22, 2021, the Federal Court dismissed an application by the Right to Life Association of Toronto and Area (TRTL), which sought to challenge the Federal Government’s decision to deny it funding for the 2018 Canada Summer Jobs program because its president refused to sign an attestation that the job and the organization’s mandate respected human rights, including reproductive rights. (more…) Read More

Jessica Greenwood to Co-Chair Public Sector Bargaining Conference

On November 24, 2021, Jessica Greenwood will be co-chairing the Ontario Bargaining in the Broader Public Sector Conference, hosted by Lancaster House. Jessica will be moderating panels on the economic forecast for 2022 and its potential impact on bargaining and on how the COVID-19 pandemic and the move to virtual meetings will impact bargaining processes. Other panels will address negotiations topics affecting workplaces in 2022, like post-pandemic health and safety concerns, and ways... Read More

Wassim Garzouzi Publishes Chapter on Collective Bargaining in Education

Wassim Garzouzi recently published a chapter in the edited collection, Collective Bargaining in Higher Education. Wassim’s chapter addresses the myth of academic exceptionalism in organizing and collective bargaining within academia, examined through the lens of a successful organizing drive and first contract achieved by the part-time law professors at the University of Ottawa. The chapter is available here. The interest arbitration decision referred to in the chapter can be found here. Read More

“Draconian and Inflexible”, Arbitrator Declares ORNGE’s Drug and Alcohol Policy to be Unreasonable and Discriminatory

The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) was successful in two grievances challenging ORNGE’s Drug and Alcohol Policy. Specifically, the OPEIU challenged the ORNGE’s “zero-tolerance” approach to medical cannabis, and its practice to treat prescribed medicinal cannabis differently from other types of medication. Arbitrator Gail Misra declared ORNGE’s policy to be discriminatory and unreasonable. She concluded that “having a blanket edict that if an employee can only use medical... Read More

Dayna Steinfeld Appears in Constitutional Challenge for First Nations Children

Beginning on October 25, 2021, Dayna Steinfeld is appearing in the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench as co-counsel for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) in a case challenging the Manitoba government’s enactment of section 231 of The Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act (BITSA). Section 231 of BITSA legislatively immunizes the Manitoba government from liability for taking more than $335 million of federal Children’s Special Allowance funds from Manitoba children in the child welfare system. In... Read More

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Our firm offices will close on Sept 30 to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and to take time to learn about and reflect on the lasting impact of residential “schools”, the racist beliefs behind them and their harmful and shameful legacy. Read More

Alison McEwen Teaches Employment Law at UOttawa

As the school year gets underway again, Alison McEwen welcomes back students to her Employment Law class in the University of Ottawa’s Common Law program, which she will be teaching again this fall term. Read More

Jessica Greenwood to Present on Employment Issues During COVID-19

On September 24, 2021, Jessica Greenwood will be speaking at the Kingston and the Thousand Islands Legal Conference. Jessica will be part of a panel addressing employment issues in the face of COVID-19, focusing particularly on Infectious Disease Emergency Leave and vaccines. The conference is being held virtually again this year. For more information or to register, please visit the conference website. Read More

Andrew Astritis Presents on Tort Law in the Workplace

On September 13, 2021, Andrew Astritis presented on the overlapping areas of tort law and labour law as part of Lancaster House’s “Torts Illustrated” webinar. The webinar explored a range of issues, including the authority of labour arbitrators to award remedies for the kinds of wrongdoing and misconduct that are covered by tort law. Andrew’s panel also spoke about the establishment of new torts protecting privacy rights and the rules around when an... Read More

James Cameron Presents on LTD Issues in Employment Law Cases

On September 23, 2021, James Cameron presented as part of the County of Carleton Law Association’s second virtual Six-Minute Employment Lawyer update. James presented on the interconnections between Long-Term Disability claims, the duty to accommodate disabilities in the workplace, and wrongful dismissal cases. Read More