Manitoba Legal Blog Round-Up

by | Jul 14, 2021 | Blogs, Current Awareness

A collected list of legal blog posts from around the Manitoba legal community during May and June.

Clarke Immigration Law

Matthew Gould Blog (Criminal Law)

MLT Aikins

Pitblado Law Blog

Robson Crim Legal Blog

Taylor McCaffrey

TDS law

Together a collaborative family law blog

Law Library Hub on Hiatus

by | Jun 28, 2021 | Access to Justice

The Law Society of Manitoba is committed to the advancement, promotion, and facilitation of increased access to justice for all Manitobans. The Law Library Hub is a pilot program and the goal of the project is to provide information and assistance to members of the public who are engaged with the Justice system.

The Library Hub began on an in-person basis in February of 2020 with law students from the Legal Help Centre, the Faculty of Law’s Family Externship course, and other student volunteers.

When COVID-19 restrictions came into play, the Library Hub project was put on hiatus. It started back up again in a virtual capacity in February of 2021 with 3 students from the Faculty of Law’s Family Externship course. It continued in this capacity until the end of the school term in April 2021.

We expect that services will resume in the fall once law school students resume their studies.

New Online Titles

by | Jun 21, 2021 | New Books

Available behind the member’s portal, these new electronic books have been added to our desLibris collection for reading.

Pension Law, 3rd ed. by Ari Kaplan and Mitch Frazer

“The third edition of Pension Law updates pension law and legislation starting with the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2013 decision in IBM Canada Limited v Waterman, through to the 2020 release of Fraser v Canada (Attorney General). These cases further our legal understanding of pension benefits as bearing the “hallmarks of a property right” and as a source of human rights and dignity. This new edition also tracks regulatory developments, including the shift from solvency to going-concern funding as reflected by exemptions granted to public sector plans, conversions to target benefits and jointly sponsored plans, and industry consolidation.”

An Introduction to University Governance by Cheryl Foy

“An Introduction to University Governance is a resource to support current and prospective university governance professionals and those serving on university boards and academic governing bodies, and will be of interest to members of government, consultants, lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, and others who work closely with universities. It is intended to be an accessible rather than an academic book, written to encourage more effective university governance with more engaged participants within the over-150 universities in Canada.”

Guthrie’s Guide to Better Legal Writing, 2nd ed. by Neil Guthrie

“Lawyers like to think they are good writers. Their non-lawyer readers are more likely to describe their writing as turgid, pedantic, Latin-filled, jargon-ridden, misspelt, ungrammatical, and inelegant. Guthrie’s Guide to Better Legal Writing won’t solve all your problems, but it will help you make your prose clear, correct, and compelling. The focus is on communicating more effectively in email, letters, memos, blog posts, client updates, and social media, but there are some pointers on contractual drafting and written advocacy as well. A bit of strategy, some grammar and spelling, and a lot of style.”

Divorce Act Amendments – New QB Practice Directive

by | Jun 18, 2021 | Court of Queen's Bench, Family Law, Practice Directions

June 15, 2021 – Divorce Act Amendments – Pleadings

“A party is not required to amend a pleading filed prior to the amendments coming into
force on March 1, 2021, to obtain an order pursuant to the amended Divorce Act.”

See the full notice for clarification on the transitional provisions.

All Queen’s Bench Notices and Practice Directives can be found here.

Legislative Update

by | Jun 7, 2021 | Bill Status, Legislation, New Bills

The House adjourned on June 1, 2021.

The 3rd Session of the 42nd Legislature will reconvene on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.

Third Session, Forty-Second Legislature

Private Bills

Introduced

Bill 234 The Consumer Protection Amendment Act (Right to Repair) – amends The Consumer Protection Act. A manufacturer must make the items necessary to maintain and repair its electronic products available to consumers and repair businesses at a reasonable price.

Bill 235 The Scrap Metal Recyclers Act – This Bill establishes The Scrap Metal Recyclers Act. A person must provide personal identification and the source of the scrap metal when they enter into a transaction with a scrap metal recycler. The recycler must keep the identifying information for five years and provide it to the police if required.

Bill 236 The Protecting Communications on Public Interest Matters Act (Court of Queen’s Bench Act and Defamation Act Amended) – amends The Court of Queen’s Bench Act. A defendant may file a motion to dismiss a court proceeding on the ground that the proceeding arose from a communication by the defendant on a matter of public interest. Unless ordered otherwise, the motion stays the court proceeding and any related administrative tribunal proceedings until the motion is decided.
This Bill also amends The Defamation Act. A defendant may rely on the common law defence of qualified privilege even when a communication has been published by the media.

Bill 237 The Elections Amendment Act – amends The Elections Act to require the disclosure of personal financial information by the leader of a political party for a 20-year period.

Bill 238The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act (Apprenticeship Supervision) – amends The Apprenticeship and Certification Act. Currently, the number of apprentices a journeyperson may supervise is set by regulation. This Bill requires a 1 to 1 supervision ratio for most trades.

Check here for the current status of all bills.