New Book Display: Impaired Driving

by | Jan 7, 2019 | Cannabis, Criminal Law, Current Awareness, Impaired Driving, New Books

We’ve put together a display of relevant resources on impaired driving both physical, and electronic to help you and your clients in the New Year. 

Books in the library:

desLibris (Behind the Law Society of Manitoba Member’s Portal)

Newsletters:

  • Segal’s Motor Vehicle and Impaired Driving Newsletter
  • Impaired Driving NetLetter

*Newsletter distribution service is only offered to member’s of the Law Society of Manitoba.

To take out one of these books, please see a staff member.

Manitoba eLaw – New Edition – Criminal Law Update

by | Jan 2, 2019 | Criminal Law, Law Society Publications

December 2018, Issue No. 88 highlights:

  • Breathalyser Maintenance Records Subject to Third Party Disclosure Rules: SCC (R. v. Gubbins, 2018 SCC 44 and R. v. Awashish, 2018 SCC 45)
  • Mandatory Minimum Sentence under s. 151(a) of the Criminal Code Unconstitional: MBCA (R. v. J.E.D., 2018 MBCA 123)
  • Overemphasising Collatoral Immigration Consequences an Error: MBCA (R. v. Yare, 2018 MBCA 114)
  • “A Court of Appeal Hearing is Not a Tea Party”: MBCA (R. v. Van Wissen, 2018 MBCA 100)
  • Legislative Update
  • Criminal Justice Conference: CBA

The full edition is available here. 

Criminological Highlights

by | Dec 5, 2018 | Commentary, Criminal Law, Journals, Legal Research

In Episode 82 of The Docket, a legal podcast broadcast by Michael Spratt and Emilie Taman, the hosts summarized the latest issue of Criminological Highlights, itself a summary of research on criminal justice policy. 

Criminological Highlights is designed to provide an accessible look at some of the more interesting, high quality, criminological research that is currently being published. Its focus is on research that is policy-relevant.

Table of Contents from the most current issue:

  • What kinds of police activities suppress voter turnout?
  • How are people affected by police shootings of unarmed civilians?
  • Are politicians right when they suggest that higher rates of pretrial detention would reduce crime?
  • Who benefits from high concentrations of immigrants in a neighbourhood?
  • When punishments are decreased in a jurisdiction and crime goes up, is it possible to determine whether one caused the other?
  • How good are people at evaluating forensic science evidence in court?
  • Should restorative justice conferences be used with youths charged with crimes?
  • Does it matter where accused people sit in court during their trials?

While the highlights are free, there may be a fee to access full text of the articles referenced. Contact us if you need further information. 

And if you like legal podcasts, subscribe to The Docket. I find it very informative and entertaining. 



Considering Cannabis – CPD Series Addressing the Legalization of Cannabis

by | Nov 19, 2018 | Cannabis, Continuing Professional Development, Criminal Law, Impaired Driving

The federal government’s legalization of non-medical (recreational) cannabis on October 17, 2018, marks the end of a 95-year prohibition in Canada. The magnitude of this change on a societal level is yet to be determined and understood, but lawyers are already grappling with the legal rules and ramifications of legalization. In its continuing professional development (CPD) series Considering Cannabis, the Law Society of Manitoba will offer programs addressing the legalization of cannabis from a variety of legal perspectives.

Our first program in the series features RCMP Sergeant Mark Hume who will speak about the extensive changes to the transportation provisions of the Criminal Code, with a focus on the sections relating to drug-impaired driving. This CPD  Reforms to Transportation Offences and Drug-Impaired Driving Offences takes place this Thursday, November 22, and registration for in-person or webinar  attendance is still available.

Coming up next in the series, on January 10, 2019, Tracey L. Epp, Pitblado LLP  will review the workplace impacts of cannabis legalization, including the need for employers to amend existing policies to address the use of recreational cannabis.

Please watch for further updates about Considering Cannabis programs to come in 2019.

Supreme Court of Canada on Impaired Driving

by | Oct 30, 2018 | Caselaw, Criminal Law, Impaired Driving, Summary, Supreme Court of Canada

Keeping to yesterday’s theme on Criminal Law and Impaired Driving resources, the SCC recently released a couple of decisions on driving under the influence. 

From Supreme Advocacy Issue #61’s “Supreme One-Liners”: 

R. v. Gubbins, 2018 SCC 44 (37395) (37403)

Maintenance records of breathalyzers subject to third party disclosure regime.

R. v. Awashish, 2018 SCC 45 (37207)

Certiorari an extraordinary remedy, available only in narrow circumstances.

The full summary from Supreme Advocacy is available here. You can sign up for a free subscription to Supreme Advocacy here. 














Criminal Law – New Titles in the Library

by | Oct 29, 2018 | Criminal Law, Current Awareness, Evidence, Impaired Driving, New Books

Two new titles have been added to our collection:

Watt’s Manual of Criminal Evidence by David Watt

Defending Drinking and Driving Cases 2018  by Alan D. Gold

Related Titles in the Library:

Newsletter Subscriptions:

  • Watt’s Criminal Law and Evidence Newsletter
  • Alan D. Gold’s Criminal Law NetLetter
  • Impaired Driving NetLetter
  • Segal’s Motor Vehicle and Impaired Driving Newsletter
  • Police Powers Newsletter

Our Current Awareness service is offered to members of the Law Society of Manitoba. To receive the latest issues right to your inbox, contact the Manitoba Law Library by phone, email, or in person and we will be happy to add you to our distribution list.

To view our other available subscriptions or for more information, visit our Current Awareness guide.