By LegalMatters Staff • Many Albertans have long been critical of federal firearm legislation. That includes the proposed Bill C-21 that would prohibit the sale and ownership of many assault-style firearms. In response, the provincial government gave royal assent to Bill 8 at the end of March, enacting the Alberta Firearms Act. Provincial Justice Minister […]
Alberta Firearms Act is the ‘fair deal’ gun owners need Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • If a person who has been granted parenting time wants to move a significant distance after a divorce, that may create what is known as mobility issues if there are children involved. That’s because there will have to be changes to the parenting schedule since the children will not be able
Moving after a divorce? That may cause mobility issues Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • The presumption of innocence is one of the core principles of the Canadian criminal justice system. This principle means an accused person does not have to prove their innocence. Instead, the Crown prosecutor must establish that a crime was committed. If the Crown fails to show proof beyond a reasonable doubt,
Testifying in your own defence not always the best idea Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Social media platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat are used to connect to friends and family. They can also be used to lure a child into a sexual encounter. In 2002 the crime of luring a child was added to the Criminal Code, making it illegal to communicate with someone “who
What you need to know about the charge of child luring Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Federal and provincial legislation stipulates that anyone acting as a step-parent for a child may be expected to pay child support if their partner dies. According to the federal Department of Justice, “once a step-parent relationship has been established, the obligations of that step-parent towards the children are similar to those
Step-parents need to understand their child support obligations Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • The Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability recently released a report detailing the violent deaths of women and girls between 2018 and 2022 in Canada. According to the organization, 850 females were killed in the past five years, or one every 48 hours. Additionally, between 2019 and 2022 there was
Canada does not need a new criminal charge of femicide Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Two important principles are at the root of our country’s judicial system. The first is that the burden of proof in any criminal trial is entirely on the Crown, meaning that the accused does not have to prove they are innocent. The second is that the Crown attorney has to establish
Supreme Court ruling reinforces some legal fundamentals Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Living with an abusive partner can be fraught with danger and deciding to leave the relationship can be difficult if someone believes their safety is in jeopardy. The World Health Organization reports that intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most common forms of violence against women. All genders, ages,
Your safety is important when leaving an abusive relationship Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Messages sent on social media platforms are playing an increasingly large role in sexual assault cases, says Ottawa criminal lawyer Céline Dostaler. “In about 80 per cent of the cases I defend, electronic correspondence is part of the evidence. Sometimes it supports the complainant and other times it reinforces the accused’s
Social media messages can be important in sexual assault cases Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • An increase in violent crime in Alberta is a concern for all residents and some Calgarians are losing trust in their police force when it comes to responding to it. That was reflected in a report released late last year by the Calgary Police Commission, which found 63 per cent of
As violent crime spikes, trust in the police is eroding Read More »
