Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably heard this week that marijuana will officially be decriminalized in the near future. A date of October 17 has been set for when it will be legal across Canada. The Cannabis Act, or Bill C-45, received Royal Assent, meaning it officially passed Parliament. Although the […]
Lawyers are not always well-liked. Over the years we took a lot of hits by MADD, various police officers and others who view us as the lawyers who put drunk drivers back on the road. Sometimes it gets us down. When we succeed, our clients quietly move on and get on with their lives. Sometimes
Most Trustworthy: Acumen comes out on top in survey of BC law firms Continue Reading »
Canadians are world-renowned for our politeness. Whether apologizing after someone walks into us or forming a line for the bus, being nice is a part of who we are. This politeness extends to the courtroom where rules about civility for lawyers are treated as sacred. Being pleasant, however, is not always in the interests of
Why victory for so-called ‘rude’ lawyer is good news for our justice system Continue Reading »
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia recently announced significant changes to how it calculates its insurance premiums. You can read a blog about it here but in a nutshell, the amendments, which could be implemented as early as this fall, include increasing Driver Risk Premiums and Driver Penalty Point Premiums by 40 percent over the next
ICBC ‘Fairness’ Survey wasn’t fair Continue Reading »
The BC government recently introduced a bill that would allow driver’s licences to be cancelled when people fall behind on their child or spousal support payments. The legislation, called the Family Maintenance Enforcement Act, would enable the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) to immediately revoke the licence of anyone owing $3,000 or more in back child
Fail to pay these fines and ICBC can stop you renewing your driver’s licence Continue Reading »
A Supreme Court of Canada ruling has implications for the trade dispute between Alberta and BC over the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. Last week, a decision was reached in the case R v Comeau which opens the door for the BC government to continue its opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. The Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada potentially greenlights BC’s opposition to Kinder Morgan Continue Reading »
It’s time to announce our gift for anyone who was served a 24-hour driving prohibition for drugs at a police detachment. This is something we’ve been working on for a long time, so pay attention. 24-hour driving prohibitions for drugs are issued pursuant to section 215(3) of the Motor Vehicle Act. The section reads as
Our 4/20 gift if you received a 24-hour driving prohibition Continue Reading »
The decriminalization of cannabis marijuana is just around the corner in Canada which means this 4/20 will be special to many Canadians as the final time they can celebrate the holiday illicitly. It also means police will be on high alert and you are more likely to get pulled over if they suspect you of
If you get charged with smoking pot and driving this 4/20, you need to call us Continue Reading »
This year’s 4/20 cannabis celebration in Vancouver is shaping up to be one of the biggest on record. And with legalization on the horizon, interest in the event and the politics that accompany it is at an all-time… high. Misinformation about marijuana laws and how they can affect you, even on 4/20 is abundant. We
4/20: What You Need Know Before You Go Continue Reading »
If the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles thinks your driving record is poor you can expect to receive a letter known as a Notice of Intent to Prohibit (NOI). The process is triggered when you are convicted of a motor vehicle offence after receiving a traffic ticket. The purpose of the letter is to notify you
Questions about the Notice of Intent to Prohibit you were too afraid to ask Continue Reading »
Last week we discussed the Responsible Driver Program (RDP). If you have been issued a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, 90-day Administrative Roadside Prohibition or were convicted of a criminal code drunk driving offence you will be required to take part in this course. When you are taking the program it is important to remember the
A guide to negotiating the Responsible Driver Program Continue Reading »
Last week, an opinion piece in The Globe and Mail highlighted a worrying issue that threatens to undermine every Canadian’s freedom of expression. In the article, professor David Pritchard and assistant professor Lisa Taylor argue a little-known law known as defamatory libel is being used to treat libel as a criminal offence. Defamation is traditionally
