Law Society of UTSC

-By Caitlin Whittier Introduction In cases involving accused persons with prior convictions, it is preferable for them that they enter court being judged solely on the facts of the case at hand. At the same time, informing the judge of an accused’s criminal history may provide the judge with a more comprehensive understanding of the accused’s propensity to harm others or engage in criminal behavior. This case considers what a jury is allowed to know about the accused’s past w

Written By: Aaesha Angbin Ahmed Legal Terms 1. Canada Assistance Plan (CAP): A former federal statute that established a cost-sharing framework through which the federal government contributed to provincial social assistance and welfare programs. 2. Public Interest Standing:   A discretionary doctrine in Canadian public law that permits a plaintiff to bring a legal challenge despite lacking a direct personal stake, where the issue raised is serious and justiciable, the plaint

Written By: Jissana Ahad Legal Terms 1. Corporate Liability: legal responsibility of a corporation for its conduct 2. Customary International Law (CIL): international norms accepted as binding law 3. Act of State Doctrine: limits court review of foreign sovereign acts 4. Jus Cogens: peremptory international norms permitting no derogation 5. Civil Cause of Action: legal basis to bring a civil claim Facts Nevsun Resources Ltd. is a Canadian mining company headquartered in

Written By: Jissana Ahad Introduction Ontario (Attorney General) v. Working Families Coalition (Canada) Inc. (2025 SCC 5), decided by the Supreme Court of Canada in March 2025, addresses whether Ontario’s limits on third party political advertising before elections violated democratic rights under section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The case centers on whether spending caps in Ontario’s Election Finances Act unfairly restricted the ability of ordinary ci

Written By: Aaesha Angbin Ahmed Legal Terms 1. Medical malpractice: A legal cause of action that occurs when a healthcare professional’s act or omission deviates from accepted standards of practice and results in patient harm. 2. Duty of Care: A physician’s obligation arising from the doctor-patient relationship, based on trust and recognized by law as a legal duty to act with appropriate skill and loyalty. 3. Standard of Care: The degree of skill, judgment, and care reaso

Written By: Ashaz Syed Hussaini - LSOU Publications Legal Terms 1. Digital Sovereignty : Nation’s data should be self-governed, no foreign jurisdiction. 2. US. CLOUD Act:  US-based tech companies must provide externally-stored data for the US. 3. DIS : Nation defence/research matches domestic industrial capacity/strategic tech sectors. 4. CQCP : Strengthening Canada’s quantum ecosystem through strategic investments. 5. Sovereign Compute : Sensitive nation data must be within