This is a tale of two crimes and two punishments: the first, a conviction for price-fixing under §45(1) of the Competition Act in Québec in which the guilty party was sentenced to a term of 12 months imprisonment; the second, a conviction for terrorist financing under §83.03(b) of the Criminal Code in British Columbia in which the … Continue reading
The news earlier this month that the RCMP raided several offices of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. in the Toronto area and were investigating the corporation in connection with a corruption probe in the bidding process for the building of the $1.2 billion Padma Bridge in Bangladesh has forced lawyers representing clients who do business internationally to … Continue reading
Leave to Appeal Granted The Supreme Court of Canada has granted leave to Mohammed Khawaja to appeal the decision of Ontario Court of Appeal that upheld his conviction for terrorist activity financing and other terrorism-related charges under the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act. The Ontario Court of Appeal called Khawaja’s initial 101/2 year sentence “manifestly unfit” and … Continue reading
The Québec Court of Appeal ruled today that the federal government’s proposed Securities Act (“Act“), which would establish a single national securities regulator and regulate the securities market across the country, is unconstitutional. In the decision, Québec (Procureure générale) c. Canada (Procureure générale), 2011 QCCA 591, the Chief Justice for the Québec Court of Appeal held … Continue reading
The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision today on whether mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts are enforceable under British Columbia’s consumer protection legislation. In Seidel v. Telus Communications Inc., 2011 SCC 15, it held that the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, S.B.C. 2004, c.22 (the “BPCPA“) must be interpreted generously in favour … Continue reading