IMPAIRED DRIVING AND IMMIGRATION – In adapting to the legalization of marijuana, Parliament has increased the maximum sentence of driving impaired by alcohol or a drug from 5 years to 10 years, making it an offence of “serious criminality”. To anyone who is a permanent or temporary resident, a conviction means deportation and no right of appeal.

Getting an impaired driving conviction is a big deal for anyone — but for permanent and temporary residents of Canada, changes to the Criminal Code mean a DUI could lead to deportation. Source: ‘A lot of people facing potential deportation’ under upcoming changes to DUI penalties: immigration lawyer | CBC News

ARE YOU GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IF YOU DON’T TELL YOUR PARTNER THAT YOU HAVE HIV? – “There is a negligible risk of sexually transmitting HIV when an HIV-positive sex partner adheres to antiretroviral therapy and maintains a suppressed viral load of less than 200 copies/mL on consecutive measurements every four to six months. Based on our findings, relevant case law and other factors, the Department of Justice Canada concluded that the criminal law should not apply to people living with HIV who maintain a suppressed viral load of less than 200 copies/mL.” Justice Canada also concluded that the criminal law should generally not apply to those who use condoms, among others.” This is consistent with the Supreme Court decision.

There is a negligible risk of transmitting HIV during sex when a person living with HIV is on antiretroviral therapy and maintains a viral load under a specific threshold, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Source: Negligible risk of transmitting HIV during sex when viral load is suppressed

The Brampton Courthouse was both too large and too small when it was built. The new addition will do little to alleviate the overcrowding. It makes one worry about the consolidation of all Toronto provincial courthouses into one building downtown.

​ A judge with the Superior Court of Justice has excoriated the provincial government over the state of conditions at the Brampton Courthouse, west of Toronto. Justice Peter Daley, a regional senior judge with the central west region, says there are a host of problems that have resulted due to a lack of hearing rooms …

FORCED STERILIZATION OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN – This is appalling.

At least 60 Indigenous women are pursuing a lawsuit alleging they were sterilized against their will, as recently as last year. Is there an issue of systemic racism within Canada’s healthcare system? Source: Indigenous women kept from seeing their newborn babies until agreeing to sterilization, says lawyer | CBC Radio

Law school tuition is now $40,000 a year??!!

Current and former students of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law say the school should cap annual tuition to $40,000 per year until the school can perform a financial review. Source: Alumni, students decry U of T’s law school fees | Law Times