Each year, Osgoode Hall Law School welcomes a diverse student body from all walks of life. These students not only bring a keen interest in the legal career, but also the perspectives of various backgrounds. As a result, many clubs at Osgoode have emerged that reflect the interests of new generations of lawyers over the years. In September 2024, a number of new student clubs were ratified in...
Osgoode recently celebrated the well-deserved promotions of five exceptional professors. Dean Farrow proudly presented the recommendations, made by President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton, to York University’s Board of Governors. Professors Carys Craig, Valerio De Stefano, Dayna Scott, and Sara Slinn have all attained the prestigious title of Full Professor. At the same time, Professor...
Illustration by Manpreet Bharj The Osgoode Sikh Students Association (OSSA) hosted its inaugural moot competition, the Khalra Cup, last weekend at Osgoode Hall Law School. This was a huge accomplishment for a club that has only been in existence for less than two and a half years. The competition was a grand success, being very well received by participants from four Ontario law schools, judges...
IllustratIon By: Manpreet Bharj We asked upper year students at Osgoode to describe their course enrollment experience this year. This is what they had to say: *clears throat* “… so….”“Limited. Constrained. Conflicting. Minimal. Disorganised.”“Painstakingly annoying.”“I’m still traumatised by it!” “Almost as stressful as figuring out first year.”“Things need to be changed.” Course enrollment...
Changes to the 1L curriculum at Osgoode Hall bring changes to their semester breaks as well. First-year law students are now lucky to receive a full reading week during the fall semester of classes, which has not happened at Osgoode for several years. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the first-years only had two “reading days.” Students in 1L-3L now have a whole week off in November. This is...
This fall, the incoming class of 1L students stepped into a new era of course structure at Osgoode Hall. Major transitions from the year prior included the shifts for certain course delivery styles, shortened course lengths, and new mandatory requisites for completion of the program. The changes include the following: Legal Process I (LPI) has been changed to a full-year course called...
Photo CredIt: The CanadIan Press Images/Lars Hagberg As one of the oldest law schools in Canada, Osgoode Hall Law School has a wide and successful alumni network, ranging from sole practitioners to Supreme Court Justices. On 29 August 2024, the Honourable Arif Virani, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the appointment of Osgoode alumna, Justice Bhavneet K...
The Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta are advocating for the implementation of a new law—the Nehiyaw and Dene Nations of Treaty No. 8 Adoption and Private Guardianship Law—which aims to protect First Nations children. This law works to end the adoptions and private guardianships involving Treaty 8 children without written consent from either parents or guardians, and the First Nations themselves...
Photo credits: Doo Lee, CC BY 4.0 from Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law In the jurisdiction of intellectual property, few names shine as bright as Mickey Mouse. Yet, as the clock struck midnight on 1 January 2024, Micky took a historic step: he entered the public domain.[1] For many, this is their chance to dive into their creative minds and transform Mickey into distinct...
Osgoode Hall Law School is set to represent Canada at The Hague in May, the renowned court for international criminal law and the seat of the United Nations. Competing against top law schools such as Georgetown, University of Chicago, and University of Miami, Osgoode’s team will face a challenging and intellectually rigorous competition. This year’s case touches on critical issues...
Depreciation of goodwill in trademark infringement cases is highly subjective, and alternative arguments to those of the court can be made in the case of Subway IP LLC v. Budway, Cannabis & Wellness Store.[1] This Federal Court case was one in which Subway claimed that Budway violated their trademark, directed business away from Subway towards Budway, and depreciated the goodwill of the...
In the ever-evolving landscape of innovation, neurotechnology stands as both a beacon of promise and a nexus of ethical complexity. While patents fuel innovation, they also risk creating barriers that hinder society’s access to life-changing advancements in brain science. As Canada ventures into this domain, it confronts challenges regarding the patenting of life-saving devices, navigating...
On Saturday, 16 March, the Election Commission of India announced the dates for India’s upcoming 2024 General Elections. They are to take place between 19 April to 1 June, over a period of forty-two days and in a total of seven phases. These elections are the second longest to ever be held in the country, with the longest being the first ever General Elections held in 1951. Conducted 3 years...
Courtesy: On 23 February 2024, at the Special General Membership meeting of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 (CUPE), members voted strongly in favour of initiating strike action on February 26 until a fair employment contract is negotiated. CUPE represents teaching assistants, contract faculty, graduate assistants, and part-time librarians and archivists across York University...
Transit agencies participating in the One-Fare program. Courtesy: Prestocard.ca On February 26, the Ford government’s fare integration policy was enacted. The program was initially supposed to launch in March 2023. The fully funded One-Fare program by the Ontario government will make commuting more accessible and affordable for transit users. This one-fare decision will enable transit users...
#MMIW Artwork by Maddie Lamb (Courtesy: We R Native) The recent viral video revealing a disturbing scene at Winnipeg’s Marlborough Hotel has exposed the grim reality faced by Indigenous women in Canada. The footage displays an Indigenous woman with her hands zip-tied behind her, with workers trying to prevent her from leaving the hotel, hinting at a broader issue of violence, trafficking, and...
A board outside Ste. Louise Outreach of Peel food bank in Brampton that reads: “No international students!!” (Courtesy: CBC) On 22 January 2024, the Canadian government announced its intent to set new limits on study permits issued to international students in the year 2024. The government’s news release acknowledges that international students serve an important purpose and...
The demand for regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prominent in Canada. Many people are concerned about the impact of AI and are calling for the government to take action. Experts such as Yoshua Bengio, founder and scientific director of Mila-Quebec AI Institute, are urging the government to establish legal provisions for AI. According to Bengio, all general-purpose...
On 22 December 2023, the government of Canada had announced a “[t]emporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza.” The policy will allow a pathway to temporary residence (up to 3 years) for family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and their immediate family members, who are Palestinian nationals directly...
In the annual Toronto Public Library (TPL) year-end message, City Librarian Vickery Bowles characterized the library as being a “crime scene.” The TPL is the largest public library system in Canada, and has been recognized as being one of the busiest libraries in North America. It serves millions who live, study, or work in Toronto with one hundred branches, providing free access to books...
January is known to be Alzheimer’s Awareness Month across Canada. With the awareness of Alzheimer’s, it is critical to be reminded of the impact of dementia on the lives of many Canadians. The experiences of those suffering from Alzheimer’s continue, and must be learned about to reinforce human rights and encourage policy changes. The Alzheimer’s Society recognizes and supports the...
On November 9, 2023, the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) delivered its judgement on Peckford v Canada (Attorney General), 2023 FCA 219. Among the appellants were the Honourable Brian Peckford, former Premier of Newfoundland and the only surviving first minister who was involved with the enactment of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter), and the Honourable Maxime Bernier...
Family violence leaves enduring scars on the fabric of society, echoing through generations with its silent, yet deafening impact. In the last few years, discourse surrounding how Canada addresses family violence has garnered significant attention, sparking crucial conversations about legal frameworks and societal responses. In 2022, the Ontario Superior Court heard what would become a ground...
On June 6, 2021, Nathanael Veltman drove his pickup truck into a family of five in London, Ontario, resulting in the tragic deaths of Talat Afzaal, her son Salman Afzaal, and his wife Madiha Salman. Two of their young children were also harmed: only the 9-year-old boy survived. On November 16, 2023, Veltman was finally found guilty for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of...
Last month, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) ruled that the Impact Assessment Act, 2019 (“IAA”) is unconstitutional in part. The majority for the SCC held that while the federal government can define criteria for areas touching federal jurisdiction, they cannot do so for provincial areas. The majority’s primary area of focus was on the statutory element which enabled the feds to use the public...