News & Events

Overview The Parliament of Canada recently passed Bill C-4, which contains two important changes of which trade unions should take note. The legislation received Royal Assent on June 19, 2017, meaning it is now law. The first change concerns certification rules for unions seeking to represent employees under federal jurisdiction, where card-based certification is restored

On June 22, 2017, Sears Canada Inc. and several related parties were granted protection from their creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”), pursuant to an Order of the Honourable Justice Hainey of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Koskie Minsky LLP has been appointed as Representative Counsel to represent the retirees of Sears

In the recent decision of Presidential MSH Corporation v Marr Foster & Co LLP, 2017 ONCA 325, the Ontario Court of Appeal further clarified the discoverability principle pursuant to section 5 of the Limitations Act, 2002 with respect to the “appropriate means” element. Specifically, a proceeding may not be “legally appropriate” as required under section

  Summary The government of Ontario has tabled legislation to make major changes to labour and employment law in the province. The proposed changes include: Raising the general minimum wage to $15 an hour by January 1, 2019. Changing various features of union certification and first contract dispute resolution procedures, including: extending card-based certification to

On a Summary Judgment motion, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded an Employee $7,500 in damages for mental distress together with damages of $17,076 in lieu of lost income for the Employer’s failure to provide the Employee with a revised notice of termination. The Employee, a 72 year old man, worked as a security

On May 19, 2017, the Ontario government announced that it intends to implement new funding rules for defined benefit pension plans and make certain other changes to the legislation governing pensions. This announcement follows up on the Solvency Consultation process that we previously reported on. The new funding framework described in the May 19th announcement includes:

On Tuesday May 16, 2017, lawyers and staff from Koskie Minsky served dinner to local residents in need, as part of the Lawyers Feed the Hungry program, run by LSUC. Since 1998, Lawyers Feed the Hungry has been providing hot, healthy meals to Toronto residents in need.  Lawyers, staff, students, judges and other volunteers from

The decision of The Honourable Mr. Justice Miller, of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, released April 18, 2017, considered a claim for defamation by an employee in relation to a reference given by his former employer to a potential future employer. This could have been the first case in which an employer was found

In a previous Blog Post we reviewed highlights from the 2017 Federal Budget. The 2017 Ontario Budget was released on April 27, 2017. The Ontario Budget contains the significant commitment to a universal pharmacare program for persons under 25, as well as a number of updates with respect to various pension reform efforts. OHIP+ Children

Offers to settle are ubiquitous in litigation. Nearly all cases settle before trial, but not all offers to settle attract the cost consequences of Rule 49. Rule 49 offers have the potential to be more advantageous for the plaintiff than the defendant. Specifically, if the plaintiff makes an offer that is rejected and obtains judgment