February 2019 - Inspire Law

The Feds & SNC-Lavalin: Taxpayers Beware

February 28, 2019
Susan Kootnekoff

Just when it seems that the scandal currently plaguing the federal government could not get much worse, the federal government may have another trick up its sleeve. First, some background. The federal government’s procurement website states that “in 2015, we introduced...

Family Status Discrimination in Employment in BC

February 21, 2019
Susan Kootnekoff

In a recent decision in Envirocon Environmental Services, ULC v. Suen, the BC Court of Appeal confirmed that in order to establish discrimination in employment on the basis of family status, a human rights complainant must show: (1) a change in...

Solicitor Client Privilege & DPAs: Mum’s the Word

February 14, 2019
Susan Kootnekoff

On September 19, 2018, amendments to the Criminal Code came into force establishing Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), for the first time in Canada. They had at that time escaped the radar, slipped into an omnibus bill, labeled “remediation agreements.” DPAs...

Employment Discrimination Against Caucasians in B.C.

February 8, 2019
Susan Kootnekoff

A recent B.C. Human Rights Tribunal case involved a twist, in which Caucasian employees claimed their Asian boss had discriminated against them at work. This was a reversal of the more common situation where discrimination is alleged against a member...

New Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act, B.C.

February 1, 2019
Susan Kootnekoff

Bill 48, the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act, B.C. (the “Act”) has received royal assent. While these provisions will not come into effect until the government issues additional regulations, recruiters and employers of temporary foreign workers will need to become...