November 2020 - Inspire Law

Are We Really “All In This Together?”

November 27, 2020
Susan Kootnekoff
Image: "Study" by Tim Swinson | http://timswinson.com is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Clearly, some members of society are being left behind amid responses to corona virus. Women, the disabled and the impoverished are particularly affected. Between March and June, schools in B.C. and Alberta abruptly closed. Alberta’s government is closing middle and high schools again...

Covid’s Lasting Legacy

November 20, 2020
Susan Kootnekoff
Image: German government launches Covid-19 warning app for anonymous contact tracing of infected persons by verchmarco

In the wake of 9-11, after the twin towers fell in New York city, there was a strong sense that Americans – and North Americans – were under threat. The prevailing feeling was that drastic times called for drastic measures. In...

Maple Leaf Foods owed No Duty of Care to Mr. Sub Franchisees

November 13, 2020
Susan Kootnekoff
Image: "Mr Sub Pepperoni Salami Sandwich" by Like_the_Grand_Canyon is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision last week in 1688782 Ontario Inc. v. Maple Leaf Foods Inc. The Court was divided on whether Maple Leaf Foods ought to owe a duty of care to Mr. Sub franchisees. In 2008,...

Constructive Dismissal: I Appeal

November 6, 2020
Susan Kootnekoff
Image: Banana peeled by richard_north. This image was marked with a CC BY 2.0 license.

My son recently came home with a joke, “What did the banana say to the judge?” First, let’s look at a 2015 Supreme Court of Canada constructive dismissal decision. In Potter v. New Brunswick Legal Aid Services Commission, the Supreme Court...