By Jacques Gallant Legal Affairs Reporter Wed., Feb. 20, 2019 Ontario’s legal regulator will create a gender-neutral room at Osgoode Hall where lawyers can network and change into their robes prior to appearing in court. The announcement by the Law Society of Ontario comes in the wake of a petition, started by Toronto lawyer Breanna Needham, that highlighted that the women’s robing room — known on some signs at the courthouse as the “Lady Barristers” room — had just 12 lockers, versus nearly 70 lockers and a lot more space on the men’s side. This despite the fact 43 per cent of lawyers in Ontario are women. “We’re working to create one dedicated gender-neutral space for all barristers to robe and network in what’s now the men’s robing room,” the law society said on Twitter Wednesday. “Modifications are needed to support personal privacy in the washrooms. Once complete the … [Read more...] about Lawyers will get gender-neutral robing room at Osgoode Hall following petition
Osgoode hall
Petition asks why Osgoode Hall’s cramped ‘Lady Barristers’ room has just 12 lockers, but the men get about 70
By Jacques Gallant Legal Affairs Reporter Mon., Feb. 11, 2019 At the Ontario Court of Appeal at Osgoode Hall, there are only 12 lockers for female lawyers who must change into their robes before appearing in court. There are about 70 lockers over on the men’s side, which has a lot more space and was once described in a legal publication as “opulent.” “What it says is that ‘We think your numbers will continue to be limited,’” lawyer Lori Anne Thomas said of the cramped quarters in the women’s robing room. “It says ‘We don’t expect growth.’” Yet numbers from the Law Society of Ontario, the province’s legal regulator, show that the profession is approaching a 50/50 split between male and female lawyers; about 57 per cent of lawyers are men and 43 per cent are women. With that in mind, a Change.org petition that has already gathered more than 500 signatures is calling on the … [Read more...] about Petition asks why Osgoode Hall’s cramped ‘Lady Barristers’ room has just 12 lockers, but the men get about 70
Toronto after hours is treated as an after thought at city hall
By Edward Keenan Star Columnist Mon., April 9, 2018 The last subway leaves Osgood subway station, at Queen and University, at 1:53 a.m. Last call at the nearby bars in the Entertainment District is seven minutes later. Any stumbling drunk can point out the problem here. And yet there’s nothing new about it — anyone who’s grown up in Toronto will just consider this fouled up situation normal. Many of us who’ve lived in the suburbs have the $60 cab receipts to prove it, or the memories of three-hour trips on all-night bus routes. If you want to be a city that can say it takes its night life seriously, there’s a place to start: provide decent transit service to people who are out working or playing in the wee hours. A new report on Toronto’s “Night-time Economy” that will be considered by city council’s Economic Development and Culture committee April 13 makes this point, thank goodness: “There were … [Read more...] about Toronto after hours is treated as an after thought at city hall
Toronto judge rules drug law constitutional at time of Project Claudia pot raids
By Betsy Powell Court Reporter Fri., March 23, 2018 The crackdown on city pot dispensaries in May 2016 was on solid constitutional ground based on a Toronto judge’s decision released Friday. The decision means the case of a compassion club owner charged with marijuana trafficking will be heading back to court this fall, when the drug will be legal across the country. Justice Heather McArthur was asked to decide whether the laws were valid in May 2016 when Toronto police conducted raids as part of Project Claudia. Lawyers representing Marek Stupak, one of more than 90 people charged, argued his charges should be dismissed because Sect. 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the law under which he was charged, breached his charter rights because a valid program making medicinal pot readily available did not exist in 2016. He was charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and possession of the proceeds of crime. Article … [Read more...] about Toronto judge rules drug law constitutional at time of Project Claudia pot raids
Jagmeet Singh’s brother ‘seriously considering’ a run for the NDP leader’s old seat at Queen’s Park
By Alex Ballingall Ottawa Bureau Mon., March 12, 2018 OTTAWA— A stylish criminal defence lawyer from Brampton is gearing up to win an election for the New Democratic Party. Must be Jagmeet Singh, right? Wrong. It’s his brother, Gurratan Singh, who told the Star on Friday that he is “seriously considering” a run for the Ontario NDP in Brampton East. Read more: ‘Dig into that energy that makes you, you’: Meet NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s brother and reality check Article Continued Below Opinion | Chantal Hébert: Jagmeet Singh’s debut on a well-watched Quebec talk show was his best night yet NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh focuses on inequality in party convention speech The newly redrawn riding includes much of the constituency that Jagmeet Singh represented during his six-year stint at Queen’s Park. That means Gurratan would be running to win the rough equivalent of his brother’s old … [Read more...] about Jagmeet Singh’s brother ‘seriously considering’ a run for the NDP leader’s old seat at Queen’s Park