BREAKING Canada will cut its permanent immigration levels by at least 20 per cent
Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, 愛污传媒 confirmed Wednesday.
The pandemic forced millions of court proceeding to go virtual over the past two years, a necessity in order to keep the wheels of justice moving.
Now, a group of family lawyers in Ontario wants virtual hearings to be the norm.
More than 1,000 lawyers have signed a petition to make all court appearances 鈥減resumptively virtual unless parties and their counsel agree otherwise.鈥
鈥淭his technology allows people to access the justice system easily from home,鈥 Russell Alexander, a lawyer who supports this idea, told 愛污传媒.
The lawyers argue that remote court saves them time, which reduces their clients鈥 bills, while improving access to justice for those with disabilities or other barriers to in-person meetings.
鈥淰irtual has been one of the very few advantages we have gained from this pandemic, so let's not go backwards,鈥 Nafisa Nazarali, another lawyer backing the idea, said.
As COVID-19 restrictions in courthouses have started to lift across the country, many judges are left to decide on a case-by-case basis if proceedings are held in-person, remote or hybrid.
But while some lawyers are championing remote court, others say we shouldn鈥檛 ignore the drawbacks.
Criminal defence lawyer Michael Spratt saidwhile there are merits to remote court appearances, some lower-income clients will be at a disadvantage if virtual becomes the default setting.
鈥淚nsisting on virtual proceedings in those cases could essentially [emphasize] the already gross disparity between the haves and the have nots in the justice system,鈥 Spratt said.
鈥淏alance is the exact word that we need to use.鈥
The well-known fact that technology is imperfect can also slow down court proceedings.
Currently, major backlogs at Ontario鈥檚 Landlord Tenant Board means disputes can be stretched out for months or even years due to the delays in getting a hearing.
When they do happen, these hearings are being held virtually, but they can worsen communication issues between two parties that already did not agree, with both tenants and landlords sometimes using the excuse of technological issues to avoid answering questions or participating fully in the hearing.
And some worry that the lack of face-to-face interaction might affect the outcome of hearings.
Renter Lea Donaldson recently fought off an eviction. But she鈥檚 worried that if she did end up having to battle her landlord in court, it would be over a computer, hampering her ability to communicate.
鈥淚 wouldn't be able to present myself as well as I could in person,鈥 Donaldson said.
Even as courtrooms wrestle with which legal matters should be handled remotely, provinces are making investments.
Ontario, for example, has promised $65 million dollars to upgrade videoconferencing technology and training.
Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, 愛污传媒 confirmed Wednesday.
The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.
A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.
The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
McDonald鈥檚 worked Wednesday to reassure customers that its U.S. restaurants are safe as federal investigators tried to pinpoint the cause of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast-food giant's Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
Turkiye鈥檚 air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.