There were three substantive civil decisions this week. Williams v. Toronto (City), is a class action against the City for negligence by tenants who occupied rooming houses with analysis on the legal test for finding a duty of care in negligence. Thompson v. Ontario (Attorney General) focuses on whether Brian's Law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Balev v. Baggot concerns the meaning of habitual residence in the Hague Convention.

Welcome back! The Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights section executive has already been hard at work on a number of initiatives for the upcoming year.

In June 2014, four Alberta First Nations launched a suit in federal court, alleging that the Government of Canada has created and sustained unsafe drinking water conditions on First Nations reserves, in breach of constitutional, Charter, and Treaty obligations. The parties consented to stay the case in September 2015. If the case goes to trial, it has important implications for First Nations communities living on reserve and their access to adequate safe drinking water as a constitutional right.

An update on Trinity Western University's application to the Ontario Court of Appeal following the LSUC's decision not to grant proposed law school accreditation.

With the exception of one of our articling students, the entire legal team in my office (lawyers, paralegals, clerks and administrative assistants) is female. When I started working in my current office, I was a bit apprehensive and stereotypical worries filled my head. Luckily, my fears proved to be completely unfounded and over the past ten months I’ve come to recognize the many tangible benefits that working in a team of women brings to my practice.