Federal Court finds Canadian government failed to protect species at risk

March 28th, 2014 by Laura Bowman

Recently, a number of environmental groups represented by Ecojustice brought a series of judicial reviews alleging that the federal government has unlawfully failed to protect four species due to delays: the Pacific Humpback Whale, Nechako White Sturgeon, Marbled Murrelet and Southern Mountain Caribou.

Without a recovery strategy, the species are not fully protected under the federal Species At Risk Act, which depends on the recovery strategy for some protections to kick in. All four species’ habitat lies along the controversial proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and shipping route in northern B.C.

In the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline hearings, there were about 34 listed species at risk that the panel considered, most of which did not have protected critical habitat in a recovery strategy. In January, environmental groups started other legal proceedings dealing with endangered species and other issues specific to those hearings.

Read more on rabble.ca

Competing human rights: Trinity Western law school controversy pits faith against equality

March 26th, 2014 by Shelina Ali

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC) released its report on Trinity Western University’s (TWU) proposed law school program in December 2013. The FLSC gave TWU’s law school preliminary approval despite serious concerns expressed by different sectors of the legal profession, including the Council of Canadian Law Deans, that the school’s Community Covenant Agreement, which requires TWU students and staff to agree not to engage in same‑sex sexual intimacy, discriminates against LGBTQ students.

FLSC’s approval has, unsurprisingly, led to strong and divergent opinions on the appropriate balancing of rights.

Read more on rabble.ca

Client Profile: Mondragon Co-operative Homes Inc.

March 20th, 2014 by Iler Campbell

Mondragon Co-operative Homes Inc. is a housing co-operative located in Brampton, Ontario which has been providing affordable housing since 1983. Mondragon consists of seventy eight townhouse units ranging in size from one to four bedroom units in a beautifully landscaped neighbourhood complete with a park and community room.

Our relationship with Mondragon goes back to 2007 and in that time we have dealt with a number of corporate and member issues. Our relationship has strengthened however in the last few months. Starting in 2011, Mondragon volunteered to participate in a pilot program with Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and Alterna Credit Union with the support of its property management company, Homestarts, to refinance its existing mortgage with CMHC to provide funding for repair and upgrades to its building envelopes (foundation walls, siding, insulation, doors, windows and roofs) as well as to its furnaces and walkways.  Continue reading “Client Profile: Mondragon Co-operative Homes Inc.”

Client Profile: Amsterdam Square Apartments Inc.

March 18th, 2014 by Iler Campbell
A full page ad in The Globe for "Toronto's most modern apartments" -- September 30, 1925. Click to view the full page (pdf).

A full page ad in the Globe for “Toronto’s most modern apartments” — September 30, 1925. Click to view the full page (pdf).

Amsterdam Square Apartments Inc. (ASAI) was founded in 1984 by the tenants who occupied the stately but somewhat neglected building on St. Clair Ave. West in Toronto, adjacent to Amsterdam Square Parkette on Avenue Road. The building had been erected in an astonishing four months in the summer of 1925: the permit had been issued in early June, and the building was almost fully occupied by the end of September the same year. It was advertised in the Globe newspaper as “Toronto’s Most Modern Apartments,” boasting central refrigeration, automatic elevators, and a valet who was to “make himself useful generally.” It was operated as a rental apartment building for six decades.

Continue reading “Client Profile: Amsterdam Square Apartments Inc.”

Public Comment Period Regarding Proposed Changes to the Customer Service Standard

March 13th, 2014 by Shelina Ali

The provincial government is currently seeking comments from the public on the proposed changes to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, a regulation made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The period for public comment is open until April 16, 2014 and details can be found on the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment website.

Here are some of the highlights of the proposed amendments to the regulation: Continue reading “Public Comment Period Regarding Proposed Changes to the Customer Service Standard”

Client Profile: CARIBANA™ ARTS GROUP

March 12th, 2014 by Iler Campbell

Caribana™, Toronto’s famous celebration of Caribbean culture, started in 1967 as a one-off event in honour of Canada’s centennial — “a West Indian salute to the people of Metropolitan Toronto,” in the words of founding chairman Samuel Cole. The week-long festival proved so popular that Toronto Mayor William Dennison urged organizers to make Caribana™ an annual event.

In the decades that followed, Caribana™ has become the largest festival in Canada. That first parade attracted some 50,000 people. By 1990, Caribana™ had grown to host over a million revellers a year, with people travelling from around the world to attend and contributions to the economy reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

Yet the festival was chronically underfunded.  Continue reading “Client Profile: CARIBANA™ ARTS GROUP”