Q: I love to watch mixed martial arts fighting on TV and would like nothing better than to see it live. But it seems I have to go to the United States for this. Why is this sport banned in Canada? A: It is not banned throughout Canada anymore, although those developments are relatively recent. […] Read more
Stories by Rick Danyliuk
Bank robber’s escapades come with unique Canadian twist
I love caper movies. You know, the ones with the intricate plot about a gang of likeable criminals that have a plan to rip off a bank or institution, not really for the money but because the owner is a complete jerk? Films likeOcean’s ElevenorThe Thomas Crown Affair,starring suave urbane gentlemen-thieves such as Cary Grant […] Read more
Jurors play important role in Canada’s justice system
Q:I have been summoned for jury duty. Do I have to go? What can I do to get out of it? What happens if I don’t show up? A:Many people see jury duty as an annoyance and not a civic duty and blame their important jobs for being unable to serve. Defendants also need to […] Read more
Human rights a contentious issue requiring common sense
Q:I have been reading articles about religious items, such as Sikh daggers and Muslim women’s headgear. Does a refusal to let them have these items violate their human rights? What about other people’s rights to safety? A:This is a hot button issue. It’s hard to get into a discussion on this topic without someone’s feelings […] Read more
Canada allows peaceful protests
Q: I have been reading about the unrest in Egypt and thought of protests in Canada, such as the G20 conference. What is the law regarding protesters in Canada? A: Unlike some other countries, Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not give people an unrestricted right to gather and associate. It is restricted to […] Read more
Election promises are not considered binding contracts
Q:How can you can sue for breach of contract when someone doesn’t keep his word. What about when our politicians make all kinds of promises to get elected and then don’t keep any of them? Why can’t I sue for that? A:On the face of it, a politician’s promise has all the hallmarks of a […] Read more
Pick your targets and play fair with your comments
A lawyer in Ontario successfully sued his client for defamation and won an award of $50,000 last month for a matter that began in 2003. A man hired this lawyer in a divorce matter but a dispute arose between them and the solicitor-client relationship ended. The client didn’t pay the lawyer, who pursued the man […] Read more
Murder case from 1920s California has prairie connection
There is a Canadian connection to the Wineville chicken coop murders, the subject of the 2008 movie,The Changeling. In 1926, Gordon Northcott, a Wineville, California, rancher born in Saskatchewan, spoke with the parents of his nephew, Sanford Clark of Saskatoon. They agreed to let Northcott take his nephew, aged 13 years, to California. Sanford’s parents […] Read more
Fine line between news, sensationalism
A few months ago, I wrote a column about publication bans and the rights of members of the media to obtain and publish what happens in courtrooms. An Ontario Court of Appeal ruling from November prompts me to write again on this topic. The Ontario case, R. v. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, dealt with the rights […] Read more
A will is the last word unless there are moral obligations
Q:My widowed father recently died and left everything to charity. My brothers and sisters and I are unhappy about this. Is there anything we can do about it? A:A person can leave his belongings to whomever he wishes in the will. There are some exceptions, and there are also recent cases that place some limits […] Read more
