Thoughts from our intern
- December 18, 2019
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Konstantina Nikolakis is a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto completing her Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications, Culture, Information and Technology (CCIT) and majoring in Diaspora studies . She joined bakerlaw as a summer intern following the completion of her 3 year at UofT for 3 months. » Read the rest
Federal Court Decision, Berger v. Canada (Attorney General)
- December 16, 2019
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On June 4, 2019, The Federal Court of Appeal released their decision emphasizing that the definition of disability under the Canada Pension Plan (“CPP”) is “highly restrictive,” and will not apply to all individuals who experience prolonged health challenges if “they are found to be capable regularly of pursuing a substantially gainful occupation.” » Read the rest
Human Rights Day 2019
- December 10, 2019
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Today marks the 69th annual Human Rights Day, which celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as put forth by the United Nations in 1948.
This year’s theme for the celebration is “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights.”
On this celebratory day, the United Nations aims to champion “the potential of youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights.” » Read the rest
Housing to Become a Human Right in Canada
- October 4, 2019
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The Canadian Government has introduced the National Housing Strategy Act that affirms housing as a human right. The Act will invest more than $55 billion over the next ten years to give Canadians safe and affordable housing. For years, advocates and the public have been pushing the government to help the 1.7 » Read the rest
New changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board as of October 1, 2019
- September 27, 2019
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The Government of Ontario announced plans to enhance the Victim Quick Response Program (VQRP) to replace the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB). The program will be known as the Victim Quick Response Program + (VQRP+), which builds on the existing VQRP program by making it easier for victims and their families to access services and supports and getting them support faster. » Read the rest
Petition to Reform the Assistive Devices Program
- September 5, 2019
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The Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO) has started a petition to change the current Assistive Devices Program (ADP) that makes it extremely difficult for people with disabilities to access the devices they need.
The ADP is chronically underfunded and understaffed; requiring people to wait multiple months for their devices and pay for their own repair costs, which in many cases can reach thousands of dollars. » Read the rest
Update: ODSP definition change will pose a difficulty for persons with mental health disabilities
- August 29, 2019
- BakerLaw
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On December 7, 2018, we posted an article related to Ontario’s recent change to the definition of disability. You can read this post here (link).
David Baker and Gail Czukar wrote an article for the Toronto star on December 17, 2018 regarding the changes in the definition of “disability” in the ODSP Act. » Read the rest
The Gabriel Award Goes to the film I Go Forward, Depicting Justin Clarks Story
- August 26, 2019
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The Gabriel Award, sponsored by The Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, is awarded to films that convey “the worthiness of individuals while honoring the beauty of the human spirit.” For more information about the award, please visit their website here (link). This year, I Go Forward by David Gutnick is the recipient of this prestigious award and has been recognized in the General Excellence category. » Read the rest
Unbundling legal services
- August 22, 2019
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The Law Society of Ontario (formerly the Law Society of Upper Canada) published an article related to professional obligations regarding unbundling legal services. You can read this article here (link).
Unbundling legal services are limited scope retainers whereby the client and their attorney agree to limit the scope of the attorney’s involvement in the legal matter. » Read the rest
The Vital Importance of Accommodations: Everyone Deserves a Chance
- August 19, 2019
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The following are comments written by Dr. Donna Ouchterlony, M.D., who has practiced in the field of Neurorehabilitation for over 30 years, and who acted as an expert in the case described below.
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I was in practice for 50 years and for most of that time I was rehabilitating people with multiple disabilities. » Read the rest