In this issue - #104 October 31, 2007

Please join us for an introductory estate planning seminar featuring three different perspectives as presented by an estate planning lawyer, accountant and financial planner.

 Amateur Youth Soccer Association v. Canada (Revenue Agency)

Recent proclamations of new legislation

Recent proclamations of new British Columbia legislation include:

Effective October 1, 2007, it is no longer necessary to have a designated "professional" act as a guarantor on your passport application.

Joint Partner Trusts and Alter Ego Trusts are new forms of inter vivos trusts which make inter vivos trusts far more attractive as a planning tool for older clients.

A look at the constitutionality of  US  laws that favor in-state wineries, wine distributors, and wine sellers, and why a recent federal decision may conflict with  US  Supreme Court precedent.

We have recently received a notice from the Superintendent of Real Estate advising of the issuance of two new Policy Statements which require developers to include further information in disclosure statements or amendments filed on or after November 1, 2007.

Pushor Mitchell has received reports that our clients have recently received an email, supposedly sent to them by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, regarding a complaint of harassment by an employee.

In an apparent bid towards increasing employee efficiency, a bakery owner in Eisenstadt, Austria resorted to recording his employees’ toilet visits.

In a recent edition of his weekly column, “Legal Ease”, which appears nationally in a variety of print and electronic media, Robert Smithson addressed the issue of employees advancing claims for statutory entitlements (such as overtime pay, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, etc.) in B.C.’s civil courts.

Statistics about how much personal time is being spent on the computer during working hours are concerning.

In the Philippines, a judge who was ejected from the bench due to his belief in elves is attempting to regain his former employment.

Whistle while you work is starting to take on a whole new meaning in offices across the country.

On October 18, 2007, the Conservative government introduced new criminal legislation, demanding that it receive speedy passage through the parliamentary process.

Recently the Supreme Court of Canada in a 6-3 ruling determined that police can be sued for negligent investigations.

This Honda rider was traveling at such a "very high speed", his reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this accident.

On October 2, 2007, the Department of Finance released draft legislative proposals to implement the Registered Disability Savings Plan announced in the 2007 Federal Budget.

The Consumer Taxation Branch of the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue has released information for low-income persons wishing to apply for a refund of PST paid on legal fees while the decision in BC (Attorney General) v. Christie, 2007 SCC 21, was under appeal.

Scientific American says even the Bush administration has started to recognize U.S. legal obligations to fight global warming.