In this issue - #89 July 27, 2006

The renovation/expansion to the Pushor Mitchell building is proceeding on schedule.

Chief executive of Acacia Technologies, Paul Ryan, discusses the controversial business of acquiring and enforcing patents

This on-line guide explains the basics of Canadian Patent Law.
 

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has introduced several new financial products which, according to CMHC, makes housing ownership more accessible and affordable.

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC) has published a document on its website that may be of interest to developers and local governements.

In a recent edition of his weekly column, “Legal Ease”, which appears nationally in a variety of print and electronic media, Robert Smithson addressed constructive dismissals arising from employer conduct which negatively affects an employee’s professional reputation.

In a recent edition of its electronic bulletin, “News Flash”, BDO Dunwoody addressed the merits of helping staff to live a healthier life.

Employment lawyers are often asked about the questions employers can and cannot ask of applicants during the hiring process.

WorkSafeBC has found significant levels of non-compliance with safety regulations in gas bars across the province.

Recent changes have been made to the Canada Labour Code in relation to commissioned employees of Canadian chartered banks.

Do you like your co-workers?  Do you really like them?  Do you like them enough to absorb 8,000 volts of electricity to protect them?

Federal and provincial Ministers of Finance have released the results of their triennial review of the Canada Pension Plan.  This most recent review indicates the C.P.P. is on solid financial footing.

If you’re a mail carrier working for Canada Post, you’ll find that taking time off may be more work than working.

According to a new survey by the American Management Association and the ePolicy Institute, employers are, in response to escalating legal problems, increasingly firing workers who violate computer privileges.

Authorities say that some of the most notorious street gangs in the US have gotten Web-savvy, showcasing illegal exploits, making threats, and honouring killed and jailed members on digital turf

A security company has warned that cheaply available VOIP numbers and Net calling are helping crooks launch new data-thieving scams.

In California, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children one through four years age.

ICBC's controversial "No Crash No Cash" policy has been once again hammered by a BC Judge.

The idea took hold in the early 1990s. The premise was that if you forced teenagers to pass a series of hurdles before they were granted a full driver's licence — such as limits on when they could drive or how many friends they could have in the car — it would cut the accident rate for this particularly vulnerable group.

Summer is the peak period for diving accidents, say spinal cord injury experts and lifeguards, who warn of the dangers of diving into shallow water.

British Columbia's Liquor Control and Licensing Branch has posted the January 2006 version of its SPECIAL OCCASION LICENCE (SOL) POLICY MANUAL online at:

A doctor in Fredericton says he's treating more kids with injuries from playing on trampolines, and is urging parents to keep an eye on their youngsters.

The  US  Republican answer to runaway health-care spending is to cap jury awards in medical malpractice suits.

Although the incentive clause concept is not entirely new in sports,  this article looks at some modern-day incentive clauses that helped seal the deal between athlete and owner.