Latest news with #OsgoodeHall
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Legal experts warn Hockey Canada sex assault trial could trigger rushed consent law changes that damage Canada's justice system
The high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault trial has reignited fierce debate over how Canada's legal system handles sexual assault cases—and whether another wave of rushed legislative change is looming. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Following public uproar after Jian Ghomeshi's acquittal in 2016, Parliament passed Bill C-51, introducing major Criminal Code reforms. These measures, praised by advocates for preventing 'trial by ambush,' forced defence lawyers to disclose communications like emails and texts with complainants before trial. Legal experts divided as Hockey Canada trial stirs fear of another wave of rushed sexual assault law reforms The so-called 'Ghomeshi rules' have drawn sharp criticism from criminal defence lawyers, who argue the changes tilt the system unfairly. Now, many legal experts fear that if the accused ex-hockey players are acquitted, lawmakers may rush to make further reforms—this time targeting the already sensitive definition of consent. Lisa Kelly, associate professor of law at Queen's University, cautions against 'reactive lawmaking,' warning it can have unintended effects. 'Many would be concerned or very troubled if some or all of the players were acquitted,' she said, drawing parallels to the reaction after Ghomeshi's verdict. University of Ottawa law professor Daphne Gilbert supports the reforms, saying they add necessary protections. 'It prevents trial by ambush, which we really shouldn't be having in Canada,' she explained. The process now lets complainants hire legal counsel and argue against potentially prejudicial evidence. Yet defence lawyers like Sarah Leamon argue the process undercuts a key strategy. 'That element of surprise is undermined,' she said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Others, like Nick Cake, add that disclosing defence communications and filing affidavits opens defendants to cross-examination, effectively stripping them of the right to remain silent. Even supporters of the reform admit the process creates delays. Lisa Dufraimont, a professor at Osgoode Hall, says courts now struggle to manage timelines, as sexual assault trials often involve thousands of text messages and intricate vetting procedures. Also Read: With the trial of the five former world junior players—Dillon Dubé, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Michael McLeod—now concluded and a verdict due July 24, many in the legal community worry what comes next. As Peter Sankoff bluntly puts it: 'Every sexual assault trial has become a lengthy ordeal—and that's not good for the accused or the complainant.'
CBC
17-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Mother-daughter lawyers say it 'means everything' to be called to the bar together
When it comes to newly-minted lawyers Lori Butler and her daughter Megan Delaronde, it's hard to say who followed in whose footsteps. Butler says watching her daughter go to law school inspired her do the same. But Delaronde says it was her mother's encouragement and tenacity that motivated her to enrol in the first place. Ultimately, their journeys led to the same place. The Kitchener, Ont., mother-daughter duo were called to the bar together on Monday during a ceremony in London, Ont., in what's believed to be a provincial first. "It's incredible to be experiencing becoming a lawyer at all," Delaronde, 28, told As It Happens host Nil Kӧksal. "But to do it alongside my mother, who is my inspiration, the reason that I did this in the first place, it just means everything." Making history 'a fun little side note' Delaronde graduated from York University's Osgoode Hall in Toronto 2023, while Butler, who started a year later, graduated from the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law in 2024. Because Delaronde took longer with her final articling and bar exam preparation, the pair ended up in a position to officially become practicing lawyers at the same time. The Law Society of Ontario told CBC this is its first record of a mother and daughter joining the bar together. "We are proud to celebrate this inspiring moment and reflect on the diverse journeys individuals take to join the legal profession, and the strength of family and community in supporting those paths," Peter Wardle, the society's treasurer, said in an emailed statement. Asked how it feels to be first, Delaronde said the real reward was seeing all their hard work and studying pay off. "The making history part is a fun little side note for us," she said. My mother is the most capable woman that I know. There was no doubt in my mind that if she made the leap and decided to do it, we would be here one day. - Megan Delaronde, lawyer Just as they inspired each other to pursue careers in law, the women also helped lift each other up throughout the process. Delaronde, a year ahead in law school, would frequently share her notes and answer her mom's questions. "She really helped me a lot," Butler said. Those roles reversed when Butler took the bar exam first, then helped Delaronde prepare. "Exams are just gruelling," Delaronde said. "So having her first-hand experience of what it would be like to write them, and some of her assistance on that, was really valuable." Getting to work While Delaronde is just starting out in her career, Butler, who is in her 60s, has had a lot of experience in the workforce. She's been a real estate agent and wedding officiant. She once founded a martial arts club. And, most recently, she worked as a teacher. Butler doesn't like to be idle, she says, so as she was nearing retirement, she knew it was time to make another move. "I certainly wasn't going to retire and do nothing," she said. "Teachers don't teach into their 90s but lots of lawyers do." Delaronde says she was immediately supportive of her mom's decision. "I encouraged her to do it," she said. "My mother is the smartest woman that I know. My mother is the most capable woman that I know. There was no doubt in my mind that if she made the leap and decided to do it, we would be here one day." When Butler opened her acceptance letter, the two women cried together in the kitchen. "Getting into law school, it's like winning the lottery," Butler told CBC Radio's Afternoon Drive. Delaronde believes her mother's incredible ability to see the good in everyone will serve her well in the field, while Butler says her daughter's compassion and ability to think quickly on her feet will be a great asset in the courtroom. "We can look at anybody who is in the criminal system and say, 'Hey, they're but for the grace of God go I,'" Butler told CBC Radio's Afternoon Drive in London. "There's an awful lot of people that we meet who have gotten in trouble with the law and they really did not intend to." That's why, after a night of celebrating with their family, the two women immediately got to work. Delaronde is a new associate at Cooper Lord Law, a criminal law firm in Kitchener, while Butler is working with X-Copper, a legal services team for Canadians facing traffic tickets, criminal charges, and commercial vehicle offences. "Justice just waits for no one," Delaronde said. "Lawyers are here to help. And I think for both of us, it felt right to be jumping right in and getting to work."
