Publications
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The Impact of COVID-19 on Contracts
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, governments and agencies are implementing an increasing number of measures of all kinds. The state of emergency is giving rise to a multitude of legal concerns, in particular contractual ones. The temporary closure of many businesses, public places and borders and (…)
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The exercise of custody and access rights in the era of COVID‑19: “There will be no easy answers”
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice refuses to suspend a father’s access rights to his child and specifies the criteria for determining the urgency to intervene in family matters The global crisis we are going through brings its share of challenges and worries, including the protection of our (…)
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COVID-19 - Flexibility in the Federal Work-Sharing Program: A Solution for Retaining Your Human Capital?
In order to best support our clients and business partners, our team is following developments related to COVID-19 very closely. We invite you to visit on our website the page that centralizes all of the tools and information produced by our professionals. There is a concern that simply laying off (…)
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COVID-19: How to adapt your current tax planning?
The spread of COVID-19 is having a considerable negative effect on the global economy. Several tax planning strategies adapted to the current situation can be considered in order to mitigate the impact. Tax planning for individuals helps to (i) reduce the taxes payable upon death, (ii) encourage (…)
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How to be a Good Franchisor in the COVID-19 Era?
In recent weeks, and especially in recent days, we have seen the serious repercussions of the spread of COVID-19 on Quebec businesses and SMEs. Government authorities are planning financial assistance measures for businesses, and some chambers of commerce have already announced that new services (…)
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COVID-19: Update on Canadian IP
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has made a further announcement concerning the extension of deadlines, to the effect that deadlines falling within March 16 to April 30, 2020 are extended to May 1, 2020. CIPO is otherwise still open for business and our intellectual property team (…)
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Bill 37 and Preventive Disclosure of Tax Planning: Why and How?
Bill 37, now known as the Act mainly to establish the Centre d’acquisitions gouvernementales and Infrastructures technologiques Québec, SQ 2020 c. 2, was assented to on February 21, 2020. In particular, this act makes significant changes to the Act respecting contracting by public bodies, CQLR c. (…)
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The Coronavirus Guide for Employers: Everyday Measures for the Workplace
Employers must review their action plan on a daily basis to promote prevention, manage possible or proven contagion among their employees and ensure that business operations continue. Two actions are key: Seeking accurate information from public health officials and governments daily; Taking (…)
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The 2020-2021 Quebec Budget: New Measures to Promote Innovation!
Quebec’s Minister of Finance tabled his budget for 2020-2021, titled Your Future, your Budget1, on March 10. Among the new measures introduced by the government, new tax incentives for innovation and the commercialization of Quebec intellectual property were announced. The incentive deduction for (…)
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Development of a legal definition of artificial intelligence: different countries, different approaches
As our society begins to embrace artificial intelligence, many governments are having to deal with public concern as well as the ongoing push to harness these technologies for the public good. The reflection is well underway in many countries, but with varying results. The Office of the Privacy (…)
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Constant supervision: how does the recent court decision impact CPEs, daycare centres and home childcare providers?
On January 15, 2020, the Court of Québec handed down an important decision that could have an impact very quickly on the entire childcare network.1. In its ruling dealing with a breach of the obligation to provide constant supervision of the children, the court questioned the concept of auto-pauses (…)
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Three key points about the Regulation respecting damage insurance brockerage
On December 13, 2019, the Regulation respecting damage insurance brokerage (the “Regulation”), adopted under the Act respecting the distribution of financial products and services (“ARDFPS”), came into force. The Regulation includes the following changes: New titles for firms and qualification (…)
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Bill 141: Checklist on insurance products offered via the internet and distribution without a representative
Download your checklist A major reform of the financial sector and, more specifically, of the standards surrounding the practice of professionals governed by the Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF”) is now applicable under the Act mainly to improve the regulation of the financial sector, (…)