The Mass Casualty Commission will be releasing a 7 volume Final Report on March 30, 2023. The Final Report will be released in person at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro, Nova Scotia at 12 p.m. AST as well as via live webcast on the Commission’s website. Mercedes Perez and lawyer Joanna Birenbaum represented the […]
Henson trusts have been used since 1989[1], for the benefit of those who receive government benefits such the Ontario Disability Support Program. The Supreme Court of Canada considered the Henson trust for the first time almost three decades later. The Court’s decision in S.A. v Metro Vancouver Housing Corp[2] confirmed the validity of the Henson […]
Mercedes Perez and lawyer Joanna Birenbaum are representing the Coalition for Gun Control at Nova Scotia’s Mass Casualty Commission. Final oral submissions were presented on September 22, 2022. Here is a link to media coverage of the Coalition’s comments and recommendations: CBC News, “What Both Sides of Gun Control Issue Want to See from the […]
On September 15, 2022, Mercedes Perez gave expert testimony at the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Matthew Mahoney. Mercedes was summoned to provide expert evidence on Ontario’s psychiatric detention laws. Mr. Mahoney died in hospital on March 21, 2018 after an interaction with police in Windsor, Ontario. Media coverage of Mercedes’ testimony is available […]
Mercedes Perez and lawyer Joanna Birenbaum are representing the Coalition for Gun Control at the Mass Casualty Commission. The Mass Casualty Commission is an independent public inquiry jointly established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia. The Commission’s mandate is to investigate the “causes, context and circumstances” giving rise to the […]
Alex Procope was been awarded the 2022 Hoffstein Book Prize! This award is given out annually to any Trusts and Estates Section member of the Ontario Bar Association with less than 15 years of practice. The nominating committee considered whether the recipient demonstrates leadership in the trusts and estates bar through knowledge, experience skill, commitment, […]
Alex Procope and Jane Meadus again co-chaired the Osgoode Elder Law 2022 Certificate Program. The program was conduced online again, which permitted a stellar line-up of speakers who appeared from across the country. Alex taught the sessions providing an overview of capacity and substitute-decision making regimes and on professional responsibility. PBP Lawyer Kelley Bryan also […]
Alex Procope spoke at the Law Society of Ontario’s 16th Family Law Summit on March 28, 2022. Alex joined a panel with Phil Brown, Senior Counsel at the Law Society’s Practice Supports and Resources and Harjot Dosanjh from the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. The panel discussed client Capacity in Family Law. Alex’s […]
What is the Substitute Decisions Act? The Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 was enacted by the Ontario legislature in 1992 and came into effect on April 3, 1995. Subsequent amendments came into effect on March 29, 1996 at the same time that the earlier Consent to Treatment Act was repealed and replaced with the Health Care […]
The Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee (“PGT”) is a part of the Ontario Government. The PGT and Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (“PGT Office”) operate under Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General. In this article, we will provide an overview of the PGT role and responsibilities. Who or what is the Public Guardian […]