House of Bills: A Weekly Update on Ontario Bills

November 18 – November 22
42nd Parliament, 1st Sessionlegend

Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019
Bill considered by Standing Committee on General Government (Nov 18, 21 & 22)

Bill 136, Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019
Second Reading (Nov 18 & 19)

Bill 138, Plan to Build Ontario Together Act, 2019
Second Reading (Nov 19-21)

Bill 140, Defibrillator Registry Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 18)

Bill 141, Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 18)
Second Reading, carried (Nov 21)
Ordered referred to Standing Committee on Social Policy (Nov 21)

Bill 142, Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Air Brake Endorsements), 2019
First Reading (Nov 18)
Second Reading, carried (Nov 21)
Ordered referred to Standing Committee on Social Policy (Nov 21)

Bill 143, Health and Safety at Work Day Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 18)

Bill 144, Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory Committee Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 19)

Bill 145, Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 19)

Bill 146, Stop Cyberbullying in Ontario Day Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 20)

Bill 147, Public Safety Related to Dogs Statute Law Amendment Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 20)
Second Reading, carried (Nov 21)
Ordered referred to Standing Committee on General Government (Nov 21)

Bill 148, Doored But Not Ignored Act, 2019
First Reading (Nov 21)

Legal Research Survival Guide, Part 8 –Deciphering Case Citations

Once you’ve mastered the art of deciphering case citations, you’ll find that what initially looked like a jumble of letters and numbers to you is actually very useful legal shorthand. A case citation, properly formatted, can tell you the names of the parties, year, jurisdiction, court level and where to find the decision, all at a glance.

Continue reading “Legal Research Survival Guide, Part 8 –Deciphering Case Citations”

November is Make a Will Month

An Angus Reid survey conducted last year found that 51% of Canadians do not have a will. This includes lawyers as it’s estimated that the percentage of lawyers without a will is about the same as the general population. Reasons for not having a will included being “too young to worry about it” (25%), not having any assets (23%) and not wanting to think about dying (8%).

It’s statistics like these that drive the need for “Make a Will Month”, the annual November campaign to raise awareness about the importance of having a well-drafted and up-to-date will.

In Ontario, the OBA’s Make a Will Month program gives its members the opportunity to promote their expertise and educate their clients and the public about the benefits of having a properly-drafted will.  Throughout November, the OBA is hosting free information sessions presented by wills and estates practitioners at public libraries and community hubs across Ontario.  In addition, the OBA website features timely information on how lawyers can help with complex estate issues, such as blended families, dependents living with disabilities, cross-border matters and digital assets.

Make a Will Month also gives us the opportunity to highlight some of the valuable tools we make available to help Law Society licensees in drafting wills for their clients.

Here’s a selection of current will drafting resources available through the Great Library:

  • Lexis Practice Advisor – Wills, Trusts and Estates Ontario (available online in the Library)
    • features will drafting checklists, precedent wills and clauses, as well as practice notes contributed by leading estates practitioners
  • O’Brien’s Encyclopedia of Forms – Wills and Trusts (available online in the Library)
    • includes sample wills, clauses and brief commentary to provide context for these precedents
  • Drafting Wills in Canada: A Lawyer’s Practice Guide, 2nd ed. by Robyn Solnik, Mary-Alice Thompson, Brian Gillingham. KF 755 S645 2016, Practice Collection, 2nd Floor.
    • guidance and best practices for drafting wills, powers of attorney and other estate planning documents

Need more information about our wills and estates materials? Just ask us!