Le 16 juillet 2021, l’honorable Monsieur le juge Doris Thibault du Tribunal des droits de la personne accueille partiellement la demande en dommages moraux et dommages punitifs pour des propos discriminatoires fondés sur l’origine ethnique à l’endroit du demandeur posés par l’employé du défendeur. Le Tribunal condamne solidairement l’employé et l’employeur (« les défendeurs ») à verser le demandeur 3 000 $ à titre de dommages moraux. En outre, le Tribunal condamne l’employé à verser 800 $ au demandeur à titre de dommages punitifs. Cet article vise à résumer les faits et l’analyse du jugement sur Pena c. Poirier, 2021 QCTDP 29 (CanLII).
Continue reading “L’employeur est responsable des actes discriminatoires posés par son employé — # 62”“The courts, and society in general, need to be vigilant to the abuse of the elderly and the vulnerable. ” – #41
While a large number of the so-called “baby-boomer” generation are becoming elderly and more reliant on third parties for their basic needs, we should be vigilant to the abuse of the elderly and the vulnerable in our daily life. A recent decision of Superior Court of Quebec drew our attention to the elder abuse issue. In this case, an elderly woman was financially abused and forced to be transferred to a residence out of her own community without her consent and without any prior notification. The Court found the Defendants had violated the elderly woman’s numerous Charter rights. This article intends to analyze the justification of the awards in moral damages and punitive damages in elder abuse matters.
Continue reading ““The courts, and society in general, need to be vigilant to the abuse of the elderly and the vulnerable. ” – #41″“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟” —聊聊2020年加拿大父母团聚移民那些事儿
“嗨，你怎么还在呀！”我闻声抬起头，看到同事惊讶的眼神，我轻轻地回应道：“是啊，我想把这个庭前审问记录和那个上诉法院的案例看完再走……”
现在，整个办公室就剩我一人了。坐在蒙特利尔市西山区高级办公楼里，我望向窗外黑漆漆的夜色，看着那微弱的星星点点的街灯，回想着今天前辈律师给我的叮咛教导，肚子突然“咕咕咕”叫了起来。我转眼看电脑屏幕上的时间，呀，都已经晚上八点半了！我还没吃晚饭呢。由于疫情影响，餐馆都提早关门。看来，我只能自己回家做面吃了。
每当这时候，我都会想，要是父母在身边该多好。小时候，我放学回家，无论多晚，打开家门，总会有一股浓浓的香气扑鼻而来。“爸爸，妈妈！我回来了！好香啊！今天做了什么好吃的？”没等他们回应，我都会急忙往餐桌上凑。哇！是可口的土豆焖鸡和我最爱喝的排骨莲藕冬菇汤。我急忙去洗手，然后“飞”奔到餐桌前，用手捏起一块大大的鸡肉吃了起来。这时候，妈妈会脱下围裙，笑着说：“小馋猫，慢点吃。”爸爸则会不紧不慢地打开电视，调到新闻频道，开始他对我的家国情怀教育。爸爸有时候也会给我讲曾国藩，苏东坡等中国古代圣贤的故事。妈妈也会借机叮嘱我多练琴。有时候，我会给爸妈夹肉。可他们总会把肉放回我碗里，叮嘱我说：“你要多吃，你在长身体，爸妈要减肥。”
Continue reading ““但愿人长久，千里共婵娟” —聊聊2020年加拿大父母团聚移民那些事儿”When his right to freely express himself hits her right to protect her reputation in the professional world – #33
“He filed a complaint against me at the professional association which is absolutely unfounded.” “He even solicited the help of third parties to obtain my Facebook account in my home country…””He left numerous negative comments about my business on social media, such as Google Reviews.” How can I protect myself effectively from those attacks? Am I entitled to compensatory, moral and punitive damages?
No freedom is absolute. While a person has right to freely express himself, a person also has right to the safeguard of his reputation and to respect for his private life. These fundamental rights are protected by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (“Charter”) and, for the most part, recognized by the Civil Code of Quebec (“C.c.Q.”) as civil rights that every human being is entitled to their full enjoyment. An unlawful interference with a charter protected right entitles the victim to obtain compensation for the moral and material prejudice resulting therefrom. If intentional, punitive damages may also be awarded.
Continue reading “When his right to freely express himself hits her right to protect her reputation in the professional world – #33”Caron v. Attorney General of Canada: The Superior Court clarifies the proper interpretation of section 3(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act – #32
Benjamin was born in the Netherlands in a same-sex parented family. His Canadian citizenship application was refused by the government because there is no biological link between Benjamin and his Canadian parent, which was interpreted as an essential requirement for derivative citizenship according to section 3(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act (“Act”). Instead of applying for judicial review before the Federal Court of Canada, the plaintiffs seek an order declaring that the government’s interpretation of s. 3(1)(b) of the Act breached and continues to breach their Charter right to equality before the Superior Court of Quebec. Interestingly, the Attorney General of Canada also agrees with the plaintiffs that the government’s interpretation of s. 3(1)(b) brings it in conflict with s. 15(1) of Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (“Charter”). In July 2020, Mr. Justice Frédéric Bachand declared that in order to conform with Canadian human rights legislation as well as with the Charter, the interpretation requiring a biological link between Benjamin and his Canadian parent breaches his Charter right and that the terms “père et mère” in the French text should refer to both biological and legal parentage. This judgment protects same-sex couples’ rights to start and raise families of their own in Canada (Caron c. Attorney General of Canada, 2020 QCCS 2700).
Continue reading “Caron v. Attorney General of Canada: The Superior Court clarifies the proper interpretation of section 3(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act – #32”加拿大联邦创业移民（Canada Start-up Visa Program）申请被拒案始末
本文将以Bui v.Canada (Citizenship and Immigration),2019 FC 440的判决为例向读者介绍加拿大联邦创业移民的基本要求，加拿大移民官审理该类申请的基本流程，申请被拒的原因以及联邦法院对移民官的决定做司法审查的思路。
1. 有一个经认可的创业项目；
2. 主申请人须获得加拿大联邦政府指定机构（企业孵化器项目，天使投资集团或风险投资基金）的支持信；
3. 主申请人的英语水平应达到雅思普通类考试5级以上；
4. 有足够的资金支持移民主申请人及其随行家庭成员在加拿大的生活开销；
5. 其他移民申请基本要求，如身体健康，无犯罪记录等。
Continue reading “加拿大联邦创业移民（Canada Start-up Visa Program）申请被拒案始末”