Saw a great film today, Mr Nobody Against Putin. It was hard not to draw parallels between the propaganda the Russian government is imposing on its schools and the Alberta government's intrusion in school curricula & libraries on sexuality, gender & more. Enough! www.ciffcalgary.ca/films/2025/m...

The AB gov’t appealed the injunction against trans health care bans, but is now bypassing its opportunity to argue the reasonableness of *all* its anti-trans laws via the notwithstanding clause. This reveals a lack of confidence in its claim that it is “protecting” trans and gender diverse youth.

So much for the UCP’s argument that their anti-trans surveillance law is all about protecting girls in sports. Young women’s participation in sports has dropped off, no surprise. #ableg

I think we all know why Alberta and Saskatchewan are arguing against changes to the notwithstanding clause: they want to violate the rights of transgender people.👇🏼

Not surprisingly, AB, SK, and ON side with QB in the Bill 21 case. “Alberta is against “any form of substantive judicial review” of governments’ use of the notwithstanding clause” and argued “that “creative arguments” that call for restrictions “should be rejected.” apple.news/AcH5w2n3YSEO...

Legal inequality is driving the gender pay gap. Women earn ~23% less than men, and are more likely to lack paid leave and pensions. These are legal failures, and they’re changeable. 🔗 This #EqualPayDay find out more about how you can support our work equalitynow.org/get-involved/

More dog whistling about non-citizens from the Alberta premier. This confirms that the new citizenship marker will have wide reaching effects. #abpoli www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

I agree with the concerns about misuse for sure. But I’m not so sure about #1. Much as I think Alberta has not offered good reasons to justify a Charter violation, doesn’t it have jurisdiction to add this marker under its licensing powers? I don’t think it purports to decide who’s a citizen. #abpoli

Entire report is utterly damning but p’raps esp the concl that Israel's "widespread and systematic targeting of children is part of a strategy to destroy the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian group in Gaza, thus part of the intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.” [219]

Shades of Nadon, 2014 SCC 21, although coming from a very different angle.

Alberta too, 1000%

So apparently one can walk to a restaurant safely now in DC, but not to one's own kitchen, but the latter doesn't matter because it's just a made up crime anyway. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Spent the last 3 days at the truly excellent European Conference on Domestic Violence in Barcelona. Our panel compared criminal and other responses to coercive control across England and Wales, Australia, France, and Canada. You can find our forthcoming paper at: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Danielle Smith does not understand that sexually explicit images are not necessarily pornographic images. The former can have important educational rather than harmful impacts. Where is the justice minister in helping her understand the difference? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #abpoli

apple.news/Au_OoDS5VQje.... Great piece. Not mentioned is that unions and women workers have also played a key role in fighting for responses to workplace violence and violence that affects the workplace. ✊

When I read @margaretatwood.bsky.social in high school it literally changed my life (and I think even she would agree with this use of literally). John and Mary are screwed unless we keep using our words to fight back. #abpoli

From the FB... At least one school has resorted to donating books to the public because they simply don't have the resources to catalog all of the books by Smith's deadline. This is absolutely surreal. #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

Calgary Public Library knows where it’s at. 🌈

Vicious compliance, malicious compliance, whatever. This book ban is an affront and the incoherence and lack of justification for its underlying premises have been beautifully exposed. On the eve of Calgary Pride, I say you go, Edmonton school board! #abpoli #ableg 🌈

Dickson's s.25 analysis has now been applied in the federal court a few times in the context of Indian Act governments. I review the Houle, Donald-Potskin, and Cunningham decisions with wonderful co-authors @jwatsonhamilton.bsky.social and @jenniferkoshan.bsky.social here...

One point to note as we are working on a post about the dissent on the ss 25 & 15 issues: the majority's recognition of the overriding role of gender-based equality in ss 28 &35(4) sharply contrasts with the dissent's reluctance to discuss any role for either, notwithstanding their text & history.

This is the 3rd in a series of blog posts on Dickson v Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, including a look at how the SCC majority judgment on ss 25 & 15 of the Charter is being applied by lower courts. Great working with @jwatsonhamilton.bsky.social and @roberthamilton.bsky.social on this one!

So I just visited the website of the Canadian Constitution Foundation to look for some info on their recent interventions. I kid you not, they have a petition and court standing to challenge Nova Scotia's forest closure, calling this a "draconian ban" on "responsible recreation." theccf.ca

Alberta makes the international news again for another harmful attack on its citizens. Action4Canada & Parents for Choice in Education (PCE), take credit for precipitating the UCP’s book ban, a ban based on the idea that "our kids are our property." #ableg www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Stoked to publish the draft agenda & registration info for UCalgary Faculty of Law's "Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector" conference, which will be held this fall (October 2-4, 2025). To maintain a workshop vibe, non-presenter registration is being *limited* to 30. Go to eur.cvent.me/KbDnxE

As a newly minted grandma I *cannot wait* to have the new little visit extended family in AB. But this can only safely happen post-measles vaccine at 6 months due to the outbreak here. A plea to ensure your loved ones are vaccinated at any age. It’s part of our social contract! #ableg #abpoli

A Criminal Law Quarterly 4-page editorial that needs a wider audience and continued pressure on all levels of government to do something different to eliminate the deaths of Indigenous people at the hands of the police. ssrn.com/abstract=537...

Road trip soundtrack suggestions: - Wilco, Shot in the Arm - Frazey Ford, Golden - Anything by Yo La Tengo (Autumn Sweater?) - Alannis Morissette, Thank U

Very sad but oh so true.

Interesting to see Conservative Kyle Seeback say the Liberals are "no friend to workers" and would "rather reward [their] corporate buddies" than support flight attendants’ fight for fair wages. Does he really think we believe a Conservative government would do otherwise? apple.news/Av12fOVTfRJm...

Historic decision on the notwithstanding clause from the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. "The Charter is not written in disappearing ink that comes and goes every five years according to whether Parliament or a legislature has invoked s. 33." -CJ Leurer, Saskatchewan v UR Pride, 2025 SKCA 74

A very important decision, and not just for the rights of two-spirit, trans, and non-binary youth. The SKCA has ruled that courts have jurisdiction to declare that laws unreasonably limit Charter rights and freedoms even after the government invokes the s 33 notwithstanding clause.

This is better than invoking the s 33 notwithstanding clause, but it still seems like a performative appeal on the part of Alberta. #abpoli #ableg

A tough read. There are allegations of coercive control by the step-father towards the children’s mother as well as child neglect. “I hate to say it but every one of us failed them” said their paternal grandmother. “We all failed these kids.” apple.news/AsdhptEq2QlG...

@jenniferkoshan.bsky.social's article explores the impacts of intimate-partner violence on work, workplaces and workplace inequality, and the legal tools that have been developed to address them. She concludes that there remain troubling gaps in existing legislative responses

Women and Gender Equality Canada is facing massive budget cuts. And this is the ministry responsible for the National Action Plan on GBV. Make it make sense. #canpoli www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Support, strength and allyship for all survivors today.

kloubakov & hockey canada coming out the same day...bad day for women and the law

Some good news. Colleague Stephanie Chipeur won her adverse impact human rights claim, a claim that also resulted in the radiology clinic makung their servuces more accessible. The HR commissioner hearing the case was 2002 UCalgary Law alum, Dr. Erika Ringseis. www.ctvnews.ca/health/artic...

Let’s compare AB’s Bill 27 + book ban to France’s Education à la Vie Affective, Relationnelle et Sexuelle. It aims to help students understand their bodies and relationships starting in primary education, where they emphasize preventing sexual violence. eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/news/france-...

Important new post by colleague Shaun Fluker. Beyond the substantive reasons for concern about the book ban, including its impact on 2SLGBTQ+ youth and those vulnerable to sexual violence, Shaun points out the ambiguities in the Ministerial order that will make it very hard to apply. #ableg #abpoli

Not just CAUT but the Cdn Association of Law Teachers (CALT) and the University of Calgary Faculty Association (TUCFA) too. The intervener coalition will provide arguments on whether academic “activism” is protected research for FOIP purposes. canlii.ca/t/kd4cp

Yet still they are arguing it’s not really a book ban. 🤯 #abpoli

New Post: Recent Developments on Protection of Critical Habitat under the Species at Risk Act and Implications for Coal in Alberta ablawg.ca/2025/07/07...

Excellent paper plane material.

So many lies, but lying about “protecting” trans kids is especially pernicious. Call it out. #abpoli

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

"The evidence shows that singling out health care for gender diverse youth and making it subject to government control will cause irreparable harm to gender diverse youth by reinforcing the discrimination and prejudice that they are already subjected to.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... 👏

Dr Kim Stanton's independent systemic review of the legal system’s treatment of sexual violence and intimate partner violence in British Columbia is out. The final report makes over 20 recommendations spanning all sectors of the legal system and beyond. Essential reading. ipvsvreview.ca/documents/

Check out this important online and free symposium, June 27th: educatinghumanlawyers.com/about/