News | Watson Goepel LLP

8 March 2023

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Exploring Surrogacy: Its Legality, Compensation, and Other Considerations

By Alexandra Levine

This article is part of a series of educational blog posts created by a team of Watson Goepel women lawyers in light of International Women’s Day 2023, to empower, celebrate, and encourage women in Canada.   Defining Surrogacy A surrogate mother is a woman who carries a baby full term on behalf of someone else. In some cases, the…

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8 March 2023

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Sexual Assault and Right To Privacy

By Britni Troy

This article is part of a series of educational blog posts created by a team of Watson Goepel women lawyers in light of International Women’s Day 2023, to empower, celebrate, and encourage women in Canada.   Women continue to be statistically at a far greater risk of sexual violence in Canada. The Canadian Women’s Foundation summarizes statistics of gender-based…

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8 March 2023

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Building a Better World for Women

By Ben Ling (Linda) Chen and Sarah Hentschel

This article is part of a series of educational blog posts created by a team of Watson Goepel women lawyers in light of International Women’s Day 2023, to empower, celebrate, and encourage women in Canada.   International Women’s Day is an important day for us women lawyers, as it celebrates the achievements and contributions of women to the world,…

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7 March 2023

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Can You “Separate” From Your Spouse While Living In a Shared Home?

By Danica Beck

This article is part of a series of educational blog posts created by a team of Watson Goepel women lawyers in light of International Women’s Day 2023, to empower, celebrate, and encourage women in Canada.   Separation vs Divorce According to the Divorce Act, a breakdown of a marriage may be established when you and your spouse have ‘lived separate and…

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6 March 2023

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What Is Automatism? And Can It “Justify” Violent Criminal Behaviour in Canada?

By Katharine E. Hennebery

This article is part of a series of educational blog posts created by a team of Watson Goepel women lawyers in light of International Women’s Day 2023, to empower, celebrate, and encourage women in Canada.   In May 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) released two concurrent judgments for two cases dealing with circumstances where the accused was…

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6 February 2023

Time Theft – Monitoring Remote Workers

By Sarah Hentschel

Increasing demand for remote work has presented new challenges for businesses, particularly where it comes to recording time for work completed.  While time theft has historically been difficult for employers to prove, the rise of remote work has ushered in new methods such as activity tracking software which has simplified the employer’s ability to prove…

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6 February 2023

Extension of EI “Sickness Benefits” in 2023

By Sarah Hentschel

Employees and self-employed persons who contribute to Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) plan will now have access to expanded EI sickness benefits. Those who made their claim on or after December 18, 2022, may receive up to 26 weeks of EI sickness benefits, extended from the previous limit of 15 weeks.   EI Sickness Benefits are…

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16 January 2023

Comprehensive Summary of the Prohibition of Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act

By Henry M. Ka

On January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act (the “Act”) came into force. Under section 4(1) of the Act, non-Canadians will be prohibited from purchased any residential property in Canada. Defining The Meaning Of “Residential Property” The term “Residential Property” is defined section 2 of the Act as:…

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19 December 2022

The “Common Law Condominium:” A Historical Anomaly with Present-Day Implications to Strata Wind-Ups

By Jeremy West

In British Columbia, condominium ownership is principally governed by a statutory regime found in the Strata Property Act (“SPA”). However historically, structures were developed to create land ownership and management rights outside of that legislative scheme. Cypress Gardens (a 177-unit residential complex located in the City of North Vancouver) is an example of what has…

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