Do’s and Don’ts for Choosing a Contractor

 How to go about choosing a contractor is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly but it doesn’t have to be an intimidating one. By arming yourself with a plan, you can be sure to land the perfect contractor to execute your type of renovation. Don’t simply rely on one

Private Delivery of Healthcare Can Work in a Publically Funded System but Comes with Risks

 What the rest of Canada can learn from Alberta’s experience If you look at an old map of Canadian healthcare policy, just near Privatization Island is a big warning: “Here be dragons.” So it proved for Alberta Health Services last month when a seemingly innocuous decision—to swap the tender for

New Spirit of Cooperation in Rail

 Photo by Frederic Dekkal Everything old is new again, and a new spirit of cooperation in negotiations between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) union and two of Canada’s biggest railways, CN and VIA Rail, has the potential to use old-style sitting down and talking to change a century of

Take a bite at Café Urban

 One year after the opening of Café Urban at Saint Paul University, the kitchen is busier than ever. Handmade sandwiches, granola and soups are flying onto the trays of hungry students and faculty. Café Urban aims to supply the university and public with locally sourced food for breakfast, lunch and

Our Courts’ Regard for Employee Vulnerability

 More than 25 years ago, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the central importance of work to society and to individuals stating, “Work is one of the most fundamental aspects in a person's life, providing the individual with a means of financial support and, as importantly, a contributory role in

Not Malevolence but Massive Mind Numbing Incompetence by City Hall Civil Servants

 Kirkpatrick or the Council--One of Them or BOTH Have to Go Ottawa city Manager Kent Kirkpatrick is (over) paid at $330,000 per year. That he has no shame and has yet to submit his resignation in light of yet another complete debacle under his guidance as the top city civil

Changing employment contracts without triggering constructive dismissal

 There is no denying the importance of a well-drafted employment contract that clearly establishes the parameters of an employment relationship. Once an employment contract is entered into, an employer’s unilateral changes to those parameters can present legal risks. The concept is called “constructive dismissal” and it applies where the employer

Problems in the Workplace: Sometimes a Wrong can Lead to a Right

 When employees have workplace problems, they often feel powerless or have a sense of isolation as they try to work through their difficulties. They may not know there are ways to deal with problems. Here are a few examples. The subject of workplace bullying, violence and harassment has been in

Employment Contracts Should be Carefully Drafted and Periodically Reviewed

 by emond harnden LLP Regardless of whether the terms and conditions applicable to an employee have been spelled out in a formal written contract, every employment relationship is, in fact, governed by an employment contract. It is formed at the point when the employee accepts a job offer and some