This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Lavery’s Quebec City office makes a donation to the Fondation du Cégep Garneau and partners with the École d’entrepreneuriat de Québec
Lavery’s Quebec City office made a donation in the amount of $5,000 to the Fondation du Cégep Garneau in order to lend support to the École d’entrepreneuriat de Québec’s scholarship program and next generation entrepreneurs. A partnership with the École d’entrepreneuriat will allow three cohorts of entrepreneurs to benefit from a broad range of services, including those of Lavery’s Go inc. Program. Lavery’s Go inc. Program offers basic legal services for emerging young businesses, as well as guidance and support to young entrepreneurs.
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Pierre Marc Johnson on a CETA mission to Brussels and Luxembourg
From January 22 to 27, 2016, Mr. Pierre Marc Johnson, a former Premier of Quebec and counsel at Lavery recognized for his expertise in international trade and cross-border partnerships, was on a mission with Mr. Jacques Daoust, then Minister of Economy, Innovation and Exports , and Ms. Christine St-Pierre, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, as part of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiation process. Mr. Johnson, Québec’s head CETA negotiator, met with the Luxembourg President of the Chamber of Deputies, Mars Di Bartolomeo and testified at the Meeting of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee. There are some qualms in the EU about the Investors-States dispute settlement system that could delay ratification of the Agreement. Me Johnson has stated that while Canada was keeping an open mind about the EU’s concerns regarding the arbitration system, the “agreement’s worst enemy was time.”
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Pierre Marc Johnson addresses Collège des médecins du Québec directors regarding the mutual recognition agreement (MRA)
On January 19, 2016, during the strategic planning retreat of Collège des médecins du Québec’s directors, Mr. Pierre Marc Johnson, a former Premier of Quebec and counsel at Lavery recognized for his expertise in international trade and cross-border partnerships, delivered an address in particular on the MRA regarding the professional qualifications of physicians, the migratory flow of health professionals, as well as negotiations pertaining to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
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Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur gave a conference on integrating status of women issues in large law firms
On January 27, 2016, Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur, a partner with expertise in the fields of labour and employment law, health law as well as occupational health and safety law, spoke at a lunch conference hosted by the Comité Femmes et Droit of the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Law entitled “Integrating status of women issues in big law firms” (“L’intégration des enjeux de la condition féminine dans le milieu des grands cabinets”). The conference was a great success with around 50 attendees.
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Pier-Olivier Fradette signs an article in the January edition of BâtiVert magazine
Pier-Olivier Fradette, a lawyer whose practice focuses on municipal law, land use planning, and municipal contract management, has published an article in the January 2016 quarterly issue of BâtiVert, a magazine that covers recent jurisprudence, distributed by the Corporation des officiers municipaux en bâtiment et environnement du Québec (COMBEQ). The article entitled “The protection of municipal executive again put to the test… and again confirmed” (“La protection des cadres des municipalités testée de nouveau… et confirmée de nouveau”) analyses the decisions of the Commission des relations de travail (first instance) and the Superior Court (judicial review) in Jean-François Fournier v. Municipalité de Lac-des-Plages. Mr. Fradette explains the heavy burden a municipality carries when attempting to terminate an executive and that such a thing cannot be done without sound and meritorious reason even if a notice of termination clause was included and accepted in a work contract. The full article will be soon available on the COMBEQ website (French only)
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The JCCM congratulates Élodie Brunet on her volunteer work
Recently, the Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal (JCCM) highlighted the volunteer efforts of Élodie Brunet, a lawyer who practices in Lavery’s Labour and Employment law group, for her volunteer work with the Comité du Réseau des jeunes administrateurs. The JCCM praised Ms. Brunet for her interest in the Réseau des jeunes administrateurs program, her availability, enthusiasm, as well as her initiative and willingness to get involved. For more information about the JCCM, please click here.
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Lavery represents the Conférence des juges de paix magistrats du Québec before the Supreme Court of Canada
On January 18, 2016, Mr. Raymond Doray, Ad.E., and Mr. Loïc Berdnikoff, both of whom are partners in the firm’s Administrative Law group, represented the Conférence des juges de paix magistrats du Québec and its members before the Supreme Court of Canada to obtain a declaration of unconstitutionality regarding various provisions of the Act to Amend the Courts of Justice Act and Other Legislative Provisions as regards the Status of Justices of the Peace which allowed the government, notably, to unilaterally determine the treatment and work conditions of the justices of the peace, without having recourse to a remuneration commission. According to the Conférence, the provisions in question, in that they apply to judges, violate the guarantees of judicial independence provided in the preamble of the Constitutional Act of 1867and under section 11d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court reserved its decision. To read a summary of the case, please click here.
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Application for authorization to submit a class action against the Commission de la construction du Québec represented by Lavery rejected
On January 7, 2016, the Superior Court of Quebec refused to grant an authorization to submit a class action on behalf of the linemen having worked for a federal undertaking and who, since the establishment of the Commission de la construction du Québec ("CCQ"), paid different assessments and contributions under the Act Respecting Labour Relations, Vocational Training and Workforce Management in the Construction Industry, CQLR c. R-20. The representative of the proposed group requested, amongst other conclusions, the reimbursement of the assessments deducted by the CCQ. In Caron c. Fraternité provinciale des ouvriers en électricité-section locale 1676, 2016 QCCS 25, justice Chantal Lamarche, j.s.c. found that the conditions for the exercise of a class action were not met. More specifically, she rejected the application for authorisation because of the complexity of the evidence which would have to be administered to determine if the employers of the members of the proposed group were under federal or provincial jurisdiction and because the refund of the assessments raised issues that were not common to all members of the group. Lavery has successfully represented the CCQ against who the application for authorization to submit a class action was specifically directed. The team was composed of Mr. Raymond Doray, Ad.E. and Mr. Bernard Larocque assisted by Mr. Guillaume Laberge. Raymond Doray Bernard Larocque Guillaume Laberge
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Lavery in Lexpert Top 10 business cases of 2015
In its January 2016 edition, Lexpert magazine ranks the Canada (Attorney General) v. Federation of Law Societies of Canada case second in its list of the Top 10 business cases of 2015. Lavery wishes to extend its heartiest congratulations to Mr. Raymond Doray, Ad.E., and Mr. Loïc Berdnikoff, both of whom are partners in the firm’s Administrative Law group, who argued the case of behalf of the interveners the Barreau du Québec and the Chambre des notaires du Québec. Mr. Guillaume Laberge assisted them in their preparation. In its ruling, the country’s highest court concluded that certain sections of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and of its regulation violate sections 7 and 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and cannot be saved by section 1. Raymond Doray Loïc Berdnikoff Guillaume Laberge
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Jean Boulet and Zeïneb Mellouli give a CRHA conference on recent developments in labour and employment law
In Montreal on January 26, 2016, Jean Boulet, a partner at Lavery, and Zeïneb Mellouli, a lawyer, both of whom practice in the Labour and Employment Law Group, will give a conference entitled “Recent developments and long-term prospects in labour and employment law” (“Développements récents et perspectives d’avenir en droit du travail et de l’emploi”) within the scope of a CRHA (Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés) Work Relations Workshop. In particular, their conference will cover the key lessons from the Supreme Court of Canada regarding labour law and will address the issue of genetic discrimination. For more information or to register for the conference, please click here.
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Bernard Roy and Anthonie Vézina-Crawford from Lavery will be speaking at the APFF on alternative methods of assessment used by tax authorities
Bernard Roy, partner and Anthonie Vézina-Crawford, associate from Lavery will be giving a conference at the L’Association de planification fiscale et financière (APFF) on January 21st, 2016 in Québec City. The speakers will address the alternative methods of assessment used by tax authorities, how the courts interpret this and the impact of the use of such methods by taxpayers. For more information or to register to attend to this conference, please click here.
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Lavery sponsors the 6th annual Fondation de l’Hôpital Jean-Talon du CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montréal Gala
For the second year running, Lavery partnered with the Fondation de l’Hôpital Jean-Talon to sponsor its annual Gala, which took place on November 7, 2016, at the Montreal’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The event, whose honorary chairman was Dr. Donald Eddy raised $97,000 for the improvement of health care and services provided to the general population. Mr. Charles Olivier Thibeault — a lawyer in Lavery’s Health law group, secretary of the Fondation de l’Hôpital Jean-Talon’s board of directors and a member of the event’s campaign committee — represented the firm at the Gala. Founded in 1984, the Fondation de l’Hôpital Jean-Talon is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to contribute to the improvement of health care and services provided to the population as well as to promote health in the community. To view photos of the event or for more information about the Fondation, please click here (link to French-only web page).