Publications

March 23, 2017

Artificial Intelligence and the 2017 Canadian Budget: is your business ready?

The March 22, 2017 Budget of the Government of Canada, through its “Innovation and Skills Plan” (http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/budget-2017-en.pdf) mentions that Canadian academic and research leadership in artificial intelligence will be translated into a more innovative economy and (…)

December 5, 2016

Authorizations of care and placement: the Québec Court of Appeal imposes parameters on requests for adjournment and reaffirms the admissibility of hearsay in expert evidence

On October 28, 2016, the Québec Court of Appeal1 affirmed a decision of the Superior Court of Québec granting an application for the authorization of care presented by the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux des Laurentides (the “CISSS”). Essentially, the patient submitted three grounds (…)

November 7, 2016

Put that perimeter in your pipe and smoke it: the imminent broadening of the prohibition on smoking within a nine-meter radius

On November 26, 2016, the new provisions of the Tobacco Control Act1 (the “Act”) will come into force. One of these provisions will considerably expand the scope of the rule which currently prohibits smoking within a nine-meter radius of any door leading to an enclosed place governed by the Act. (…)

November 2, 2016

End-of-life care (part 2 of 2)

In our newsletter No. 8, we discussed advance medical directives, which are restricted to three specific clinical situations and allow a person to consent to or refuse in advance five specific types of care in the event that the person in question becomes incapable of consenting to them. In (…)

September 13, 2016

Health-care institutions: What is your responsibility when your are faced with a harassing and disruptive visitor?

Last June 16, the Superior Court of Québec1 rendered a safeguard order in an injunction proceeding in favour of a health-care institution the purpose of which was to set conditions for the visits of the daughter of a user of the institution who was an incapable person lodged there, as well as her (…)

August 29, 2016

Advance Medical Directives (Part 1 of 2)

Consent to End-of-Life Care Article 11 of the Civil Code of Québec1 states that no one can be made to undergo care without his consent. The Act respecting end-of-life care2 (“the Act”), passed by the National Assembly of Québec, came into force on December 15, 2015. Since that date, a person can (…)

June 28, 2016

Authorization of treatment and placement: The Québec Court of Appeal clarifies the meaning of article 393 C.C.P.

On May 10, 2016, the Québec Court of Appeal1 confirmed a Superior Court decision allowing an application for authorization of treatment and placement to a patient. The application had been brought by the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, commonly known as the Douglas, or the Douglas (…)

June 27, 2016

Sale of Ophthalmic Lenses Online: the Québec Court of Appeal Decides

In a unanimous decision rendered on May 16, 2016,1 the Québec Court of Appeal confirmed that the delivery of ophthalmic lenses purchased online from suppliers who are not members of the Ordre des optométristes (Order of Optometrists) (“Order”), or the Ordre des opticiens d’ordonnances (Order of (…)

May 30, 2016

Contracts by public entities: stay tuned on June 1, 2016

The regulation governing contracts of public bodies leaps into the digital age. The amendments, passed on April 13, 2016, and coming into force June 1, 2016, aim to clarify the rules pertaining to the results evaluation.1 Five key changes Tenders in electronic form are mandatory if so (…)

March 24, 2016

Tobacco Control and E-cigarettes: New Challenges for Businesses

Bill 44 has been adopted in the context of a major expansion of electronic cigarette sales.1 Bringing with it significant legislative reforms, this Bill regulates the use of electronic cigarettes in much the same way as it does tobacco. It also amends the Tobacco Act,2 changing its name to the (…)

January 29, 2016

Right to return to work: The jurisdiction of the arbitrator or of the CNESST and TAT?

On November 24, 2015, the Québec Court of Appeal rendered a much anticipated judgment in the case of Université McGill v. McGill University Non Academic Certified Association (MUNACA)1 (“McGill”). In this judgment, the Court dispelled the ambiguity that has existed for several years in the case law (…)

January 26, 2016

Three important rulings rendered in 2015 by the Tribunal administratif du Québec regarding attending physicians

Over the past year, the Tribunal administratif du Québec (TAQ) has issued several rulings dealing with oversight of the medical practice of professionals working in health and social services institutions. Several of these rulings will be of interest to institutions since they set out principles (…)

January 25, 2016

Beware If You Compare: Data Protection May Stop Approval Of A New Drug Submission

Sanofi-Aventis’s ELOXATIN® had been sold in Canada since 1999 under the Special Access Program (SAP) of Health Canada, which allows for sale of a drug in exceptional cases prior to receiving regular marketing approval, i.e. prior to the issuance of a Notice of Compliance (NOC).  The active (…)