The Docket

So, episode 140 – a new record. But you know that right? Because you subscribe to the show and have already rated and reviewed the podcast – right? You should.

We are joined by Rhiannon and Peter from the amazing 5-4 podcast to chew the fat on the United Sates Supreme Court, politicization of the justice system, and judicial pooping.

5-4 is a podcast about how much the Supreme Court sucks. It's a progressive and occasionally profane take on the ideological battles at the heart of the Court's most important landmark cases; an irreverent tour of all the ways in which the law is shaped by politics.

Check out all the ways you can listen to 5-4 at fivefourpod.com

Remember, you can hang with some law nerds in The Docket’s Discord chatroom. Join the Discord channel, take part in the ongoing chat, and (sometimes) listen to live recordings with this link: https://discord.gg/2TzUamZ

And as always, a huge thanks to my firm AGP LLP who have not murdered me for editing the podcast at work!

Subscribe to The Docket on iTunes or you favourite podcast app to get the latest episode pumped straight into your earbuds. If you like the show your subscriptions, comments and ratings really help us (so do that and then do it on your friends computer too).

Emilie Taman on Twitter: @EmilieTaman

Michael Spratt on Twitter: @mspratt

If you like show spread the word.

Enjoy

So, episode 139 – a new record. But you know that right? Because you subscribe to the show and have already rated and reviewed the podcast – right? You should.

We are joined by the amazing professor Daphnie Gilbert, who specializes in teaching criminal and constitutional law, to talk about the announcement that the government is delaying (again) the full implementation of Medical Assistance in Dying.

Daphnie's research interests lie primarily in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, with a particular emphasis on equality rights, reproductive rights, medical assistance in dying (MAiD), sexual violence, and safe sport/abuse in sport. She is the Vice-Chair of Dying with Dignity and the perfect person to cut through the politics of this very important issue.

But we start with a rant about Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre's disingenuous spin on car thefts and Danielle Smith's attack on trans youth. Emilie also give an update on the Convoy litigation. Rants all around!

Remember, you can hang with some law nerds in The Docket’s Discord chatroom. Join the Discord channel, take part in the ongoing chat, and (sometimes) listen to live recordings with this link: https://discord.gg/2TzUamZ

And as always, a huge thanks to my firm AGP LLP who have not murdered me for editing the podcast at work!

Subscribe to The Docket on iTunes or you favourite podcast app to get the latest episode pumped straight into your earbuds. If you like the show your subscriptions, comments and ratings really help us (so do that and then do it on your friends computer too).

Emilie Taman on Twitter: @EmilieTaman

Michael Spratt on Twitter: @mspratt

If you like show spread the word.

Enjoy

So, episode 125 - a new record. But you know that right? Because you subscribe to the show and have already rated and reviewed the podcast - right? You should.

New documents reveal that an important federal justice reform, billed as a silver bullet reduce court backlogs and decrease racial inequities, has only been used FOUR times by the Ottawa Police.

In 2018 the Liberal government introduced bill C-75 which contained a provision designed to divert bail breaches away from the criminal system. The government said that judicial referral hearings would “substantially increase court efficiencies” and address the “overrepresentation of marginalized communities within the criminal justice system.”

Last week Ottawa police told the Police Services Board that over that last two years they have used the new procedure FOUR times.

It turns out that giving new discretionary powers to people who are part of the problem does not really do very much. Especially when they never use the new power.

And anecdotal evidence suggest this is not just an Ottawa problem.

So, what is the government going to do now that they know their solution to a very serious problem is not working?

Remember, you can self-isolate in The Docket’s Discord chatroom. Join the Discord channel, take part in the ongoing chat, and listen to live recordings with this link: https://discord.gg/2TzUamZ

A huge thanks to Emond Publishing for supporting the podcast. For our listeners, Emond is offering 10% off titles in the series. Just visit emond.ca/docket and enter code docket10 at checkout.

And as always, a huge thanks to my firm Abergel Goldstein & Partners who have not murdered me for editing the podcast at work!

So, episode 138 – a new record. But you know that right? Because you subscribe to the show and have already rated and reviewed the podcast – right? You should.

This episode we dive into the murky world of Ontario judicial appointments under the Ford government and the newly released internal documents that show a disturbing pattern of delay raise questions of political interference.

Remember, you can hang with some law nerds in The Docket’s Discord chatroom. Join the Discord channel, take part in the ongoing chat, and (sometimes) listen to live recordings with this link: https://discord.gg/2TzUamZ

And as always, a huge thanks to my firm AGP LLP who have not murdered me for editing the podcast at work!

Subscribe to The Docket on iTunes or you favourite podcast app to get the latest episode pumped straight into your earbuds. If you like the show your subscriptions, comments and ratings really help us (so do that and then do it on your friends computer too).

Emilie Taman on Twitter: @EmilieTaman

Michael Spratt on Twitter: @mspratt

If you like show spread the word.

Enjoy

So episode 96 - a new record. But you know that right? Because you have already rated and reviewed the podcast - right? You should.

In the dog days of summer, as politicians hit the BBQ circuit, there Is nothing better to talk about than baseball and politics.

We lead off with a dissection of Elizabeth May’s strange ideas about the possibility of the government directing a judge to sentence SNC-Lavalin to do free work on indigenous water projects. The leader of the Green Party may not have thought this one through since she seems to be advocating the same political interference that she railed against a few short months ago. And then there is the practical problem. Even if SNC was sentenced to community service do we really want them overseeing the necessary upgrades indigenous communities desperately need to their water systems? Not so much.

Then is it on to the victim fine surcharge constitutional challenge 2.0. In 2018 the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory victim fines were unconstitutional and struck the law down, describing it as abhorrent and intolerable to society. But what about the millions of dollars of outstanding fine imposed under the cruel, abhorrent, and unconstitutional law? Well that’s why Michael is taking the government to court over the issue.

And then baseball. After a huge brawl last week we wonder why players are never charged criminally. The law would never allow grown men to throw punches in normal work places. Why is it ok on the field? And what about pitchers intentionally throwing at batters? Michael wrote about fighting in baseball for Canadian Lawyer Magazine and we go between the chalk to break down the issue..

Now you can join The Docket’s Discord chatroom. Join the Discord channel, take part in the ongoing chat, and listen to live recordings with this link: https://discord.gg/2TzUamZ