On March 20, 2013, Bill C-279, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression), a Private Member’s Bill, passed Third Reading in the House of Commons and proceeded to the Senate for debate. If passed, Bill C-279 will add gender identity and gender expression as…
Business Operation: British Columbia
Federal Budget 2013 Introduced
Today, the federal government tabled its Budget 2013, Jobs, Growth and Long Term Prosperity – Economic Action Plan 2013. Hicks Morley is in the process of reviewing the Budget. An FTR Now outlining the Budget’s highlights for employers and pension plan administrators will be available shortly on our website.
B.C. PRPP Legislation Does Not Proceed Past First Reading
As previously reported, the British Columbia government tabled Bill 16, Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act on February 28, 2013. With the adjournment of the Legislature on March 14, 2013 in anticipation of the May 14, 2013 provincial election, Bill 16 did not proceed past First Reading. Once the Legislature dissolves prior to the election, Bill…
Certain Sections of Helping Families in Need Act Proclaimed into Force
Sections 15, 16 and 21 of the Helping Families in Need Act (“Act”) have been proclaimed into force effective March 24, 2013. Sections 15 and 16 amend the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) to allow insured and self-employed persons who are in receipt of employment insurance (“EI”) parental benefits to qualify for EI sickness benefits…
Certain Old Age Security Amendments Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day sections 449, 450 and 453 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. These sections amend the Old Age Security Act to provide for automatic enrolment of eligible persons for Old Age Security (“OAS”) pensions, to allow an eligible person…
Amendments to SIN and Privacy Codes Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day Division 7 Part 4, sections 304 to 308 and 310 to 312 and sections 685 and 687 to 695 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. Division 7 Part 4 of the JGLPA consolidates the Privacy Codes of the…
Rules Amending Federal Courts Rules Registered
On February 8, 2013, the federal government registered Rules Amending the Federal Courts Rules (“Rules”). The Rules are the result of a consultation process and are housekeeping in nature. Among other things, the Rules give greater flexibility to the Chief Justice to schedule motions days, specify formatting requirements for documents, set out exceptions to general…
British Columbia Introduces PRPP Legislation
On February 28, 2013, the government of British Columbia introduced Bill 16, Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act. If passed, Bill 16 would authorize pooled registered pension plans (“PRPPs”) to be made available to provincially-regulated employees and self-employed persons in British Columbia, subject to the requirements set out in the federal Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act…
Proposed Anti-spam Regulations Published
On January 5, 2013, Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (“ECP Regulations”), proposed under Canada’s Anti-spam Legislation (“CASL”*), were published. As previously reported, the CASL enacts comprehensive anti-spam legislation relating to the sending of commercial electronic messages (“CEMs”). The CASL has not yet been proclaimed into force, with the exception of certain Personal Information Protection and Electronic…
Amendments to CIRB Regulations Now in Force
On December 18, 2012, the federal government registered Regulations Amending the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2001 (“Regulations”), which amend the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2001 (“CIRBR”) made under the Canada Labour Code (“Code”). As previously reported, the government had invited comments on the proposed Regulations in November 2012. The Regulations came into force…