On May 6, 2010, the Federal government introduced Bill C-22, the Protecting Children From Online Sexual Exploitation Act, legislation that would impose mandatory duty on “persons” (defined to include individuals, corporations, partnerships, unincorporated associations or organizations) providing an “internet service” (internet access, e-mail or internet content hosting) to report child pornography in specific cases. This…
Tag: Federal
Federal Budget Bill Carries at Second Reading, Sent to Committee
On April 19, 2010, Bill C-9, the Jobs And Economic Growth Act, carried at Second Reading and was referred to the Finance Committee. Introduced on March 29, 2010, Bill C-9 is omnibus legislation designed to amend various Acts and implement certain key measures outlined in the federal government’s 2010 Budget. In part, the Bill outlines…
Federal Pension Reform Proceeds
Bill C-9, the Jobs and Economic Growth Act, was introduced in the House of Commons on March 29, 2010 as an omnibus bill which proposes to implement many of the significant pension reform initiatives announced by the Minister of Finance on October 27, 2009, certain measures announced in the March 4th federal Budget, as well…
2010 Federal Budget: Highlights for HR Professionals
On March 4, 2010, the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, tabled the Government of Canada’s 2010 Budget (the “Budget”), titled “Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth”. The Budget represents the second and final phase of the Government’s “Economic Action Plan”, which was initiated in the 2009 Budget with a view to lifting…
Federal Government to Overhaul Federal Pension Laws
On October 27, 2009, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced proposed changes to the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (“PBSA”) and the associated Regulations. The PBSA and Regulations apply to pensions provided to employees employed in shipping, railway, air transportation, radio broadcasting, banks and other businesses within the legislative authority of the…
Covert Surveillance Guidelines for Federally Regulated Employers
On May 27, 2009 the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada issued an OPC Guideline Document: Guidance on Covert Video Surveillance in the Private Sector. The Guideline Document outlines the Commissioners recommendations to private sector organizations engaging in covert surveillance in the course of commercial activity, as well as to federally regulated employers engaging…
Solvency Funding Relief is Here
This week saw the culmination of many months of work by the Ontario and Federal Governments with respect to solvency funding relief measures. As of yesterday, June 24, 2009, both sets of solvency funding relief regulations have been enacted. The new regulations attempt to balance the goals of maintaining benefit security for employees and retirees,…
Court Dismisses Motion to Certify Class Action for Overtime Wages
On June 18, 2009, Madam Justice Lax of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice released her decision, in which she dismissed the motion for certification of a proposed class action brought by Dara Fresco on behalf of current and former employees in the retail branches of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”) with respect…
Federal Government Consults on Changes to Labour Standards
The Federal Government has launched a consultation process to determine whether changes should be made to federal labour standards legislation, which is found in Part III of the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) and the Canada Labour Standards Regulations. The consultations cover a wide range of subjects, and, if acted upon, would have a significant…
No Surplus Distribution Required on Partial Termination of Federally-Regulated Pension Plans
In its much anticipated decision in Cousins v. Canada (Attorney General) and Marine Atlantic Inc. (“Marine Atlantic”), the Federal Court of Appeal has concluded that the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (the “PBSA”) does not require a proportionate distribution of surplus on a partial termination of a defined benefit (DB) pension plan. The Federal…