COVID-19

Videos and Wills: Helpful or Harmful?

Pictured: A screen grab from the music video for “Only Acting” by Kero Kero Bonito. It’s one of my favourite songs. It’s not quite about video wills, but it does show off some of the challenges of recording oneself. What are Video Wills? Some practitioners have floated the idea of a “video will” as the next way in which technology will impact the world of trusts and estates. A “video….

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Capacity Law, Contested wills, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Practice Management, Testamentary Capacity, Wills

Goodbye My Furry Friend

  This blog has been written by Sandra Arsenault, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP With more people working from home and less activities available for children, it is no surprise that there has been a COVID pet boom as many families have added a new member to their household during the last two years. These four-legged creatures have brightened our spirits, made these hard times less lonely, and enriched the….

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Estate Administration, Executors, Uncategorized

Zoom Is Here To Stay: Virtual Discoveries As The New Normal

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I blogged about Justice Myers’ decision in Arconti v. Smith where his Honour decided that an examination should proceed virtually.  As his Honour pithily noted, we no longer record evidence with a quill and ink; technology changes and our legal practices must change with it. If there was a doubt as to whether Arconti was only applicable during the pandemic, Justice Myers….

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Estate Litigation

The medical expense tax credit: COVID-19 tests and vaccines

With the requirements for COVID-19 tests for entry into Canada and vaccines, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) was asked to comment on the availability of the medical expense tax credit (METC). Medical expenses which are eligible for the METC are limited to those described in our tax rules. If a particular expenditure is not described as an eligible medical expense, or if the conditions under which the expenditure would qualify….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Costs, Elder Care, Executors, Geriatric Care Management, Healthcare, Tax Issues, United States

COVID-19 Update: Court Hearings To Be Deferred

I previously blogged about Chief Justice Morawetz’s December 29, 2020 Notice to the Profession that that all non-jury matters shall proceed virtually unless it is absolutely necessary for the matter to be conducted in person. Chief Justice Morawetz now has put forward a new Notice to the Profession dated April 20, 2021. Due to the worsening COVID-19 situation, in order to reduce the number of court staff, counsel or parties….

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Courts, Estate Litigation

Endowment Variations

COVID-19 has hit the charitable sector hard, and arts organizations face particular challenges. A recent article in The Globe and Mail about the Banff Centre described closed facilities, lost fundraising, cancelled programs, layoffs, deficits, resignations, and protests. The article also mentioned a request to endowment donors for “permission” to use annual payout of “their” funds for operations, not the designated purpose. One donor, Myra Davis, refused. The money was for….

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Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes, Uncategorized
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