All About Estates

The Vexatious Litigant

Litigation can be ugly. Litigation where family is involved, as is often the case in estate litigation, can bring out the worst in people. According to the court, the worst of himself is what one of the respondents brought in the recent case of Colbert v. Colbert et al, 2023…

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Game Changers in Managing Care: Powers of Attorney for Personal Care (POAPC) & Substitute Decision Making

It’s Super Bowl Sunday as I write this, and in the lead-up to the game, football fans are debating what game changers may be possible to gain an advantage and win. Why not apply the same breakthrough analogy to address critical issues in managing care? What game changers can we…

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ALL SHOOK UP – LISA MARIE PRESLEY’S AMENDMENT VS. VALIDLY EXECUTED TESTAMENTARY DOCUMENTS IN ONTARIO

2023 has started off with many well-known celebrities passing away (David Crosby, Cindy Williams, Jeff Beck, and the beloved Mayor Hurricane Hazel McCallion). The most shocking death, in my opinion, has been Lisa Marie Presley (“Lisa Marie”), who died just days after attending the Golden Globe Awards. Shortly after the…

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Who is the Spouse?

This Blog was written by: Gali Gelbart, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotia Wealth Management  I recently was part of a cross-Canada presentation hosted by the Estate Planning Council of Canada on the role of spouses in estate matters. I was particularly struck by how different the provincial regimes are, highlighting…

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When Will a Court Reconsider Its Decision?

Judges cannot reconsider their decision – once an order is issued, the judge’s job (and jurisdiction to hear further arguments) is done. In very limited cases, a party may ask the court to reconsider after the decision is released but before a formal order is taken out. However, the test to meet is high.

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Gotta Catch ‘Em All: Pokémon Cards and Personalty Clauses

Just under six years ago, I bought a Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) Venusaur Ex Red and Blue Collection Box. I was feeling stressed about studying for my law school exams and, being a massive Pokémon fan, I went for a walk to my local hobby store and decided to…

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Royalty and World-Wide Assets

This Blog was written by: Alicia Mossington (Godin), Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotia Wealth Management  The British royal family has been in the news frequently over the past 18 months: from the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II to the crowning of King Charles and the release of Prince…

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This Blog Was Written by a Bot

The Advent of AI Technology Last week, I read a tongue-in-cheek post on LinkedIn about what the dockets of a lawyer practising in the 1950’s may have looked like. Humorous entries included everything from fixing jammed typewriters to doing legal research with ancient tomes. This lawyer’s social critique was insightful:…

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The Caregiver Crisis in Canada and How to Navigate It

The Caregiver Crisis in Canada Have you attended a social event lately with people aged 40 to 60? Often described as the ‘sandwich generation,’ they try to care for older family or friends while working full-time, coping with busy family lives, and raising children. No doubt the conversation will turn…

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January 25 was Bell Let’s Talk Day: Raising $$ and awareness for improving our mental health

Bell Let’s Talk. Not sure what I was doing on January 25, 2023 but I missed this important day so am providing a shout out now to talk about ‘good’ mental health. For many of us, obtaining and maintaining a good mental equilibrium is no easy feat. Let’s face it,…

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