#AI Facial Recognition Technology in the Retail Industry

By: Gideon Christian

Issue Commented On: OIPC Investigation Report 23-02: Canadian Tire Associate Dealers’ use of facial recognition technology, 2023 BCIPC 17

PDF Version: #AI Facial Recognition Technology in the Retail Industry

One summer day in 2023, I entered a Walmart store in Calgary, Alberta, and purchased three standing fans. Upon assembling the fans at home, I discovered that one was malfunctioning. I immediately decided to return it to the store. Armed with my purchase receipt, I walked to the return desk. After a brief wait in line, I presented the defective fan and the receipt to the Walmart staff. To my astonishment, he informed me that the receipt was not necessary and casually remarked, “You bought three of these today, right?” Concealing my surprise, I affirmed. He swiftly processed my refund. Continue reading →

ABlawg: Year in Review 2023

By: Admin

 PDF Version: ABlawg: Year in Review 2023

The Numbers

ABlawg had another very prolific year, publishing 81 posts in 2023. Our site had a total of 838,001 visits from 222,372 visitors this year. We saw a particularly busy fall with 13 posts in November, 12 posts in October, and 8 posts in September, averaging out to just over 1 post every three days. Remarkably, in the period from the last week of September to the first week of December, ABlawg published a post on 32 out of a potential 50 days! Continue reading →

Auditor General Updates Recommendations Unaddressed by the AER on the Effectiveness of Regulating Closure Liabilities in Conventional (Non-Oil Sands) Oil and Gas

By: Shaun Fluker, Drew Yewchuk, and Martin Olszynski

Report commented on: Report of the Auditor General – December 2023

PDF Version: Auditor General Updates Recommendations Unaddressed by the AER on the Effectiveness of Regulating Closure Liabilities in Conventional (Non-Oil Sands) Oil and Gas

Earlier this month, the Auditor General of Alberta filed a report under section 19 of the Auditor General Act, RSA 2000, c A-46, with the Legislative Assembly. The Report includes a summary of 113 recommendations the Auditor General has made to the government since November 2022, including those made by the Auditor General in March 2023, directing the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) to improve performance of the management and regulation of end-of-life oil and gas liabilities in the conventional (non-oil sands) sector. The December 2023 report indicates that none of the 9 recommendations made to the AER in March are ready for reassessment. In other words, the AER has not yet taken sufficient action. Continue reading →

Family Violence Torts and Their Limits in Alberta

By: Jennifer Koshan

Case Commented On: Colenutt v Colenutt, 2023 ABKB 562 (CanLII)

PDF Version: Family Violence Torts and Their Limits in Alberta

In September 2023, Deanne Sowter and I wrote an ABlawg post on the tort of family violence, which was initially recognized as a new tort by the Ontario Superior Court and then rejected by the Court of Appeal, along with the alternative tort of coercive control (see Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia, 2022 ONSC 1303 (CanLII) (Ahluwalia ONSC); 2023 ONCA 476 (CanLII) (Ahluwalia ONCA)). An Alberta court has now followed the Ontario Court of Appeal in holding that the torts of family violence and coercive control should not be accepted in this province. This post considers Justice Debra Yungwirth’s reasons in Colenutt v Colenutt, 2023 ABKB 562 (CanLII), including limitations issues that arose in the case and the need for legislative reform. Continue reading →

How Land Use Issues Factor into Alberta Utilities Commission Reviews of Renewable Energy Power Plants

By: Michael Wenig

Matter Commented On: Land use issues in the AUC’s “Inquiry into the ongoing economic, orderly and efficient development of electricity generation in Alberta – Module A”

PDF Version: How Land Use Issues Factor into Alberta Utilities Commission Reviews of Renewable Energy Power Plants

This post calls attention to a Briefing Note I recently wrote, on how the Alberta Utilities Commission (“the Commission”) considers land use issues when deciding whether to approve renewable energy power plants. The Commission is considering these land use issues as part of its current inquiry into the “ongoing economic, orderly and efficient development of electricity generation in Alberta.” Continue reading →