February 2019

This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays, we look at how a weekly bingo event at a seniors home in Ontario could end with police attending — and not for a dead body. Then, we examine yet another hilarious but possibly wrongful way to be terminated from your employment. Finally, I get to express a little jealousy over the case of an Australian man who appears to have gotten away with a crime that I would very much like to commit if I had a free pass.

Read on to find out what that is, and more on this week’s edition of Weird and Wacky Wednesdays!

​The recent shooting of a Vancouver Transit Police officer caused a great deal of tension in the community. Not only was a gunman on the loose for several days, creating a sense of fear in the Lower Mainland, but the alleged attacker was also so comfortable with a weapon that he was willing to use it on a police officer.

Police are not often shot in Canada, thankfully. That fact made the idea of someone on the loose who had allegedly shot a police officer that much more troubling.

As details about the shooting and the suspect emerged, however, the conversation changed from one of how horrible it was that a police officer was shot, to one of how horrible it was that a man who had already taken a life was loose on the streets, able to try to do it again.

And that brings up the difficult topic of statutory release.

A recent article published by Manisha Krishnan for VICE told a harrowing tale. A woman, who uses medical
cannabis to treat her Multiple Sclerosis, was arrested and investigated for impaired driving on the basis of a positive test for cannabis.

​The facts are simple: the woman went out to celebrate her son’s birthday. Before she left, she smoked half a tiny joint. She was pulled over on the way home. She admitted to having one drink, and was given a breathalyser. She passed. She was then asked to do a roadside saliva test for cannabis. The test came up positive for THC.

On the basis of that, she was arrested, taken to the police detachment, and subjected to the Drug Recognition Evaluation Program. Despite her medical condition, she managed to pass the DRE test. She was then released. But not before her vehicle was impounded and she was given a roadside suspension for cannabis use.

This week on the Driving Law Podcast, I speak with Scott MacDonald. Scott is the author of a new book, Cannabis Crashes: Myths and Truths. The book analyses the research and information that is currently available about the crash risk for cannabis and driving. It is a comprehensive look at driving and cannabis, and whether cannabis impaired driving is a real issue. Scott and I address in-depth some of the major issues covered by the book. I will also be posting a review here soon.

I’m also pleased to announce that the Driving Law podcast is now part of the Cannabis Media Collective!

You can listen online on SoundCloud, PlayerFM, or subscribe on iTunes!

This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays, we look at the complicated defence of “it’s not mine” in the most impossible circumstances ever. Then, we examine a strange case of bologna-related criminal harassment. Finally, we look at a creative solution to a serial crime taking place on Washington State highways.

Click the link below and read on to learn about this week’s weirdest and wackiest legal cases.

I am pleased and excited to announce that I am working with the UBC Indigenous Legal Studies Program and Centre for Feminist Legal Studies to put on a women’s suit drive.

We are accepting donations up until February 13, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.

Read on to find out why I wanted to put on this event, and to find out the details about how you can donate.

A call that I frequently get from clients is whether they should dispute a 90-day driving prohibition for DUI. Many people are concerned that because they blew “Fail” into two different breathalyzers or because they admitted to consuming alcohol to the police that they will not have any chance of success in their driving prohibition dispute. The reality is that this could not be further from the truth.
 
I have an excellent track record of success in disputing DUI charges and driving prohibitions, and so this blog post will outline a few of the reasons why you should not count yourself out before consulting with a lawyer.

This week on the Driving Law po

I’m also pleased to announce that the Driving Law podcast is now part of the Cannabis Media Collective!

You can listen online on SoundCloud, PlayerFM, or subscribe on iTunes!