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In mid-February I helped to organize a suit drive at Allard Law to support female law students. The event was a massive success.

Thanks to donations from numerous members of the bar, members of the public, and people as far away as Brandon, Manitoba, we were able to provide suits to dozens of female law students to try to offset the costs of entering the profession. We also received numerous cash donations, which I matched with a personal donation to give away $800 in gift cards to help purchase suits and work clothing.

This week on the Driving Law podcast, I speak with Paul Doroshenko about recent changes to the Motor Vehicle Act to bring it in line with the Criminal Code changes to impaired driving. We also discuss the Vancouver City Council motion to have the province withhold driver’s licenses for unpaid City of Vancouver bylaw tickets for fighting. Then, I am joined by Brandon Moscoe to talk about developments in the law about Notice of Intent to Prohibit and driving prohibitions for points.

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!

The City of Vancouver is considering a motion that would permit it to work with the BC Government and Vancouver Police Department in an attempt to withhold driver’s licenses for individuals who have unpaid bylaw fines for fighting and other bylaw offences.

NPA Councillor Melissa De Genova appears to have tabled a motion that suggests the City of Vancouver should try to withhold driver’s licenses from individuals who have not paid these fines. However, there is currently no statutory authority for this to be done. Her motion would have the City of Vancouver pressure the province to amend BC’s Motor Vehicle Act for the sole purpose of the City collecting more revenue.

It is unlikely this will happen.

If Weird and Wacky Wednesdays were a baby, I’d have carried it to term. So this week, I birth unto you dear readers three weird and wacky legal stories. The first involves our favorite source of entertainment in the world: Florida. A rogue suspended mayor for all the wrong reasons. Then, we look at one unique defence to a distracted driving ticket. Finally, we examine the case of a lawyer who needs a little lesson in personal hygeine.

Follow the link below to learn more about these strange and exciting legal cases.

There is still time to register for a webinar about new testing methods for drug-impaired driving. Kyla Lee, of Acumen Law, will host Drug Recognition Testing: Criminal & Civil Case Considerations on March 4 for the Trial Lawyers Association of BC.

New testing methods to evaluate impairment were introduced alongside the legalization of cannabis. The reality is we are going to see more and more drug-impaired driving cases both at criminal and civil trials. This online talk is aimed at providing both civil and criminal lawyers with a better understanding of these methods, including the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) program.

This week on the Driving Law Podcast, I welcome back the wonderful Erik Magraken of MacIsaac and Company to talk about major changes to ICBC’s litigation strategy. In particular, we discuss new limits on the number of experts a person can have in their personal injury trial and a recent court decision that lambasted ICBC for its heavy-handed strategies in trying to force unreasonable settlements.

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 case of how far one man will go for a box of crackers. Trust me, it’s way too far. We also look at the hilarious tale of a mistaken bomb threat in a Kansas Home Depot. And finally, we delve into the weird world of what illegal business takes place in the drive-thru lineup of Sonic Restaurants in Mississippi, and what steps the store has taken to combat it.

Click the link below to read the three weirdest and wackiest legal cases of this week!