Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Jun 25

What is this feeling … hope?

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · Jun 25

Breaking news: Former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo has conceded to progressive rival Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary for New York City’s next mayor www.ft.com/content/e4b8...

Zohran Mamdani. Overlaid text reads: Breaking news - Andrew Cuomo concedes New York mayoral primary to Zohran Mamdani

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Jun 13

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Charlie Warzel @cwarzel.bsky.social · May 23

I realize posting this here is preaching to the choir. But after the Grok White Genocide thing & Ye essentially launching an exclusive Neo Nazi single on the platform... I felt motivated to write about X and how bizarre it is that so many people (news outlets, celebrities, politicians) use it

What Are People Still Doing on X?

Imagine if your favorite neighborhood bar turned into a Nazi hangout

www.theatlantic.com

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Jennifer Koshan @jenniferkoshan.bsky.social · May 14

Up early to watch the SCC hearing in AG Quebec v. Kanyinda, the Court's first s 15 equality rights case since Sharma in 2022. The AG QB is appealing the Court of Appeal's holding that failure to provide refugee claimants with a child care subsidy available to other parents violates s 15.

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ACLU @aclu.org · May 10

58% of women in prison are mothers to minor children. Of those women, most are single mothers.

Hundreds of births take place in prisons and jails every year, often with the baby immediately separated from the parent after birth.

Families belong together, not separated by prison bars.

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · May 7

R v McGowan-Morris, 2025 ONCA 349: Rights to counsel are not suspended during Cannabis Act searches. Trotter JA distinguishes Orbanski and finds that failure to provide RTC at the outset of a CCA search infringes s. 10(b) of the Charter. Link here: coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca/coa/coa/en/i...

R. v. McGowan-Morris - Court of Appeal for Ontario

coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 29

Saw this great show at TMU’s (free!) campus gallery this weekend. A collection of extra-terrestrial photography from the 50s to now. Space is so weird. Highly recommend!

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Toronto Star @thestar.com · Mar 27

A sweeping report by the province’s human rights watchdog into systemic anti-Black racism in schools is calling on government, boards, unions and universities to take greater action in dismantling long-standing barriers affecting students.

‘Bold’ action needed to root out anti-Black racism in Ontario schools. Here’s what the provincial human rights watchdog is calling for

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is calling for 29 recommendations to combat systemic anti-Black racism.

www.thestar.com

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 24

R v Bechamp, 2025 ONCA 223: A Garofoli challenge, by itself, is not sufficient to render a case “complex” within the meaning of Jordan. Link here: coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca/coa/coa/en/i...

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 22

Honestly a surprisingly excellent watch. Let me know what you think, when you begin to live again!

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 21

A distinct pleasure, Paul! We also had the good fortune of defending a record expertly built by Susan Pennypacker, Lauren Wilhelm, and Adam Newman at trial. Crown appeal dismissed without calling on the respondents. A first for me!

Paul Alexander @paulalexanderlaw.bsky.social · Mar 21

Victory is mine! Bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land.

(Victory is *ours,* really. It was a delight to work with @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social on this appeal. Nothing like starting the weekend with a win.)

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 17

Completely gripping!!

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 16

Going to try posting more on here instead of lurking so much. Anyone watching The Pitt?

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Lisa Kerr @coleenlisa.bsky.social · Mar 14

“This is a huge victory for prisoner rights,” said Samara Secter, a lawyer at Addario Law Group LLP in Toronto, who represented an intervener in the case, the Queen’s Prison Law Clinic. “A prison is not a Charter-free zone.”

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Supreme Court of Canada rules to bolster rights of inmates in provincial jails

The judgement, which considered question of how inmates are disciplined, is a rare reversal from the Court on established law

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Jolene Hansell @jolenehansell.bsky.social · Mar 13

So proud of this result. Appeal allowed.

The credibility and reliability, including children and adults testifying about traumatic events, is the daily fare of judges and is grounded in common knowledge and experience.

No expert evidence needed.

coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca/coa/coa/en/i...

R. v. P.J.C. - Court of Appeal for Ontario

coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca

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Lisa Kerr @coleenlisa.bsky.social · Mar 5

Nice piece as always from Jacques Gallant. My comment: it's one thing to question if deterrence works, it's another to prioritize a theory over something that is clearly working in practice.

www.thestar.com/news/toronto...

Toronto gunman’s sentence to no jail time ‘undermines our credibility,’ appeal judge warns in scathing dissent

The man fired in the direction of Highway 401 during a shootout involving multiple people at a viewing for slain Toronto rapper Houdini.

www.thestar.com

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Mar 1

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Alison Craig @lawandchocolate.bsky.social · Feb 26

Utterly abhorrent. [T]he court saw “criminal acts occur towards prisoners,”... and noted how the video showed jail officials “fist-bumping in what appeared to be a congratulatory fashion” during the operation.

We've been trying to tell you....

Brendan Kennedy @bkstar.bsky.social · Feb 26

NEW: Another Ontario judge has slammed correctional authorities over a Dec 2023 incident in which Maplehurst jail guards in full riot gear tormented nearly 200 inmates in apparent act of collective punishment.

“Something like this should never happen in this country"
www.thestar.com/news/judge-s...

Judge slams jail guards’ ‘disgusting and gross’ treatment of prisoners at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton

Some jail officials testifying on behalf of the crown seemed to have “suffered amnesia” about the incident, judge added.

www.thestar.com

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Lisa Kerr @coleenlisa.bsky.social · Feb 11

"Those who are easiest to catch, prosecute and subject to long and punitive prison sentences are not the kingpins of the drug world."

brilliant @kpateonthehill.bsky.social

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Opinion: Imposing life sentences on fentanyl offences will only lead to more poverty, addiction and devastation

Pierre Poilievre’s suggestion that mandatory life sentences are the solution to the toxic drug crisis is misleading and dangerous

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Feb 9

We are hiring! Rudnicki & Company is looking for a junior associate to support our criminal appellate practice. If you want to work with a progressive team while gaining hands-on experience with a competitive and specialized area of criminal law, this job is for you.

Please share widely!

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Lisa Kerr @coleenlisa.bsky.social · Jan 30

Illicit internet access is rampant in Canadian prisons. When will Corrections facilitate legitimate internet access and vastly reduce the contraband cell phone market?

Paul Quick of the @queensulaw.bsky.social Prison Clinic with a powerful solution for the problem.

www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

Thousands of cellphones are smuggled into Canadian prisons. Advocates are proposing an unusual solution

Thousands of cellphones are seized in prisons across Canada every year, a sign of a massive black market that is connecting prisoners to the internet and sometimes enabling further crime, CTV W5 has l...

www.ctvnews.ca

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Lisa Kerr @coleenlisa.bsky.social · Jan 12

This week I will once again teach R v Friesen alongside the work of @maybell.bsky.social. I send her article Ruined and this podcast to my students, makes for really excellent discussion: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/sup...

Episode 111: Professor Maybell Romero - Supreme Myths (podcast)

01:02:05 - Professor Maybell Romero stops by Supreme Myths for a special episode in which she talks honestly and openly about being physically abused by her fa…

www.listennotes.com

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Jan 13

This will be our first full-term articling student. We are very excited to welcome a keen young mind to the team and help them deepen and apply their criminal law knowledge. Please share the attached posting to anyone in your networks who might be interested!

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Jan 13

Our summer student program is in its 4th year. We see this role as foundation-building for students with an interest in social justice and the criminal law. We help them develop fundamental skills and support them as they launch their careers. Attached is the job description-please circulate widely!

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Chris Rudnicki @chrisrudnicki.bsky.social · Jan 13

It's that time of year! Rudnicki & Company is recruiting for our student program once again. This year, we are hiring for two roles: a 2025 summer student and a 2025-2026 articling student. Detailed job descriptions can be found here: www.rudnickilaw.com/hiring.

Criminal Law Job Opportunities — Rudnicki and Company

Rudnicki & Company is a values-driven criminal defence firm located in Toronto. We are currently recruiting for the following positions.

www.rudnickilaw.com

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