New grounds added to Export and Import Permits Act for restricting trade on economic security grounds

Pending amendments (not yet in force) will add new reasons for which the federal government can place goods on export and import control lists. Specifically, authorities will be able to restrict exports or imports to protect Canada's economic security interests — including ensuring supply and distribution of goods are consistent with those interests, and to respond to foreign acts, policies or practices that may be detrimental to Canada's economic security. These new grounds expand the existing list of reasons for control beyond the current categories (such as defence, foreign policy, and short supply). Businesses that export controlled goods, import controlled goods, or broker such transactions should be aware that economic security grounds may be used to add articles to control lists once these provisions come into force.

Transitional equal-pay complaint provisions removed from Canadian Human Rights Act consolidated text

Several transitional sections dealing with how equal-pay and wage-discrimination complaints were to be handled during the shift to the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act regime have been removed from the consolidated text of the Canadian Human Rights Act. These sections — which governed how the Canadian Human Rights Commission and Tribunal were to process outstanding complaints about wage differences between male and female employees, and capped any monetary remedy to a lump-sum covering a defined historical period — are no longer carried in the Act. Related "amendments not in force" entries pointing to the repeal of those same provisions have also been removed. Organizations and employees with matters that were subject to those transitional rules should review how their files were resolved or are being handled, as the transitional framework is no longer reflected in the consolidated statute.

Federal public sector labour relations law consolidated: several pending amendments and transitional provisions removed

The consolidated text of the federal public sector labour relations statute has been updated to remove a number of provisions that were either transitional, superseded, or flagged as amendments not yet in force. Specifically, a Board power to apply human rights and equal-wages rules to certain complaints (tied to the 2009 Budget Implementation Act) has been dropped, along with a cluster of pending amendments that would have restricted grievances and adjudication related to equal pay for work of equal value and the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act. A coordination clause tied to the repeal of those Board powers has also been removed. Federal public sector employees, bargaining agents, and employers should be aware that the consolidated text no longer contains these provisions; anyone relying on them for pending or future proceedings should seek current legal guidance on the applicable rules. No substantive new obligations or rights appear to have been added by this consolidation update.