Trusts are used by many Albertans as a way to manage property and assets, both before and after death. Having modern and clear rules for setting up and handling trusts is important to allow Albertans to manage and distribute their property. The current Trustee Act is outdated and has not kept pace with the modern world. ALRI has just released Final Report No. 109 - A New Trustee Act for Alberta. The Report sets out ALRI’s [...]
In 2012, the Uniform Law Conference of Canada published the Uniform Trustee Act and recommended it be adopted by the common law provinces. ALRI representatives participated in the creation of the Uniform Trustee Act. ALRI’s Report For Discussion #28, A New Trustee Act for Alberta, consists of recommendations for implementing the Uniform Trustee Act in Alberta. Using the Uniform Trustee Act as a starting point, ALRI has enhanced, tailored and clarified the Uniform Trustee Act to [...]
Currently, Alberta’s Matrimonial Property Act [MPA] requires matrimonial property to be valued at the date of trial. This is in direct opposition to many other matrimonial property statutes across Canada, which have opted to use the date of separation as the default valuation date. An Alberta case law review indicates that valuation date is one of the most problematic areas under the MPA, with valuation at trial reducing the chances of settlement and leading to [...]
The Canada Pension Plan Act, RSC 1985, c C-8, as amended in 1987, allowed that on the appropriate minister being informed of a divorce, the total Canada Pension Plan ("CPP") credits accumulated by both spouses through the course of the marriage would be split evenly between both ex-spouses. These amendments reflected a desire to protect women who, because of their unpaid contributions within the home, had historically suffered greater poverty in retirement than men. However, [...]
Section 16 of the Matrimonial Property Act, RSA 1980, c M-9, stated that the rights of a person who started a property action against a spouse did not survive that person's death, and thus the action could not be continued by his or her estate. This was based on the legal policy that matrimonial property should be available for the use of a surviving spouse. This report notes that, in practice, this section led to [...]
This report addresses the position (at the time of its writing) of opposite-sex couples living together on a domestic basis without a legal marriage. Since these partnerships carry many of the same responsibilities as marriage partnerships, the report suggests that they be afforded similar (but not identical) protections under the law. Twenty-one recommendations are provided here, with the majority opinions falling roughly into the following categories: - Non-married opposite-sex cohabitants should have an official status, [...]
This report is a reissue and update from of Report 20, Status of Children, June 1976. The report provided detailed reasons and recommends that there will be one status for all children; that the legal relationship of child and parent be dependent on their biological relationship; that with the exception of parental guardianship, all rights and obligations of the child born out of wedlock, of a parent, or of any other person be determined in [...]
The amicus curiae procedure, describes a lawyer who is appointed to ensure that the Judge receives all necessary information so that he may decide who should have custody of a child or children involved in a custody dispute. The amicus curiae arranges for expert professionals to investigate the circumstances of the child and child's family and to form opinions as to where the child's best interests lie. A majority of cases utilizing an amicus curiae [...]
This report was undertaken as part of ALRI's studies on the reform of family law. The Family Relief Act provides for an award from an estate for the maintenance of the surviving spouse and a limited class of children. The maintenance must come from the net estate after payment of claims against the deceased. An eligible dependant may apply to the court within six months of the grant of probate or administration. There is provision [...]
The general rule is that medical treatment can be given only with the consent of the patient. The age of majority in Alberta is eighteen years, but as one moves to lower ages, sixteen, fifteen, and so on the uncertainty of consent increases. A physician dealing with a minor is left in doubt as to when the patient can give a binding consent. Legislation is required to specify definitely the circumstances in which a minor [...]
