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The Free Press: Classroom confidential

Fiona Odlum — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:29:07 +0000

It was hardly an auspicious debut. Shortly after the province’s online teacher registry went live, University of Manitoba law professor Brandon Trask attempted to access it on his smartphone. It failed to load.

Months later, during an interview, he got the same result.

“Just did it again now and same thing,” he said, before switching from his iPhone to a desktop computer. “Then you get onto it, and you start to notice some other things right away.”

By restricting information to given and last names, along with the status of a teacher’s certificate, the registry falls far short of its stated goal of improving transparency in classroom oversight and of better informing families about the individuals responsible for their children’s education, said Trask, a former Crown attorney.

To read the entire article, please follow the link to The Free Press.

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This initiative helps support an informed and engaged campus community. Learn more.

The Free Press: Case provides show time for unexplained wealth order

Fiona Odlum — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:40:58 +0000

University of Manitoba law Prof. Michelle Gallant, an expert on money laundering and civil forfeiture laws, said the low bar required means there’s virtually no question the court will grant the order.

“All they have to show is a suspicion, they have to show that there’s reason to suspect that the cash… is derived from criminal activity,” said Gallant recently.

Gallant said she’s interested to see whether Singh will attempt to explain the cash and property, or if he’ll give up in face of the court application.

To read the entire article, please follow the link to T he Free Press.

Media coverage of the UMCLC – Prison Law Clinic and their representation of Ms. Geraldine Mason

Fiona Odlum — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:25:53 +0000

A woman from northern Manitoba with no criminal charges spent a month in jail after public health officials ordered her detained to treat her tuberculosis, even though she wasn’t infectious at the time.

Geraldine Mason, 36, was arrested under the Public Health Act on Oct. 27 and initially ordered to spend three months at the Winnipeg Remand Centre or Women’s Correctional Centre.

The UMCLC – Prison Law Clinic represented Ms. Mason in a legal challenge to her detention and staff lawyer Leif Jensen was successful in getting her released. In response to questions from the media about the legal challenge, Premier Kinew has indicating he has directed Manitoba’s Chief Public Health Officer to ban the use of jail as a means of detention under the Public Health Act.

Here are some of the articles written about the case:

Winnipeg Free Press: Kinew orders end to using jail to force TB treatment after Manitoba woman’s detention

The Canadian Press (via The Globe and Mail): Manitoba’s Premier promises to change incarceration policy for people with tuberculosis

CBC Manitoba Investigates: Health order sending Manitoba woman to jail for tuberculosis treatment ‘wildly excessive’: lawyer

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs: AMC Condemns Incarceration of First Nations Woman for Tuberculosis Treatment