Incarcerated persons in Canada have rights, including the right to counsel. But as the Criminal Justice Section of the Canadian Bar Association and its Committee on Imprisonment and Release explain in a letter to Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC), there are too many significant barriers to that right in the country’s federal prisons.

The federal government is consulting on the best ways to improve the country’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime.

The Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, in a letter to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or IRCC, outlines ways to improve the new H-1B visa holder work permit program.

The Commodity Tax, Customs and Trade Section of the Canadian Bar Association, in a letter to the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, offers comments on proposed regulations amending the Valuation for Duty Regulations.

The Joint Committee on Taxation of The Canadian Bar Association and Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada recommends the Income Tax Act be amended to exclude loans that are unconditionally repayable from being “government assistance” for the purposes of paragraph 12(1)(x) and subsection 127(9).

The Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section of the Canadian Bar Association, following up on an earlier submission on the future of competition policy in Canada, is adding a few additional recommendations in a new letter to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

In a letter to Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez and Minister for Women and Gender Equality Marci Ien, the Child and Youth Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association says improved dialogue with civil society can improve enforcement of children’s rights in Canada. The Section’s suggestions were made on the eve of meetings of the Forum of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers on Human Rights.

The Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association is pleased to see many of its past recommendations on the review of Chairperson Guideline 8 accepted. In a new letter, the Section answers further questions from Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, or IRB, about procedures with respect to vulnerable persons appearing before the Board.

The Canadian Bar Association’s Business Law Section, Privacy and Access Law Section and Anti-Corruption Team support the government’s efforts to fight financial crime, they explain in a letter to the Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology regarding Bill C-42. However, they insist this fight must respect the right to privacy and the confidentiality of personal information.

The Joint Committee on Taxation of the Canadian Bar Association and Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada wrote to the Department of Finance to offer comments and recommendations on the General Anti-Avoidance Rule, or GAAR.