Month May 2025

Report Examines Access and Use of French-Language Legal Services among Yukoners

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The Government of Yukon has published a new report examining how Yukoners use French-language services and where gaps exist in access to French-language services. From March to April 2025, 293 Yukoners participated in a survey aimed at learning more about French-language service access and use among Yukoners. The survey was available online, by phone and in hardcopy format. The Government also invited the Table de gouvernance de la Franco-Yukonnie to share information about their work and priorities.

Respondents were asked about French-language government services they accessed within the three-year reference period of the survey. Approximately 20 per cent of respondents indicated that they accessed legal, justice or regulatory services (mediation services, permits, etc.). A majority of respondents agree that access to legal, justice or regulatory services in French is important to them. Additionally, approximately 56 per cent of respondents indicated that they occasionally access information about laws or regulations from the Government of Yukon while almost 30 per cent indicated that they often access laws or regulations from the Government. Among the published comments included the report, one respondent states that “for legal services…it is essential that everything be available in French as well as in English”.

The Government of Yukon press release about the What We Heard report is available in English here: https://yukon.ca/en/news/what-we-heard-report-released-access-french-language-services. It is available in French here: https://yukon.ca/fr/news/publication-des-resultats-de-la-consultation-sur-lacces-aux-services-en-francais.

The final What We Heard: Improving Access to French-language Services report is available in English here: https://yukon.ca/sites/default/files/2025-05/FLSD-what-we-heard-report-en_0.pdf

Amélioration de l’accès aux services en français : Synthèse des résultats est disponible en français ici : https://yukon.ca/sites/default/files/2025-05/FLSD-what-we-heard-report-fr_0.pdf.

CBA Calls for Major Overhaul of Canada’s Immigration Framework

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The Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has released a new submission aimed at modernizing Canada’s immigration law. The submission includes 100 recommendations, informed by insights from legal professionals—lawyers, tribunal members, and judges—who regularly engage with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

The 100 recommendations outlined in the CBA’s Law, Technology, and Accountability: Reimagining Canadian Immigration for the 21st Century submission focus on strengthening the IRPA and ensuring it lives up to its original vision.

The CBA submission notes that the recommendations “are not just legal refinements; they are grounded in a belief that Canada’s immigration system must be people-centered, operationally sound, and consistent with our constitutional and international obligations while safeguarding integrity and security.”

The CBA News Release discussing the Law, Technology, and Accountability: Reimagining Canadian Immigration for the 21st Century submission is available in English here: https://cba.org/news/the-cba-immigration-law-section-proposes-100-recommendations-to-modernize-canada-s-immigration-law/ and French here: https://cba.org/fr-ca/news/the-cba-immigration-law-section-proposes-100-recommendations-to-modernize-canada-s-immigration-law/.

Law, Technology, and Accountability: Reimagining Canadian Immigration for the 21st Century is available in English here: https://cba.org/CBA/media/PDFs/Our%20Impact/Submission/2025/25-19-eng.pdf.

Droit, technologie et responsabilisation : Repenser l’immigration canadienne pour le 21e siècle est disponible en français ici : https://cba.org/CBA/media/PDFs/Our%20Impact/Submission/2025/25-19-fr.pdf.

Newly Passed Family Law Legislation in the Yukon Promises Inclusivity

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Yukon has passed the Inclusive Yukon Families Act. This new legislation is aimed at better supporting and reflecting the diversity of families across the Yukon. The Inclusive Yukon Families Act “provides new legal pathways for parentage recognition, especially for families formed through assisted reproduction, surrogacy and reproductive material donation.” In addition, the legislation facilitates legal parentage for persons who are members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, transgender community, nonbinary, gender nonconforming or using assisted reproductive methods.

Through the Inclusive Yukon Families Act, more gender-neutral terms such as parent, person, parentage and birth parent will replace gendered terms such as mother, father, and paternity.

The Inclusive Yukon Families Act represents an update to the Children’s Law Act, Vital Statistics Act and Change of Name Act.

The press release discussing the Inclusive Yukon Families Act is available in English here: https://yukon.ca/en/news/inclusive-yukon-families-act-receives-assent-yukon-legislative-assembly.

Information in this post was gleaned from the “Inclusive Yukon Families Act receives assent in the Yukon Legislative Assembly” press release.

New Working Group to Examine Litigants’ Expectations and Experiences in Quebec Court

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A recently formed working group aims to better understand the experiences and expectations of litigants with civil and family law matters before the Superior Court of Quebec in Montreal. The working group is made up of citizens, organizations regularly representing clients in civil and family law matters before the Superior Court, external experts, and judges. The working group is chaired by Superior Court of Quebec judge, The Honourable Frédéric Pérodeau.

The working group aims to place citizens’ perspectives at the forefront of discussions, with the ultimate goal of adopting simplified mechanisms to improve the accessibility, efficiency and quality of services offered by the Court.

The creation of this working group directly aligns with objectives outlined in the Superior Court of Quebec’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.

The press release about this initiative is available in French here: https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/creation-du-comite-collaboratif-citoyen-du-district-de-montreal-de-la-cour-superieure-du-quebec-une-initiative-pour-mieux-comprendre-les-besoins-des-citoyennes-et-citoyens-et-y-repondre-860294772.html.