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No entry visas for citizens of Croatia
Posted: March 30, 2009 - The federal government announced that citizens of Croatia will no longer be required to obtain a temporary resident visa before visiting Canada. The citizens of most countries in the world are required to obtain a temporary resident visa before visiting Canada.
Here is a link to the government announcement:
International students can make study permit and extensions applications online
Posted: February 25, 2009 - The federal government announced on February 17, 2009 that foreign nationals in Canada can apply for study permits and extensions of status online. Foreign nationals can apply for initial study permit and international students can apply for extension or restoration of their student status as well as for extensions of status of their family members via an online application. Before the new online service was introduced international students had to mail their applications to the federal department of immigration's case processing centre in Vegreville, Alberta.
Here is a link to the Operational Bulletin explaining the change:
Here is a link to the online application site:
The government will and can enforce immigration sponsorship undertakings
Posted: February 16, 2009 - When one sponsors a relative (spouse, parent, child) to immigrate to Canada the sponsor signs an undertaking to the government to the effect that the sponsor will support financially the sponsored person so that the sponsored person would not require financial assistance from the government. The length of the undertaking can be as long as 10 years. In the past, the government rarely attempted to enforce these sponsorship undertakings raising some doubt regarding if these undertakings were enforceable. However, in a recent case, the government of Manitoba was successful in obtaining a judgment of over $20,000 against a sponsor. The sponsor had sponsored his spouse and signed the usual undertaking. As a result of a series of separations and reconciliations, the sponsored spouse had to obtain financial assistance from the government. The government was successful in obtaining a judgment against the sponsor based on the sponsorship undertaking; the Court of Appeal of Manitoba dismissed the sponsor's appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal brought by the sponsor, thus in effect confirming the decisions of the Manitoba courts.
Here is a link to the trial judge's decision: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of Manitoba v. Barkman et al., 2007 MBQB 54:
Here is a link to the decision of the Manitoba appeal court - R. v. Barkman, 2008 MBCA 14:
Articles/Papers And Presentations By Our Legal Team
The Society Record - April 2009 Issue
June 8, 2009 - Plamen Petkov of TMC LAW's Immigration and Citizenship Law department was featured in the Volunteer Q & A section of the April issue of the Society Record (a monthly publication by the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society).
Plamen was interviewed about his volunteer work with the Canadian Bar Association's Mentorship Program, which helps non-Canadian trained lawyers pursue legal careers in Nova Scotia in addition to his volunteer work as legal counsel with the Halifax Refugee Clinic.
Here is the link to the Society Record's April issue - the Voluneer Q & A is on page 37:
NSBS - ANLS Survey Report
March 6, 2008 - One of TMC Law's senior partners, Garth C. Gordon, Q.C.'s expertise in the field of property law was recently recognized by the President of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. The President Catherine Walker, Q.C. thanked Garth for his leadership role in the work of the Working Group consisting of both lawyers and surveyors on issues of mutual concern to the surveying and legal profession.
Communication from the President on NSBS-ANSLS Survey Report:
Dear Member,
You will recall that in September 2007, you received a draft discussion paper prepared by a Working Group consisting of both lawyers and surveyors on issues of mutual concern to the surveying and legal profession. The comments received on that paper were reviewed, and I am now pleased to provide to you, results. Now finalized, this report will form the basis for a joint educational session for lawyers and surveyors this spring.
I would like to extend my thanks to all members of this working group, but in particular a special thanks to Garth C. Gordon, Q.C., for his leadership role in this initiative. His continued support and commitment to issues of importance to the property bar is commendable. Thanks as well to Carl Hartlen and Derik DeWolfe for their particular attention to the details in the report and the survey implications.
I urge members to read the final report (PDF) and to watch for upcoming notices of the education session planned around this important work.
Catherine Walker, Q.C. President
From Inforum: