Free Speech, but with limits: The Noreau case and the boundaries of workplace expression
Can freedom of expression be invoked to justify disrespectful remarks or the disclosure of confidential information in the workplace?
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Can freedom of expression be invoked to justify disrespectful remarks or the disclosure of confidential information in the workplace?
Peut-on invoquer la liberté d’expression pour justifier des propos irrespectueux ou la divulgation d’informations confidentielles en milieu de travail?
Ma collègue Liliane Gingras a récemment publié un billet intitulé « Le démantèlement des programmes d’EDI : une réponse de juristes ». Dans ce billet, Liliane a fait part de ses préoccupations face aux réactions négatives et à l’opposition croissante que suscitent actuellement les programmes d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion (« EDI »). Plus précisément, elle s’inquiète du fait que certaines personnes pourraient croire que l’absence d’un programme d’EDI en milieu de travail signifie la disparition des protections juridiques contre la discrimination, ce qui n’est pas le cas.
On July 24, 2025, Justice Maria Carroccia delivered her verdict in the widely followed sexual assault criminal trial in which she considered the actions of five former World Junior hockey players, in relation to a woman, in a 2018 incident in London, Ontario. Justice Carroccia found the accused not guilty, and stated that the woman, referred to as “EM” throughout the trial, was neither credible nor reliable.
You receive an anonymous complaint through your whistleblowing portal that your CFO is having an affair with a subordinate. Your board receives a complaint that your CEO is creating a toxic work environment. Some of the most challenging complaints for organizations to address are complaints against C-level employees and other members of senior leadership.
The Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”) made headlines last year when they fired two executives, over allegations of an undisclosed relationship between them that led to preferential treatment. One executive was junior to the other and had received significant promotions and pay increases, allegedly with the other’s influence.
Being trauma-informed is something that we are hearing quite a lot about in the space of workplace investigations, and rightly so. There is a lot of good conversation happening as employers, investigators, lawyers, human resource personnel, etc., are all starting to understand and appreciate the value and importance of conducting trauma-informed workplace investigations.
Les droits des personnes trans* subissent des reculs préoccupants à travers le monde. Aux États-Unis, les interdictions visant les personnes trans* se multiplient : restrictions à l’accès aux soins d’affirmation de genre, exclusion des compétitions sportives féminines, interdiction de servir dans l’armée …
Trans rights are facing alarming setbacks around the world. In the United States of America, there has been a recent wave of bans targeting trans people: from restricting access to gender-affirming care, to barring participation in women’s sports and military service.
By the time you read this blog, we will be entering week five of the federal investigation and legal proceedings involving Sean “Diddy” Combs. Side note: Combs faces charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. For some, this trial may feel like a blockbuster movie—complete with shocking allegations involving guns, drive-by shootings, explosives, and even kidnapping.