Martha Mackinnon

The moving parties brought motions within an ongoing family law appeal.

The Court of Appeal granted an order directing the Office of the Children's Lawyer to represent the child on the appeal.

The court set strict timelines for the filing of fresh evidence and factums to ensure the appeal could proceed on its scheduled dates, emphasizing the best interests of the child.

The respondent mother was ordered to permit the OCL reasonable access to the child.

Justice for Children and Youth brought a motion for leave to intervene as a friend of the court in a series of appeals brought by the Children's Lawyer.

The appeals concerned a Superior Court judge's order, made under parens patriae jurisdiction, requiring the Children's Lawyer to represent children in matrimonial litigation due to exigent circumstances.

The Court of Appeal granted the motion to intervene, finding that the proposed intervener could provide useful assistance on the impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the court's parens patriae jurisdiction, especially since no party was responding to the appeals.

The Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law brought a motion for leave to intervene as a friend of the court in an appeal concerning the fiduciary obligations of a biological parent to his children.

The moving party sought to make submissions on domestic and international human rights obligations, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The court granted the motion, finding that the moving party had considerable experience in the subject matter and could place the issues in a slightly different perspective without causing injustice to the responding party.