2016 Annual Meeting Press Release
ULCC 98th Annual Meeting focuses on new law for the digital era
Fredericton, NB – The 98th annual meeting of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada concluded today with the adoption in principle of a new uniform act for the digital era.
The Uniform Access to Digital Assets by Fiduciaries Act provides rules for protecting and dealing with a person's digital assets when that person dies or loses the capacity to manage them. Digital assets include information stored electronically such as photos, videos, blogs, emails, social media content, bank accounts and medical records.
"People across the country are facing issues arising from our increasing online presence, through social media or otherwise, and we can benefit from collectively looking at ways to ensure that people's legal expectations continue to be met in the online world," said Elizabeth Strange, 2016 President of the Uniform Law
Conference of Canada.
The ULCC also adopted in principle the Uniform Domestic Arbitration Act, which is intended to modernize this area of the law and facilitate the use of arbitration as an alternative to court proceedings.
In addition, the Conference made recommendations to the federal government for reforming the Criminal Code of Canada and calling on the government to create a National Sentencing Commission to review and reform the sentencing provisions in the Criminal Code. Delegates considered in excess of 31 resolutions and voted to create a working group to examine the appropriate limits on disclosure of “nonconviction information” in the context of criminal record checks.
New Brunswick, as host province, welcomed government lawyers, private lawyers, judiciary, law professors and Canadian Bar Association representatives from all 14 jurisdictions, as well as the president and a former president of the United States Uniform Law Commission, to discuss ways to modernize and harmonize legislation.
The ULCC was founded in 1918 and over the years has recommended the implementation of numerous uniform acts and other law reform initiatives.
Media contact:
Elizabeth Strange, Conference President
Tel.: 506-453-2544
Email: elizabeth.strange@gnb.ca