Glossary
In Housing Law
A termination date is the last day of a tenancy, according to a notice that a tenant or landlord gives to the other, or according to an agreement between them.
When an employer fires you or lays you off, they usually have to give you notice ahead of time. The amount of time can depend on many things including how long you’ve been in the job.
If they let you go right away, they must pay you the money you’d have earned if they had told you ahead of time. This is called pay in lieu of notice or termination pay.
In Criminal Law
When you testify, you give evidence as a witness in a court of law. You answer questions asked by the lawyers and the judge. You do this under oath or after you have given an affirmation. With an oath or an affirmation, you promise to tell the truth in court.
In Criminal Law
Testifying is a way of presenting evidence to the court using a witness. A witness testifies by answering questions asked by the lawyers and the judge. The answers the witness gives are called their testimony. The witness answers questions under oath or after giving an affirmation. With an oath or an affirmation, the witness promises to tell the truth in court.
In Criminal Law
A tort is a civil wrong that causes harm to a person or property. This is different from a “criminal wrong”. If you have been affected by a civil wrong, you can take action in court to claim compensation. Torts include:
- wrongful arrest and detention
- unlawful seizure of property
- unlawful searches
- assault and battery
- negligent use of force
In Human Rights
Transgender is a word used to describe people whose gender identity and gender expression are different from stereotypical gender norms. Transgender includes people who identify as:
- trans woman: a person whose birth-assigned sex is male and whose gender identity is female
- trans man: a person whose birth-assigned sex is female and whose gender identity is male
- cross-dresser: a person who wears clothing associated with the opposite sex
- gender non-conforming or non-binary: a person who identifies as both a male and a female, neither a male nor a female, or some other gender
In Criminal Law
There are specific legal rules for how you must transport alcohol:
- The alcohol must be in a sealed bottle or closed can, or
- The alcohol must be in a closed compartment of the vehicle, such as a trunk, out of reach of the driver
In Mental health, Psychiatric treatment
Treatment is anything a health-care provider does to improve your health or prevent your health from getting worse. This includes things like medicine or drugs, counselling, therapy, or medical care for an illness or injury.
Treatment doesn’t include the time a health-care provider assesses your physical or mental health. It also doesn’t include the time they spend talking to you about your health.
A trial is a court hearing to determine whether the crown has proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Trials result in findings of guilt or acquittals. If found guilty, the accused is sentenced. If they are acquitted, they are considered innocent of the offence and the case is over.