From UBC Sticker Defamation To GST Liability To Work From Home Rights

 

A campus sticker dispute, a GST mistake that snowballs for years, and a pre-COVID work-from-home fight all end up in the BC Court of Appeal, and the common thread is proof. We walk through a defamation claim tied to “I Heart Hamas” stickers attributed to a UBC social justice group and explain the first hurdle many people miss: whether the plaintiff is even a legal entity that can sue. When the “group” is an unincorporated association, the case shifts to an individual trying to show the publication points to him personally, and we break down how courts analyze identification in Canadian defamation law.

Next, we dig into a small business GST problem caused by bad bookkeeping advice. We clarify the GST small supplier threshold, why you can still owe uncollected GST, and when voluntary registration can help through input tax credits. The case also highlights practical warning signs: invoices that exaggerate qualifications, vague LinkedIn claims, and the “pay me cash with no invoice” request that should make any business owner stop and reassess.

Finally, we look at a human rights and employment accommodation claim involving a TELUS worker who wanted to work from home based on vague symptoms and a thin doctor’s note. The court’s message is blunt and useful: an employer’s duty to accommodate is judged on the medical information available at the time, not on a diagnosis that appears later. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more listeners can find these real-world legal takeaways.

 

Legally Speaking with Michael Mulligan is live on CFAX 1070 every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. It’s also available on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.