Tribunal decision sources

It is hard to know the best source for judicial and administrative decisions. The Library Staff at Field keep the Internet links portion of our Intranet up to date with the current sources for the usual suspects (Alberta Courts, SCC, the OIPC site for Alberta, etc.).

One collection of material that is important to us is decisions from administrative bodies and tribunals. Historically, the best source for tribunal decisions was Quicklaw. LexisNexis Quicklaw is still a good source of decisions from tribunals, but it is no longer the sole source for this material.

In our digital world, it is easy for tribunals to publish decisions on their websites. It is not difficult to have a search function for the decisions. If the function doesn't exsit on their site, an advanced google search for keywords within the domain is often successful. An example:

order "employee" "personal information" PIPA site:oipc.ab.ca

In Canada, we are extremely lucky to have CanLII. CanLII has a growing collection of tribunal decisions and they frequently add new collection sources. For Alberta, the list of tribunal sources includes:

• Alberta Employment Standards Umpire
• Alberta Labour Relations Board
• Alberta Securities Commission
• Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers' Compensation
• College of Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Committee
• Law Society of Alberta - Hearing Committee

The Alberta Law Libraries maintains a link list that includes tribunals as well:

• Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board
• Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission
• Alberta Labour Relations Board
• Alberta Environmental Appeal Board
• Alberta Municipal Government Board
• Alberta Securities Commission
• Alberta Surface Rights Board
• Alberta Utilities Commission
• Alberta Workers' Compensation Board

One benefit of CanLII or a tribunal website as a source for decisions is that there isn't a cost for the material. Commercial sources for tribunal data are available. Some of the sources available to Field (passwords required) are:

• Canadian Human Rights Reporter
• Labour Spectrum
• Lancaster House
• Westlaw Canada
  

Happy hunting

The Kindle is here, the kindle is here!

Well, it isn't the new telephone book, but I can understand the excitement. After waiting, as we often do in Canada, for new technology to be released above 49, the Financial Post reports that Canadians can finally buy a Kindle so that we can download eBooks from Amazon.com.

I have to say that I am personally not jumping up and down with excitement. I would much rather haul around a plethora of softcover items. I am on the road in Calgary today and tomorrow and my laptop bag has room for the laptop, some papers, my clothes, a hairbrush and 3 novels. The current novel (just finished on the plane this a.m.) the next (which will become the current in the hotel this evening), and the just in case (just in case I can't sleep and I burn through the current).

Just to be clear, I have read all three of these novels before, and it was very easy to pull them off my shelf to toss in the overnight bag.