One thing that every business needs from the outset is affordable and reliable local and long distance telephone service. And as your business grows, you will likely want a different range of features, prompting you to switch plans from time to time. Before you sign a new telephone service agreement, however, it’s good to carefully consider a few all-important tips.
First of all, and most obviously, it’s essential that you read all the small print before your sign, so as to ensure that your business isn’t hit by unexpected charges and fees.
You should also consider the time implications of a contract before signing it. Long-term contracts that lock you in for more than one year can be a disadvantage, as they prevent you from jumping at a better deal if it comes along. Before finalizing a deal you should make sure that you fully understand the cancellation policy, and how much it will cost to discontinue your service before the contract expires.
Finally, it’s important that you ask your provider of choice what their procedures are for after-hours technical support. If your phones stop working on the weekend or in the middle of the night, will someone be available to fix them? Don’t sign anything until this question has been answered to your full satisfaction.
Civil Forfeiture and the Standard of Proof
Unlike criminal proceedings, where an accused person must be presumed innocent until proven guilty and only punished once their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, civil forfeiture proceedings operate on the balance of probabilities, meaning that the state must merely demonstrate that an individual has probably done something illegal in order to obtain forfeiture of their property.
The Right to Counsel in Canada
Section 10(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms preserves the right of a detained individual to contact counsel immediately upon arrest or detention, and simultaneously imposes a duty upon police to immediately inform individuals that they have this right.
The Right to a Speedy Trial in Canada
Section 11(b) of the Charter protects Canadians’ right to a speedy trial, stating that “any person charged with an offence has the right… to be tried within a reasonable time.”
