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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 10 ,2 02 0 | 8 What's new in the age of Covid and real estate deals? ASK THE PROFESSIONAL The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. We work for you. legal matters Q A Remote Signing Legal Services Helsons LLP is a firm of 9 Lawyers. We trace our firm back to 1885 in Georgetown, Ontario Frederick A. Helson (1921-2018) Allan W. Kogon (retired) David J. Ashbee John E. Schaljo Mark T. Rush Steven D. Kogon Caley E. Power Jessica A. Krause Jasmine M. Spudic Nicole E. Kucherenko Fiona A. Japaul Nancy L. Carnwath (retired) New on the market Helsons have adopted (if the client wishes) a signing service combined with video conferencing (Zoom) that allows clients to sign their real estate deals from the comfort of their home or on the beach if you have internet and a computer with audio and video. Here is how it works. If you chose to sign remotely let us know. We send you an email with a link and a time for a meeting.You click on the link and meet your lawyer via Zoom with ½ of your screen having documents you review with your lawyer, one at a time in the same way you would in person. Signing spots clearly outlined on the documents are signed using your mouse, or finger on a touch screen. It does not matter how bad your signature appears because your lawyer is witnessing you sign. When finished you push send and the deal is legally signed. Welcome to the world of Covid. Helsons LLP Barristers and Solicitors 132 Mill Street, Georgetown, Ontario L7G 2C6 Tel: (905) 877-5200 35 Mill Street East, Acton, Ontario L7J 1H1 Tel: (519) 929-9333 Email: info@helsons.ca Web: www.helsons.ca David J. Ashbee 2018 Large Business of the Year 905-877-8500 •www.devereauxcemetery.ca A Final Gift to Your Family Main Office: 600 Spring Gardens Road, Burlington Owned & Operated by The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Hamilton in Ontario Cemetery Address: 12337 17th Side Road, Georgetown Prearranging your burial or cremation is the last gift you can give your family. It releases them from having to quickly make decisions in their time of grief. It also frees them from the need to pay costs associated with your cemetery arrangements. Contact one of our family counsellors to discuss your wishes and options. www.leathertownlumber.ca Please be advised we are closing December 24th at noon and reopening on January 4, 2021 Store Hours Holiday We wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! The federal Liberals will propose penalties Tuesday for companies that abuse Canadians' per- sonal data in what is being billed as a "significant" re- form to the country's priva- cy laws, the Star has learned. A federal source told the Star that the new legisla- tion, expected as early as this week, will attempt to bring the country's aging privacy regime up to inter- national standards. Within the government, the legislation is viewed as the implementation of the Liberals' long-promised "digital charter" that Prime Minister Justin Tru- deau announced in 2018, which promised Canadi- ans greater control over and transparency around how private companies use the personal information they collect. "It's a leap forward for the privacy protections that Canadians have. It's really about more control over what companies can do with your data, and greater transparency about what they've done with your data once they have it," said the source, who agreed to discuss the government's plan on the condition they not be named. Canada's privacy re- gime has not been signifi- cantly updated since the advent of smartphones. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is seen by advocates as the current gold standard for a modern privacy regime. The GDPR legislation was enacted in 2018 and is heavily focused on requiring companies obtain consent before col- NEWS PRIVACY LAW WILL HAVE PENALTIES FOR THOSE THAT ABUSE CANADIANS' DATA ALEX BOUTILIER aboutilier@thestar.ca The federal government will introduce penalties for companies that abuse Canadians' personal data in what is being billed as a 'significant' reform to the country's privacy laws. Pexels photo See NEW, page 10