Dianna M. Rievaj, Lawyer at Highlander Law Group

06/03/2026

When you're back from vacation but you still feel like this...

06/02/2026

Took a road trip with the fam jam after a particularly busy winter. It's impressive how stunning all of the government buildings are in Europe compared to Canada, where they are generally square boxes devoid of character.

05/15/2026

Finally starting to see some signs of spring that are not rain 💐

05/11/2026

Due to the nature of a lot of litigation files, my clients don't always feel comfortable posting reviews, so it's extra nice when a client is able to.

05/08/2026

Always dismayed at how uneducated people are with respect to how the government functions. Census data is what the government uses to determine policy/funding/planning decisions that will affect each of the people who think they are cute not providing the requested information - Ironically they will be the same people claiming there aren't enough schools/hospitals/police/retirement homes/disability services/cultural supports.
You are entitled to dislike the government or its decisions, but scribbling on the census is not the way to get the change you'd like to see (I would hope that's obvious, but maybe not...)

There’s a lot of discussion online about the census. No matter what government in Canada is in power, the national population count conducted by Statistics Canada every five years. Every household in Canada is legally required to participate under the Statistics Act. Most households get the short version, and about 25% of us get the long version. They have questions about gender, marital status, income, religion and more. What happens if you refuse to fill it out? First they will send reminder letters, call you a bunch, and eventually send people to your home. In some rare cases if you still refuse you can get a fine, or they can take court action.

Today on Citizen Q- Do you fill out the Census?

05/07/2026

Fantastic opportunity (with Mimosas!) to learn about the Canadian Home Income Plan and how it may help older Canadian homeowners feel more confident about their financial options.

We’re hosting a special afternoon tea in partnership with HomeEquity Bank, home of the Canadian Home Income Plan, and we would love for you to join us. The event is on Sunday, May 24th at 2:00 at "Public" in Halifax.

An Afternoon for Parents & Grandparents is a combined Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gathering designed to bring families together for a meaningful conversation about caring for loved ones as they plan for the future.

Guests will enjoy coffee, tea, mimosas, caesars, light sandwiches, and sweets while hearing from a representative from HomeEquity Bank about the Canadian Home Income Plan and how it may help older Canadian homeowners feel more confident about their financial options.

Space is limited, so we encourage you to reserve your tickets early. You can get your ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/an-afternoon-for-parents-grandparents-tickets-1987080787125

05/06/2026

Just a reminder from your friendly local lawyer, that AI is not a reliable research source. Depending on its code, it can just be repeating something frequently stated (ie the ramblings on social media platforms), that has no grounding in reality.
It sounds obvious, but don't rely on things you read online without fact checking.

MacIsaac claims the online giant defamed him by falsely identifying him as a s*x offender in an AI-generated summary.

05/04/2026

Caught a wicked virus last week that is still holding on. Wish I had a Carbolic Smoke Ball for all that ails me.

04/28/2026

Our pup's run in with a porcupine last night reminded me of the indisputable fact that one unplanned moment can change the course of your evening or sometimes your life so while it's inconvenient and expensive, but it's worth being prepared.

Here's a quick blog post I wrote giving examples of why someone young and healthy still needs to get their estate planning in order (and that includes your Power of Attorney and Advanced Healthcare directive, not just a Will)

https://www.highlanderlaw.ca/halifax-lawyer-blog/howolddoyouneedtobetomakeapoa

04/27/2026

Thrilled to get to be a Sponsor of Unicorn Theatre.
Got super lucky and was offered two waitlist tickets for this spring's Wizard of Oz production which sold out on the first day.
As usual, it did not disappoint.