It was 1948 and this wheat farmer got off his tractor and by mistake put it in reverse.  It moved backward and trapped the poor guy catching one of his legs under the rear wheel of the tractor. He had enough freedom of movement to move his arms and hands, but could not reach the controls. His wife finally discovered him, but by the time she got him to the hospital his injuries overtook him and he died. When they examined the tractor the next day they discovered that the farmer scratched the following on the fender, “In case I die in this mess, I leave all to the wife. Cecil Geo. Harris.” This incident took place in Saskatchewan. The court accepted the writing on the fender as a holographic will.  What would have happened if it took place in Ontario today?

The vast majority of lawyers and mediators in the field appear to believe that mediation leads to more cases settling faster at a lower cost. Mandatory mediation was introduced in Ontario on a test basis on January 4, 1999.  In part, based on an independent 23-month evaluation of the pilot project, it became permanent. The results of that evaluation are set out in the Hann Report.  It suggests that mandatory mediation results in 40% of cases being completely settled earlier in the litigation process. This raises questions about the nature of the cases that are still going to trial.