On June 2, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Québec Premier Christine Fréchette unveiled a landmark agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec, committing nearly CA$10 billion over the next decade to renew and expand public transit, health care, housing and educational infrastructure across the province.

This insight is a companion to Venture capital opportunities in Canada’s defence sector which addresses the market landscape, government investment vehicles and the strategic opportunity for venture capital in Canadian defence and dual-use technology. Here, we address practical due diligence considerations that arise when evaluating opportunities in this sector.

United States: Long dormant for much of the past several decades, the discharge petition has reemerged as a potent tool in a thinly divided House. Though it is procedurally complex and historically underutilized, anyone tracking Congress needs to understand how it works. In sum, a discharge petition allows rank-and-file members to bypass leadership and force votes on legislation it would rather keep off the floor, and it is starting to wreak havoc on the mundane, “regular order” preferred by leadership and lobbyists alike.

United Kingdom: The revived Pensions Commission's interim report highlights concerns around retirement adequacy, inequality and member outcomes, signalling the potential direction of future UK pensions reform.

For states, local communities, developers, investors, and economic development professionals across the country, the summer of 2026 is a consequential window for projects intending to capitalize on the Opportunity Zone (OZ) program as part of their financing stack.

Alberta’s changes to the AB Act (as well as the related Public Works Act, which will now have its own prompt payment and adjudication regime, applicable to public works projects).

The Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act (“Act”) , which came into force on December 9, 2023, establishes a uniform, mandatory framework for timely payment and rapid dispute resolution on construction projects carried out on federal lands.

United Kingdom: In its recent judgment in Deckers UK Limited v Up & Running (UK) Limited, the Court of Appeal (CoA) unanimously overturned the Competition Appeal Tribunal's decision that Deckers, the manufacturer of HOKA-branded running shoes, had infringed UK competition law through selective distribution restrictions imposed on one of its authorised retailers. The CoA's judgment is important for businesses operating and involved in selective distribution systems, particularly for those in the retail, luxury fashion and consumer sectors, as it clarifies the framework for assessing whether a restriction on a distributor or retailer may fall foul of UK competition law.

GCC: In our earlier article, "Private credit in the GCC: where flexible capital solutions matter most", we explored some of the key reasons why borrowers, sponsors and investors continue to gravitate toward private credit, particularly in situations where speed, structuring flexibility, long-term capital and execution certainty are important considerations.

India: May 2026 witnessed significant developments in Indian competition law across judicial review, appellate scrutiny, enforcement, and merger control. At the judicial level, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling in the Amazon/Future Coupons case, setting aside a penalty of INR 202 crore (~USD 21.2 million) imposed on Amazon for alleged gun-jumping and non-disclosures.

India: This newsletter covers categories of updates relating to labour, industry related laws, corporate, safety, environment, miscellaneous and local laws. Notification of Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026; Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026; Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026 and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026; extension of deadline for filing professional tax return in West Bengal; repeal of leavy of professional tax in Odisha; revision of labour welfare fund contribution in Haryana; amendments under the Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities Rules; notification of Promotion and regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 and Tripura Fire Safety Rules, 2026 are some of the major updates covered in this newsletter.

Bolivia: On May 20, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) approved, through Board Resolution No. 66/2026, a new Regulation for the Administration of International Reserves.

On May 6, 2026, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-31, Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2 (Bill C-31), which proposes amendments to the Canada Labour Code that would prohibit federally regulated employers from including non-competition restrictions in agreements made with their employees or trade unions.

United Kingdom: The FCA has written directly to football clubs, mainly in the Premier League, warning them about sponsorship arrangements with unauthorised financial firms, including crypto businesses and trading platforms. 

Global: Catch up on the latest Global Mining Centre of Excellence Learning Session and hear from Iyunola Adekanye (Partner in Dentons’ Lagos, Nigeria, office), about how demand for Africa’s critical minerals is reshaping global mining.

Global: This alert draws on the experience of Dentons practitioners who are co-authors of the book Real Estate Investment and ESG: A Guide and Toolkit for Practitioners Across the Globe, published by Haufe. Their regional insights—spanning Africa, Latin America, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and cross-border structuring.

The British Columbia Builders Lien Act provides that a lien claimant is liable for costs and damages incurred by an owner as a result of a wrongfully filed lien claim.

Canada: Join Heather Barnhouse, Partner in our Edmonton office, as she explores women in leadership and entrepreneurship, and the ecosystem that supports them.

Italy: On 13 May 2026, the Permanent Representatives Committee confirmed their agreement on the provisional compromise text of the Digital Omnibus on AI, following negotiations concluded on 7 May 2026 (Compromise). The regulation formally amends Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act) as well as Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, with the stated aim of simplifying implementation of harmonized rules on artificial intelligence.

Europe: Microplastics are found everywhere. As a result, they are increasingly the focus of scientific assessment and environmental regulation.