On May 14, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) published a wide-ranging package of proposed amendments and changes to the Canadian issuer bid, take-over bid and beneficial ownership reporting regimes (collectively, the Proposed Amendments) for a 90-day comment period. The Proposed Amendments would, among other things.

Horror movies have certainly had a resurgence over the last several years, but other than an escalating level of violence and gore they tend to rely on the same tropes we have seen forever from Plan 9 From Outer Space to Halloween. There is a final survivor - usually innocent, smart and resourceful; groups form – jocks, nerds; no matter how often you dispatch the killer, they get back up; authority tends to be incompetent and according to a basic AI search, there is an idiot plot where the story only works because characters make consistently terrible decisions.

Welcome to the May 2026 edition of Dentons Capitol Insights – Sounding the Drumbeat in Washington.

On May 15, 2026, the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta jointly announced an Implementation Agreement (Implementation Agreement), which reaffirms the importance of, and relies on, the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction Regulation (TIER) framework to translate the commitments of the Canada-Alberta Memorandum of Understanding (the MOU) dated November 27, 2025 into tangible steps which enable Alberta’s oil and gas industry to meet both domestic and international increased demand, while maintaining the shared goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

On May 14, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the long-awaited National Electricity Strategy (the Strategy) containing a bold goal to double Canada’s electricity grid capacity by 2050

New Zealand: In this edition of the Echo, we explore the proposed Employment Leave Bill, which seeks to replace the Holidays Act 2003. We also discuss two recent Employment Court decisions, one covering medical incapacity dismissals and the importance of following proper process, and another on the enforceability of cultural values incorporated into employment agreements. We then provide a brief update on the High Court's decision upholding the Gibson conviction under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Guatemala: The Constitutional Court confirmed the validity of the requirement to identify shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners for companies seeking to contract with the State. The decision reinforces standards of transparency, regulatory compliance, and corruption prevention in public procurement. Our office in Guatemala analyzes the main regulatory implications, the risks of non-compliance, and the measures companies should adopt in light of this new landscape in Guatemala.

Europe: The Hamburg Declaration of January 2026 commits Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom to deliver up to 100 GW of cooperation by 2050, with a first wave of up to 20 GW in the 2030s. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) estimates the supporting offshore grid alone will require €70–€90 billion of investment by 2030, against a backdrop in which the combined net debt of North Sea Transmission System Operators (TSOs) has risen by two-thirds since 2021 to over €100 billion. Conventional balance-sheet financing by TSOs cannot deliver this programme. This article asks how the Hamburg Declaration's ambition can be matched by limited-recourse project financing.

New Zealand: Nations and businesses across the globe are investing heavily in autonomous systems. The pace of this technology development in our now uncertain World is outstripping ethical and legal considerations. We can’t ignore these developments in defence technology and their potential - after all from military applications civilian use cases will be derived  - it’s time Western legal systems, including New Zealand, caught up and faced the issue. This series of articles will look at autonomous weapon systems and how we deal with them from an ethical and legal perspective.

New Zealand: The rapid development of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) has led to the rise of autonomous weapon systems (AWS) and lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). The idea of robots joining the battlefield is no longer science fiction — China has developed and released several models of autonomous drones that can fly into battle alongside fighter jets; Israel has developed a series of drones that are capable of identifying and eliminating targets without human intervention; and Russia is developing an autonomous nuclear-armed submarine.

Australia: The 30 April 2026 judgment in the Supreme Court of Western Australia case of Jako Industries Pty Ltd v Perkins (WA) Pty Ltd [2026] WASC 158 (Jako v Perkins) provides a useful clarification of where the line is drawn. In that instance, Forrester J held that the expert had not overstepped the mark and upheld the binding expert determination.

On May 12, 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued its long-awaited judgment in Case C-797/23, providing key guidance for the consistent interpretation of national legislation concerning online press publishers’ rights and their remuneration mechanisms.

Dentons is pleased to announce our continued contribution to the latest edition of the Real Estate Global Practice Guide, published by Chambers and Partners.

Vietnam: The Ministry of Finance is seeking opinions for the Draft of Resolution on the Reduction of Conditional Business Lines (the “Draft”). The Draft proposes to remove 58 conditional business lines and amend 14 conditional business lines under management of 12 ministries and ministerial-level agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Health, the State Bank of Vietnam, and other competent authorities.

Australia: There is an increasing trend of parents refusing to pay fees or taking other forms of legal action against schools. Despite this, enrolment contracts remain amongst the most underdeveloped and legally unsophisticated documents in any industry. Many contracts currently used by schools are outdated, inadequate, and in some cases contain unlawful terms, a situation that demands attention.

Canada: Join Heather Barnhouse, Partner in our Edmonton office, as she explores women in leadership and entrepreneurship, and the ecosystem that supports them. In episode 100, Heather welcomes Kim Long, a registered psychologist and former educator who grew Dóchas Psychological Services from a solo practice into a multidisciplinary clinic with 10–12 permanent practitioners. Kim explains Dóchas focus on complex trauma and “elite client care,” its sanctuary-like approach, and plans for the Dóchas Resilience Foundation to expand access to mental healthcare. She reflects on scaling during COVID, navigating imposter syndrome, and learning through unplanned growth.

Global: We have a bumper bulletin for May, with recent developments indicating a clear expansion of litigation risk, regulatory scrutiny and judicial intervention across environmental and human rights issues. Novel climate change and supply chain litigation and green claims continue to feature, and we also have important updates on sustainability regulation in the UK and EU.

United Kingdom: The FCA’s consultation paper CP26/15 proposing amendments to the consumer credit financial promotions rules in CONC 3 marks a targeted but significant step in its wider programme of simplifying the Handbook following implementation of the Consumer Duty.

United Kingdom: The pressure to use AI is everywhere but if you are a regulated financial services business, you also have a world of regulation with which to comply. In this episode, we examine what financial services businesses need to consider when using and contracting for AI services to ensure they keep both their customers and the regulators happy.

New Zealand: The Modern Slavery Bill passed its first reading in Parliament on 27 April, signalling momentum towards a modern slavery reporting regime in New Zealand. The Bill advanced as a private member’s bill – albeit one with cross-party support, allowing the Bill’s introduction to Parliament to be expedited. The current Bill’s progress past a first reading and with cross-party backing suggests that, this time around, the Bill is likely to make it through Parliament. If this Bill is passed, it will put New Zealand’s law in line with established international reporting regimes (such as those in Australia and the UK).