Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Gender justice groups from across the province are calling on the BC Government to repeal Bill 26 the Name Amendment Act (No 2) 2024. The bill changed the Name Act, restricting access to legal name changes for many British Columbians. The new Name Act … Read more Release: Gender justice groups urge BC government to repeal harmful name change ban
West Coast LEAF stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Huge congratulations are in order for Monique Pongracic-Speier, KC, for receiving the 2024 Harry Rankin, QC Pro Bono Award from the Canadian Bar Association of BC. Monique is a brilliant litigator, a dedicated advocate, and —we’re grateful to say—a long-time friend of and collaborator with West Coast LEAF. We know from working alongside Monique that … Read more Congrats to Monique Pongracic-Speier
In a joint submission to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, West Coast LEAF and the Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity (CGSHE) are urging the committee to reject Bill S-210: An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material. Bill S-210 neglects to meaningfully consult with online … Read more Joint submission to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Bill S-210
The FLA builds off the 1979 Family Relations Act and is BC’s primary legislation on issues related to family relationships…
In a joint submission, West Coast LEAF and Rise Women’s Legal Centre responded to the BC Law Institute’s (BCLI) Consultation Paper on Parentage. The Consultation Paper suggests reforms that will update and modernize BC’s parentage laws under Part 3 of the Family Law Act (FLA). Parentage is the legal relationship between a parent and child. … Read more Joint submission to the BC Law Institute on Parentage
Today, we were at BC’s 2024 Budget presentation in Victoria on the unceded Coast Salish homelands of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples to hear whether the government will implement our key recommendations. Lawsuit settlement provides some much-need support, but not enough Last week, we announced a historic win as the government settled our lawsuit brought … Read more Budget 2024: Historic legal aid expansion, but lots left to do
VANCOUVER unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – More people in B.C. will soon have a historic level of access to legal aid services, including legal representation through a new family law clinic model and a significant expansion of legal aid eligibility criteria. The Province, Legal Aid BC (LABC) and the Centre … Read more Release: $29M legal aid expansion for people experiencing family violence
This case is a human rights complaint brought by Nicholas Dinardo, regarding harassment and discrimination by Correctional Services Canada…
Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Earlier this week, the BC Supreme Court (BCSC) released a decision in Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society (VACFSS) v R.R. that impacts how families can hold child welfare agencies accountable for discrimination. In November 2022, the BC Human Rights Tribunal ruled that … Read more Release: BC Supreme Court confirms Human Rights Tribunal jurisdiction, but sends Indigenous mother back for a rehearing
