Search results

179 results for: Gender-based violence


Joint submission to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Bill S-210

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



Supreme Court of Canada affirms the dignity of sexual assault complainants

Ottawa, unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory, March 8, 2024 – Today’s Supreme Court of Canada’s (SCC) decision affirms the importance of protecting survivors’ equality and dignity rights in the trial process, says West Coast LEAF and LEAF.   In its decision in R v Kruk and R v Tsang, the Court ruled against recognizing the proposed rule against “ungrounded common-sense assumptions” as grounding an error … Read more Supreme Court of Canada affirms the dignity of sexual assault complainants



Budget 2024: Historic legal aid expansion, but lots left to do

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



Release: $29M legal aid expansion for people experiencing family violence

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



Dinardo v Correctional Services Canada [2023]

Case summary This case is a human rights complaint brought by Nicholas Dinardo (Mx. Dinardo), regarding harassment and discrimination by Correctional Services Canada (CSC) on the grounds of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender identity or expression, and disability, contrary to s. 5 and s. 14 of the Canada Human Rights Act (CHRA). … Read more Dinardo v Correctional Services Canada [2023]



Joint submission on the potential criminalization of coercive control

West Coast LEAF, alongside Rise Women’s Legal Centre, has made a submission to the Department of Justice as it considers establishing a new Criminal Code offence for coercive control in the context of intimate relationships. Coercive control is a form of non-physical abuse or violence that uses psychological intimidation, threats, humiliation, financial or property abuse, … Read more Joint submission on the potential criminalization of coercive control



Release: Supreme Court of Canada affirms gender equality rights must not be neglected but fails to strike down the Safe Third Country Agreement

June 16, 2023 – For Immediate Release Ottawa, unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory – In today’s ruling on the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) challenge, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed with the Asper Centre, LEAF and West Coast LEAF that there must not be a hierarchy of Charter rights in which equality rights occupy a lower tier. … Read more Release: Supreme Court of Canada affirms gender equality rights must not be neglected but fails to strike down the Safe Third Country Agreement