VANCOUVER – West Coast LEAF welcomes the Supreme Court of Canada’s judgments, released today, in two cases concerning admissions to a proposed law school at Trinity Western University (“TWU”), an Evangelical Christian university located in Langley, BC. The Court ruled that the mandatory Covenant at TWU creates inequitable barriers to entry to their proposed law … Read more Release: Supreme Court Says No to Discriminatory Law School Admissions
COAST SALISH TERRITORY – VANCOUVER – Members of the BC Coalition on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (the coalition) are deeply disappointed that Canada has granted only a six-month extension to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (the inquiry). Many Indigenous, civil society, and front-line service organizations supported the … Read more Release: National inquiry six-month extension “too little, too late,” say coalition members
West Coast LEAF wrote to the executives of all Vancouver municipal political parties to urge them to prioritize substantive gender equality in their 2018 campaign platforms. We expressed our support of the non-partisan project Hot Pink Paper Campaign 2018 and outlined practical commitments for moving towards gender equality in Vancouver, unceded Coast Salish homeland. Read our letter. Submissions
Case summary The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (“the Inquiry”) has had a mandate to investigate the systemic factors contributing to all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada, including more than 1,000 violent deaths and disappearances. This mandate includes reporting on current institutional policies and practices to address violence, … Read more National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls [2018]
VANCOUVER – This morning, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (“Inquiry”) begins the first of four days of expert hearings. West Coast LEAF is in Quebec City for the hearings, which are focused on understanding a human rights framework for the Inquiry’s work. The Inquiry has a mandate to identify and examine … Read more Release: Changes to National Inquiry needed to meaningfully meet its mandate
As a legal organization with standing in the institutional and expert hearings in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, West Coast LEAF wrote to the Inquiry’s Chief Commissioner Marion Buller to express concern about the rushed, incomplete, and procedurally flawed process for the hearings. We noted that many Indigenous organizations, vital … Read more Letter regarding the process for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Read our 2017 Annual Report. to learn about West Coast LEAF’s work for gender justice in the 2016/2017 fiscal year. Publications
VANCOUVER – Today, the Supreme Court of Canada released its judgment in Schrenk v BC Human Rights Tribunal, a case about the scope of human rights protections against discriminatory harassment in the workplace. The Court ruled in the complainant’s favour, finding that human rights law prohibits discrimination in the workplace regardless of whether it is perpetuated by an … Read more Release: Supreme Court of Canada decision is a win for human rights
On December 6th, 2017, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, West Coast LEAF issued our 9th annual CEDAW Report Card, assessing BC’s progress in nine key areas impacting women’s human rights, including access to justice, economic security, affordable housing and child care, and women’s health and safety. Government inaction in all of … Read more 2017 CEDAW Report Card
VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released its ninth annual report card on the rights of women in BC. While BC has pulled up its grade in seven of the nine key areas this year, the report card still shows a serious need for improvement in order to fulfill international commitments on women’s human rights. The … Read more Release: BC still not making the grade in women’s equality, despite modest improvements
