One of the ways that West Coast LEAF uses the law as a tool for social change is through public legal education. Our public legal education program encourages people to think critically about the law and society, and to understand and exercise their legal rights. For the last 20 years, part of the way we conduct our … Read more Celebrating 20 Years of Youth-to-Youth Legal Education
On May 13, 2019, 25 organizations and individuals sent an open letter to Canadian government urging swift action to end sex discrimination in the Indian Act, as called for in a statement issued by the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls before the release of its final report. West Coast LEAF was … Read more Open letter on ending sex discrimination in the Indian Act
On June 15, 2023, West Coast LEAF appeared before BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to share our key recommendations for Budget 2024…
On June 15, 2023, West Coast LEAF appeared before BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to share our key recommendations for Budget 2024…
In BC, most applications for family law legal aid are denied outright or the legal support…
Today, the BC Human Rights Tribunal (“BCHRT”) released its decision on a complaint arising under the BC Human Rights Code’s (“the Code”) prohibition against discriminatory publications. The case, Oger v Whatcott, was heard in December 2018. The BCHRT found in favour of the complainant that Mr. Whatcott violated s. 7 of the Code and engaged in hate speech. In … Read more Release: BC Human Rights Tribunal: Hate speech on the basis of gender identity prohibited
In February 2019, West Coast LEAF re-affirmed our support for Jeremy Matson’s petition under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) regarding sex discrimination in the way status is transmitted under the Indian Act. West Coast LEAF argued that proposed amendments to the Indian Act will not fully … Read more Letter of support for Jeremy Matson’s petition to the CEDAW Committee regarding discrimination in the Indian Act
Read our 2018 Annual Report. to learn about West Coast LEAF’s work for gender justice in the 2017/2018 fiscal year. Publications
VANCOUVER – This week, West Coast LEAF will intervene at the BC Human Rights Tribunal in a complaint arising under the BC Human Rights Code’s prohibition against discriminatory publications. The case, Oger v Whatcott, will be heard over five days, from December 11-14, and on December 17. In 2017, Morgane Oger ran for political office as an … Read more Release: Hate speech hearing set to begin at the BC Human Rights Tribunal
On December 6th, 2018, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, West Coast LEAF released our 10th annual CEDAW Report Card, grading BC on nine issues impacting women’s human rights, including child protection, a new section introduced this year. The Report Card assesses BC’s record in 2018 in relation to obligations set out … Read more 2018 CEDAW Report Card