Case summary These two cases about strategic lawsuits against public participation (“SLAPP suits”) were heard together by the Supreme Court of Canada. SLAPP suits commonly take the form of defamation claims and may often be used to silence dissenting views or to intimidate. Defamation claims are increasingly being used as a legal weapon against survivors … Read more Maia Bent, et al. v Howard Platnick, et al.; 1704604 Ontario Limited v Pointes Protection Association, et al. [2019]
The report highlights efforts by Indigenous families, communities, and Nations to revitalize…
VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released a report setting out the experiences of Indigenous families who have had engagement with the provincial child welfare system. Pathways in a Forest: Indigenous guidance on prevention-based child welfare highlights efforts by Indigenous families, communities, and Nations to revitalize Indigenous approaches to child welfare, develop comprehensive community-based supports, and fight … Read more Release: New report: Indigenous families share their vision for transforming the failings of BC’s child protection system
This appeal concerned a family law dispute between A.B., a 14-year-old transgender boy, and his father, C.D. A.B. sought gender-affirming medical treatment. His doctors recommend this…
What does a feminist education look like to you? We’d like to think it includes teaching students about justice, encouraging critical thinking about power and inequality, and giving young people tools that they can use to help themselves and others to live happily and freely. With the addition of a social justice elective for grade 12 students and the work being … Read more Five ways to bring feminism into the high school classroom
VANCOUVER – Today, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled that West Coast LEAF’s case seeking to increase access to justice for women and others fleeing abuse or violent relationships can go ahead. The rights group brought the case in 2017, arguing that the Provincial government and the Legal Services Society (“LSS”) have failed to … Read more Release: They didn’t stop us: Legal aid constitutional challenge going full steam ahead
West Coast LEAF wrote to the Mayor and Council of the City of Vancouver in support of a motion to investigate pervasive sexual harassment and sexual assault in the hospitality industry and identify steps the City can take to promote safer workplaces. Read our letter. Submissions
In 2019, we prepared a backgrounder comparing pay equity regimes across Canada, including indicators of success and a comparative table summarizing findings. Read our backgrounder. Submissions
Commencing in 2016, West Coast LEAF partnered with the YWCA-Metro Vancouver on a project aimed at identifying strategies to reduce barriers in the justice system for sexual assault survivors through dialogue among key stakeholders, including frontline anti-violence activists and service providers, police, former Crown, retired judges, academics, and defense counsel. In fall 2018, we released We Are Here: Women’s Experiences … Read more Letter urging BC to invest in a rights-based framework for survivors of sexual assault
In June 2019, West Coast LEAF made submissions to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services urging the government of BC to commit in Budget 2020 to making financial supports more accessible for families dealing with the child protection system and those in informal kinship care arrangements. Read our submissions. Submissions
