When: November 21, 12:30-2:30 PM PT Who: What: Join West Coast LEAF, Courthouse Libraries BC, Stephanie Hodgson, and Rebecca McConchie in a discussion about the intersection between criminal law and child protection law. This webinar aims to provide the audience with an understanding of the overlap between Child, Family and Community Service Act matters and … Read more Webinar: The intersection of criminal and child protection law and practice
Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Today, West Coast LEAF will be at the BC Supreme Court, intervening in the review of a human rights decision concerning discrimination in the context of the family policing (or child welfare) system. The outcome of this judicial review has the power to impact … Read more Release: BC Supreme Court to review Human Rights Tribunal’s decision on discriminatory practice by child welfare agency
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
This project focused on building spaces for advocacy to improve outcomes for families engaged in the family policing system, as well as those who support them…
July 10, 2023 – For immediate release Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – West Coast LEAF and Parents Advocating Collectively for Kin (PACK) are calling on the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) to end the harmful and discriminatory practice of involuntary drug testing of parents engaged with the … Read more Release: Rights Groups Urge BC Government to End Harmful and Discriminatory Involuntary Drug Testing of Parents
West Coast LEAF and Parents Advocating Collecting for Kin (PACK) are joined by leading BC rights organizations and advocates to call on the BC government to immediately end the harmful and discriminatory practice of involuntarily drug testing parents who are engaged with the family policing system, also known as the child welfare system. Involuntary drug … Read more Open letter calling for an end to harmful involuntary drug testing of parents
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
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…
West Coast LEAF, alongside the Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity (CGSHE), has made a submission to the Justice Committee at the House of Commons as it deliberates on Bill S-224, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons). Our submission urges the Committee to consider the danger of conflating sex work … Read more Joint submission with the Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity on Bill S-224
West Coast LEAF intervenes in cases that will contribute to gender equality in British Columbia and Canada. Our current and past cases can be found on our cases page. Below we have provided some answers to frequently asked questions about our litigation work in the courts.
