Over the last two days, we have been at the Supreme Court of Canada intervening in Council of Canadians with Disabilities v British Columbia – a case that will have a major impact on the ability of public interest organizations to bring legal cases on behalf of marginalized communities. We intervened to argue that organizations like West … Read more We’re back in court to defend access to justice
We’re proud to make the news regularly, to share our expertise widely, and ultimately to shift public opinion, laws, and policies…
Read our 2021 Annual Report to learn about West Coast LEAF’s work for gender justice in the 2020/2021 fiscal year. Publications
We’re headed to the Supreme Court of Canada tomorrow for a case that will affect how courts identify family violence, protect survivors, and ensure the best interests of children. Barendregt v Grebliunas is about when and how an appeal court can consider new information when deciding a family law appeal. However, it also raises concerns about whether … Read more Breaking: We’re back at the Supreme Court of Canada!
We’re headed to the Supreme Court of Canada tomorrow, for a case that has huge implications for consent law. R. v Kirkpatrick will decide whether it is sexual assault under the law when a person insists their partner wear a condom and their partner then removes it without consent or sabotages the condom. Non-consensual condom removal (often … Read more We’ll be at the Supreme Court tomorrow!
Case summary This case is about when and how an appeal court can consider new information when deciding an appeal of a family law decision. From a bigger picture perspective, it is also about how deferential (respectful) appeal courts should be towards factual findings by trial judges, including findings of family violence. The parties in … Read more Barendregt v Grebliunas [2021]
In 2020-2021, we undertook an in-depth analysis of public legal education and information, exploring how to facilitate learning about the law…
West Coast LEAF has long believed that one of the best ways to advance legal rights is to support people to know their rights and understand how to use them. At the same time, we know that legal rights on paper are often painfully disconnected from people’s real lives. Legal recourse can be hard or … Read more New report offers wise practices for learner-centred, justice-seeking legal education
On September 29, 2021, West Coast LEAF made a written submission on BC’s Budget 2022 to the provincial legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The Committee conducted public consultations on priorities for the next budget and will release a report outlining its recommendations by November 15, 2021. The upcoming budget must not be about … Read more Submissions to the BC Budget 2022 Consultation
A two-day hearing that has significant implications for how courts handle sexual assault cases is underway at the Supreme Court of Canada. We are intervening alongside Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre, formerly WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, in the two appeals being heard together—R. v J.J. and A.S. v Her Majesty the Queen et al. These cases are about … Read more We’re at the Supreme Court of Canada today to fight for protections for sexual assault survivors in criminal trials