On June 26, 2019, the Province announced a 10-year strategy to transform our mental health and addictions system. The investment in voluntary, community-based mental health and addiction services is welcome news. Unfortunately, “A Pathway to Hope” does nothing to address ways to reform the outdated law at the heart of the system. In an open … Read more Open letter urging the Province to overhaul the outdated BC Mental Health Act
In June 2019, West Coast LEAF, EVA BC and Surrey Women’s Centre wrote to the Attorney General of BC to call for adequate legal aid for anti-violence organizations facing applications to disclose client counselling records to defense counsel as part of sexual assault cases. As it stands now, anti-violence organizations with very limited budgets are being forced to cover … Read more Letter calling for legal aid for anti-violence organizations protecting clients’ counselling records
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…
West Coast LEAF provided submissions as part of a public consultation process on modernizing the Employment Standards Act. We explained how gender-based discrimination results in particular difficulties in the labour force for women and gender and sexual minorities, and we called for legal protections to help ensure that people of all genders can participate in the … Read more Submissions regarding the Employment Standards Act
In March 2019, West Coast LEAF submitted input as part of the consultation regarding a universal basic income in BC. We shared our analysis of the gendered dimensions of poverty and echoed the call of BC Poverty Reduction Coalition (of which we are a member) to implement a basic income framework only if it is grounded in … Read more Submission to the BC Basic Income Consultation
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
In October 2018, West Coast LEAF urged BC’s Finance Committee to make gender equality a budget priority for 2019. In particular, we highlighted the gendered dynamics of poverty and called for BC to invest in measures to promote economic security. Read our submissions. Submissions
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
