We wrote to BC’s five Senators calling on them to pass Bill C-279 urgently and without amendment to ensure that the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code offer protection to trans people in Canada. Canada’s trans community faces extreme levels of violence, stigma and discrimination. Bill C-279 offers transgender Canadians protection from hate crimes under the Criminal Code and assured … Read more Letter on Bill C-279: An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Human Rights Act (Gender Identity)
Initiated by Justice for Girls, we wrote a joint letter to the Special Committee to Review the Independent Investigations Office describing the need for independent and accountable reviews of police-perpetrated sexual assaults, as well as our concerns that the Independent Investigations Office has not proven itself capable of carrying out these complex and sensitive investigations. … Read more Letter on the Mandate of the Independent Investigations Office
We prepared this Briefing Note for provincial legislators calling for an amendment to BC’s residential tenancy legislation that would allow victims of violence to break their fixed term leases without penalty in order to flee domestic abuse. Read the submission. (PDF, 888 KB) Submissions
As part of our Able Mothers project, we made submissions to the BC government’s Disability White Paper consultations on improving accessibility for people with disabilities. We highlighted the importance of taking strong action to address poverty, access to justice, and violence against women with disabilities, among other critical reforms. Read the submission. (PDF, 304 KB) Submissions
In our annual submission to BC’s Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, we called on the BC government to prioritize women’s equality in the upcoming budget by, among other things, investing in legal aid, implementing the recommendations of the Missing Women’s Commission of Inquiry, and increasing funding to prevent and respond to male violence … Read more Submission to the 2014 Budget Consultations
In response to a report prepared by the Family Justice Working Group of the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters, West Coast LEAF wrote to commend the Working Group for a number of positive recommendations, while raising concerns about the report’s emphasis on out-of-court dispute resolution, which can be dangerous and … Read more Submission on Meaningful Change for Family Justice – Beyond Wise Words
West Coast LEAF and Rise Women’s Legal Centre reviewed Bill 27, the Money Judgment Enforcement Act for its potential impacts on survivors of family violence and family law litigants. We are urging the Attorney General to consider these observations: While there are positive changes being proposed in Bill-27, our review has found some areas where … Read more Submissions on Bill 27: the Money Judgment Enforcement Act
