Updates & Press

Release: Changes to National Inquiry needed to meaningfully meet its mandate

14/05/2018Access to justice, Gender-based violence Press

VANCOUVER – This morning, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (“Inquiry”) begins the first of four days of expert hearings. West Coast LEAF is in Quebec City for the hearings, which are focused on understanding a human rights framework for the Inquiry’s work. The Inquiry has a mandate to identify and examine … Read more Release: Changes to National Inquiry needed to meaningfully meet its mandate

Release: BC Court Decision Leaves Street Homeless Vulnerable

12/04/2018Access to justice, Criminalization, Economic security Press

VANCOUVER – Yesterday, the BC Court of Appeal (BCCA) released its judgment in a case about discrimination against Vancouver’s street homeless population. The Court upheld the 2012 dismissal of a human rights complaint brought on behalf of the population of homeless in downtown Vancouver. In many ways, this case is about equal access to human rights protections … Read more Release: BC Court Decision Leaves Street Homeless Vulnerable

Release: BC court rules solitary confinement violates the Charter

17/01/2018Criminalization Press

VANCOUVER – This morning, the BC Supreme Court released its judgment in an historic court case challenging the use of solitary confinement in Canada’s federal prisons. Justice Peter Leask found the prolonged and indefinite segregation of federal prisoners violates their rights to life, liberty, and security of the person (s. 7 of the Charter) and discriminates against mentally ill … Read more Release: BC court rules solitary confinement violates the Charter

Release: Supreme Court of Canada decision is a win for human rights

17/12/2017Economic security, Gender-based violence Press

VANCOUVER – Today, the Supreme Court of Canada released its judgment in Schrenk v BC Human Rights Tribunal, a case about the scope of human rights protections against discriminatory harassment in the workplace. The Court ruled in the complainant’s favour, finding that human rights law prohibits discrimination in the workplace regardless of whether it is perpetuated by an … Read more Release: Supreme Court of Canada decision is a win for human rights

Release: BC still not making the grade in women’s equality, despite modest improvements

06/12/2017Access to justice, Criminalization, Economic security, Family well-being, Gender-based violence, Healthcare Press

VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released its ninth annual report card on the rights of women in BC. While BC has pulled up its grade in seven of the nine key areas this year, the report card still shows a serious need for improvement in order to fulfill international commitments on women’s human rights. The … Read more Release: BC still not making the grade in women’s equality, despite modest improvements

Release: Supreme Court of Canada hears Trinity Western law school appeals

29/11/2017Access to justice, Gender-based violence Press

OTTAWA – Tomorrow, West Coast LEAF is at the Supreme Court of Canada to support the Law Society of British Columbia’s (LSBC) decision to deny accreditation to a proposed law school at Trinity Western University (TWU), an evangelical Christian university located in British Columbia, which requires its students and employees to sign a Community Covenant … Read more Release: Supreme Court of Canada hears Trinity Western law school appeals

Release: #JusticeReformBC – Broad coalition of legal organizations calling for significant reform to BC’s justice system

30/08/2017Access to justice, Criminalization, Economic security, Healthcare Press

Pivot Legal Society, Community Legal Assistance Society, BC Civil Liberties Association, and West Coast LEAF are calling on the provincial government to implement significant changes to BC’s justice and legal systems in order to support marginalized and Indigenous communities in the province, and to improve the delivery of justice to all British Columbians. The organizations … Read more Release: #JusticeReformBC – Broad coalition of legal organizations calling for significant reform to BC’s justice system

Release: Women’s equality experts intervene in lawsuit over solitary confinement

04/07/2017Criminalization, Gender-based violence Press

VANCOUVER – Today, an historic legal challenge to the use of solitary confinement in Canada’s federal prisons goes to trial at the BC Supreme Court. The equality rights organization West Coast LEAF (Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund) will be in Court to argue that solitary confinement causes specific and severe harms to women inmates. The case … Read more Release: Women’s equality experts intervene in lawsuit over solitary confinement

More than a rainbow sticker

15/05/2017Access to justice, Gender-based violence, Healthcare Update

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT), an important occasion to check in with ourselves here at West Coast LEAF about how consistently and effectively we are challenging these oppressions every day in our work. In September 2018, West Coast LEAF announced our expanded mandate to work towards justice and equality for all people … Read more More than a rainbow sticker

Release: Feminist coalition responds to verdict in Wagar retrial for sexual assault

01/02/2017Gender-based violence Press

A coalition of feminist organizations committed to ending violence against women offers support to the complainant at the conclusion of the retrial of sexual assault charges against the accused, Alexander Wagar. Mr. Wagar’s criminal case came to international attention due to the conduct of the first judge who heard the case, Justice Robin Camp. Mr. … Read more Release: Feminist coalition responds to verdict in Wagar retrial for sexual assault