Updates & Press

Release: Canada held to account for its disappointing women’s rights record by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

25/10/2016Access to justice, Economic security, Gender-based violence, Healthcare Press

Joint Statement by Canadian Civil Society Organizations Today Canada’s record of women’s equality is under the spotlight at the United Nations in Geneva. The 65th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women happens at an opportune moment for Canadian women. Canada has a new federal government with a Prime Minister who … Read more Release: Canada held to account for its disappointing women’s rights record by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Release: Human rights groups call for increased welfare rates, protection of right to food

20/10/2016Economic security, Family well-being Press

West Coast LEAF has issued a press release jointly with the BC Civil Liberties Association, Pivot Legal Society, BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre, and Community Legal Assistance Society calling on the BC government to raise social assistance rates and address the resulting epidemic of food insecurity and the dire consequences for human health and safety. The press release coincides with … Read more Release: Human rights groups call for increased welfare rates, protection of right to food

Release: BC gets low marks on report card assessing women’s equality

18/10/2016Access to justice, Criminalization, Economic security, Family well-being, Gender-based violence, Healthcare Press

VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF released its eighth annual report card on women’s rights in BC. While there have been minor improvements in some of the nine key areas this year, the overwhelmingly low grades reveal that BC has once again failed to deliver on its responsibilities towards women. In particular, the Province has … Read more Release: BC gets low marks on report card assessing women’s equality

Release: Discrimination case against street homeless puts equal protection to the test

05/10/2016Access to justice, Criminalization, Economic security Press

VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF in coalition with the Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) is at the BC Court of Appeal (BCCA) in an appeal concerning discrimination against Vancouver’s street homeless population. The appeal, brought by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and the City of Vancouver (COV), seeks to overturn a finding … Read more Release: Discrimination case against street homeless puts equal protection to the test

Release: Advocates call for people on social assistance to have equal autonomy in their relationships

26/09/2016Access to justice, Economic security Press

VANCOUVER – West Coast LEAF is calling on the BC government to amend the law to ensure that the people living in poverty have equal freedom to choose when they are financially dependent on another person. West Coast LEAF is recommending amendments to BC’s Employment and Assistance Act and Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act that will … Read more Release: Advocates call for people on social assistance to have equal autonomy in their relationships

Release: Coalition calls federal plan for national inquiry too vague

03/08/2016Access to justice, Gender-based violence Press

Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – Today a Coalition on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls responded to the Federal Government’s announcement of the national Inquiry. The Federal Government has released the names of the Commissioners and the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Inquiry. The Coalition continues to demand justice for missing and murdered … Read more Release: Coalition calls federal plan for national inquiry too vague

Release: Federal inquiry into missing, murdered Indigenous women lacks provincial commitment

03/08/2016Access to justice, Gender-based violence Press

VANCOUVER – Today, West Coast LEAF calls on all levels of government to commit to addressing violence against Indigenous women and girls through a robust, effective national inquiry. Following decades of advocacy by Indigenous and women’s activists, the federal government finally committed to an Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada. Earlier … Read more Release: Federal inquiry into missing, murdered Indigenous women lacks provincial commitment

Release: New report finds that inadequate child care violates the rights of BC women and children

12/07/2016Access to justice, Economic security, Family well-being Press

Vancouver – On July 12, 2016 West Coast LEAF will release a new report entitled High Stakes: The impacts of child care on the human rights of women and children. The report concludes that the rights of women and children are being violated in complex and wide-ranging ways as a result of the shortage of affordable, … Read more Release: New report finds that inadequate child care violates the rights of BC women and children

Release: Coalition intervenes in inquiry into judge’s conduct during sexual assault trial

11/07/2016Gender-based violence Press

VANCOUVER – Today, a national coalition of women’s organizations including West Coast LEAF was granted intervener status in the inquiry into the conduct of Justice Robin Camp while he presided over a sexual assault trial in Alberta in 2014. Justice Camp asked the complainant, an Indigenous woman who was 19 years old and homeless at … Read more Release: Coalition intervenes in inquiry into judge’s conduct during sexual assault trial

Release: Coalition on violence against Indigenous women statement on the importance of full cooperation with the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

26/04/2016Access to justice, Gender-based violence Press

The Legal Strategy Coalition on Violence Against Indigenous Women has issued a press release to highlight its public statement urging full involvement of the provinces and territories in the national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women. The participation of provincial and territorial governments is essential in order to ensure coordinated efforts in responding to and preventing … Read more Release: Coalition on violence against Indigenous women statement on the importance of full cooperation with the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls