Budget Day is fast approaching in BC, and one thing is clear: the 2022 Budget cannot be a return to the status quo. This is chance for BC to action commitments to gender equity, so that we may reimagine what is possible instead of returning to what was. It’s a historic opportunity to learn lessons … Read more Budget 2022 – What’s at Stake?
For Immediate Release – February 22, 2022 VICTORIA (Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories) – Today, the provincial government released Budget 2022. While West Coast LEAF welcomes the government’s commitment to providing core funding to community-based sexual assault response organizations, Budget 2022 fails to reverse other damaging services cuts that have undermined survivors of gender-based violence in B.C. Budget … Read more Release: BC Budget 2022 fails to take bold action on gender-based violence
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
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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!
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
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
VANCOUVER, UNCEDED COAST SALISH HOMELANDS – A two-day hearing that has significant implications for how courts handle sexual assault cases commences today at the Supreme Court of Canada. West Coast LEAF and Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre (formerly WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre) (“the Coalition”) are intervening together in two appeals being heard at the same … Read more Release: Supreme Court set to review protections for sexual assault survivors in criminal trials
West Coast LEAF and Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre, formerly WAVAW, have been granted leave to jointly intervene in two appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada that address the constitutionality of new protections for complainants in sexual assault trials. The cases, R. v J.J. (an appeal and cross-appeal arising out of BC), and A.S. v Her Majesty the Queen (an … Read more Defending the privacy and equality rights of sexual assault survivors