At West Coast LEAF, we’re proud to make the news regularly, to share our expertise widely, and ultimately to shift public opinion, laws, and policies. Here’s some of what we’ve been up to in 2019!
February
- Vancouver Star, “Court challenge for women fleeing violence ‘doomed to fail,’ argues lawyer for B.C. government,” February 25, https://www.thestar.com/amp/vancouver/2019/02/25/court-challenge-for-women-fleeing-violence-doomed-to-fail-argues-lawyer-for-bc-government.html
- Radio-Canada, “Un regroupement de femmes veut forcer un meilleur financement de l’aide juridique,” February 25, https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1155128/aide-juridique-femmes-violence-cour-supreme-inconstitutionnel
- The Lawyer’s Daily, “B.C. bar association president ‘hesitantly optimistic’ about pledge to fund new legal clinics,” February 28, https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/10528/b-c-bar-association-president-hesitantly-optimistic-about-pledge-to-fund-new-legal-clinics
March
- CBC News, “‘And then he was raping me’: Victim goes public about shocking attack to reveal justice system flaws,” March 2, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/national-sam-fazio-metoo-assault-justice-system-1.5037881
- CBC News, “Teacher shown door after Christian school discovers she had sex ‘outside of a heterosexual marriage,'” March 3, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/christian-school-forces-resignation-over-community-standards-policy-1.5035804
- BC Today, interview on public funding of private religious schools, March 3, https://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/bc-today/episode/15674823
- Canadian Lawyer Magazine, March 4, “Advocacy group challenges constitutionality of B.C. family law legal aid regime,” https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/author/alexia-kapralos/advocacy-group-challenges-constitutionality-of-bc-family-law-legal-aid-regime-16938/
- Vancouver Star, March 14, “B.C. legal aid lawyers vote to strike over funding ‘crisis,'” https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/03/14/bc-legal-aid-lawyers-vote-to-strike-over-funding-crisis.html
April
- The Lawyer’s Daily, April 8, “‘Attack’ on trans person due to gender identity ‘very essence of discrimination’: B.C. human rights body,” https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/11449/-attack-on-trans-person-due-to-gender-identity-very-essence-of-discrimination-b-c-human-rights-body?category=news
May
- The Lawyer’s Daily, May 1, “Time to mobilize family law litigants,” https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/11987/time-to-mobilize-family-law-litigants-john-paul-boyd
- The Star Vancouver, May 2, “”Whistleblower, fans ‘disappointed’ in Whitecaps’ handling of abuse investigation,” https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/05/02/whistleblower-fans-disappointed-in-whitecaps-handling-of-abuse-investigation.html
- APTN News, May 17, “Advocacy group says workers hear about negative police attitudes every day,” https://aptnnews.ca/2019/05/17/advocacy-group-says-workers-hear-about-negative-police-attitudes-every-day/
- The Vancouver Sun, May 30, “B.C. tenants able to terminate lease in event of sexual assault,” https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-tenants-able-to-terminate-lease-in-event-of-sexual-assault
June
- The Star Vancouver, June 3, “Women fleeing violence face exceptional circumstances that deserve integrated court system, say legal advocates,” https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/06/03/women-fleeing-violence-face-exceptional-circumstances-that-deserve-integrated-court-system-say-legal-advocates.html
- CBC News, June 9, “B.C. massage therapists accused of sexual misconduct say they don’t need chaperones,” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-massage-therapists-court-challenges-sexual-misconduct-1.5165431
July
- The Star Vancouver, July 5, “Rape culture evident in human rights tribunal decisions, UBC law professor says,” https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/07/05/rape-culture-uncovered-in-human-rights-tribunal-decisions-ubc-law-professor.html
- The Vancouver Sun, July 7, “Sexual assault only violent crime still rising in Vancouver, stats say,” https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/sexual-assault-only-violent-crime-still-rising-in-vancouver-stats-say
August
- HuffPost, August 18, “BC lawyers offer Doug Ford a ‘cautionary tale’ on legal aid cuts,” https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/ontario-legal-aid-cuts-bc_ca_5d55b58ce4b0eb875f20d2c1
September
- APTN News, September 24, “Indigenous families in BC share vision for ending the Millennium Scoop,” https://aptnnews.ca/2019/09/24/indigenous-families-in-b-c-share-vision-to-end-millennium-scoop/
- CBC’s The Early Edition, September 24, interview about Pathways in a Forest: Indigenous guidance on prevention-based child welfare, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/programs/theearlyedition/cbc-vancouver-the-early-edition-1.3351431
- CBC News, September 28. “Indigenous communities need authority over child welfare says legal advocacy group,” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/millenium-scoop-westcoast-leaf-report-1.5300534
October
- The Lawyer’s Daily, October 3, “Shift B.C. Indigenous child welfare focus from apprehension to family support, report says,” https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/15705