Important update

As of March 13, 2020, we have made the difficult decision to suspend all in-person workshops until further notice, to reduce the threat to community health posed by COVID-19. We will work on developing a remote delivery option. Please feel free to contact us at education [at] westcoastleaf [dot] org to be updated about this option. Thank you for your understanding as we all try to take care of each other and ourselves during this challenging time.

 

About the workshop

This is a full-day workshop for service providers, organizers, advocates, activists, and those seeking concrete strategies to address systemic discrimination. Delivered by legal educators, the workshop provides an overview of the Canadian justice system, human rights law, and equality rights. We use real-world cases and examples of litigation to develop a comprehensive understanding of legal strategies that can be used to combat discrimination in everyday situations. It is also an excellent opportunity to connect with folks working for social justice in your community.

(Note: This workshop is an updated version of “Transforming Our Future.”)

 

Topics covered
  • Overview of the Canadian legal system
  • Formal & substantive equality in Canadian law
  • In depth exploration of Section 15 (the Equality Rights Provision) of the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms
  • How to identify when an act of discrimination violates one’s Charter rights or the BC Human Rights Code, and what you can do to challenge it.
  • Overview of five concrete legal strategies that can be used to challenge systemic discrimination, applying them to real-world cases that have happened in British Columbia.

 

Bring this workshop to your community

We are always looking to visit new communities throughout British Columbia. If you are interested in bringing the workshop to your community, please get in touch by emailing us.

 

Testimonials

“I’ve worked in the Human Rights field for more than 25 years and the materials used in Transforming Our Future are the best I’ve seen.”

“Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) participated in organizing the TOF alongside West Coast LEAF. At TAPS, we all greatly appreciated the level of insightful and detailed information that was given to seminar participants. The strategizing session that allowed participants to come up with unique paths for legal change was of particular note and we are hopeful that the information shared in this aspect of the seminar will be put to great use in our community.”

“The workshop was interactive and built around the skill of the participants while providing comprehensive information so that everyone had an opportunity to learn regardless of individual knowledge.”

“I learned that legal strategies are accessible to communities and that they can be learned.”

We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.