Civil Liberties Update


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November Update 2008
BCCLA Names New Acting Executive Director		Border Should Not Be Used to Ban People From Speaking on Contentious Issues
The BCCLA is pleased to announce that it has named housing and policing accountability advocate and lawyer David Eby as its acting Executive Director. Eby, one of Vancouver Magazine’s top seven advocates in 2007 and one of the Vancouver Sun’s top 20 most public Vancouverites, will be taking over the role effective December 1, 2008. News release >>		The Canada Border Services Agency should not be in the business of screening what viewpoints are presented to Canadians in Canada. Preventing an American anti-gay group from entering Canada in order to protest outside the performance of the Laramie Project, a play about the murder in 1998 of Matthew Shepard, a gay student in Wyoming, would do just that. The notorious Westboro Baptist Church routinely pickets any production of The Laramie Project. The BCCLA opposes the use of the border to block political speech, no matter how repulsive the ideas of the demonstrators. News release >>
Frank Paul Heads to Court of Appeal		Freedom in Action: Youth, Civil Liberties & Citizenship
Frank Paul was 47-year-old Mi'kmaq man who, on December 6, 1998, was left by Vancouver police in a downtown eastside alley, where he died of exposure. Crown prosecutors made five charge-approval assessments and decided that no charges should be laid against the police officers that were involved in his death. In 2007 a Public Inquiry into Frank Paul’s death was convened. The Attorney General argued at the Inquiry that prosecutors could not be required to provide information regarding the decisions not to prosecute any of the police officers. The Commissioner of the Inquiry disagreed and ruled that the prosecutors must provide evidence. That decision was appealed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, where it was upheld. The matter has been further appealed to the Court of Appeal where arguments commenced on Monday December 1, 2008. The BCCLA is arguing that the prosecutors should be compellable to provide evidence regarding the decisions not to prosecute anyone in connection with Mr. Paul’s death. The BCCLA is represented in the case and at the Paul Inquiry by Michael Tammen, of Harper Grey LLP, and Grace Pastine, BCCLA Litigation Director.		The 4th annual BCCLA forum for high school students enrolled in law and social studies was held on November 26 at SFU Harbour Centre. The event, which attracted approximately 200 students— some from as far as Port Alberni— included a presentation on youth and criminal law by lawyer Tim Hinkson from Peck and Company. Students participated in small group sessions led by volunteer legal professionals: David Eby, Chris Hardcastle, Devyn Cousineau, Don McKinnon, Kevin Love, Jenna Flannigan, Sara Dubinsky, Michael McCubbin and Andrew Cudmore. Students also attended workshops on topics ranging from Facebook, Homelessness, Food Security, Student Activism and Media Concentration that were facilitated by Romi Chandra, Kevin Millsip, John Kehler, Aly De La Cruz, Jenna Desormeaux, Micheal Vonn and Vance Lockton. The BCCLA would like to thank those who volunteered their time to make this a successful event.

The Power of Thanks
BCCLA President Rob Holmes with Eddie Greenspan, Q.C. On Thursday, November 20, 2008, the BCCLA held The Power of Liberty, a special public lecture on privacy by prominent criminal lawyer Eddie Greenspan Q.C. at the Law Courts Inn in downtown Vancouver. Our thanks go out to Mr Greenspan, Q.C. and the sponsors that made the event possible: Lawson Lundell LLP; Branch MacMaster; Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP; Farris, Vaughan; Wills & Murphy LLP; Harper Grey LLP; Lindsay Kenney LLP and Thorsteinssons LLP,Tax Lawyers. We also want to thank the pro bono legal talents and key supporters who have championed civil liberties and human rights on behalf of the BCCLA over the past two years. And thank you to all the ticket buyers and guests that attended the event and helped to make it such a success!

December 31 is the Tax Deduction Deadline
Did you know...You can donate depreciated securities to the BCCLA in 2008, realize the capital loss and apply the loss against past and future capital gains. Remember, many investors have realized substantial capital gains in recent years and these capital gains could be offset by capital losses to minimize the tax you have to pay. Capital losses in Canada can be carried back three years and carried forward indefinitely to offset capital gains. And, as a bonus, you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the value of the donated securities, which can be used as a tax deduction for 2008. Contact Sarah at sarah@bccla.org or 604-630-9750 for more information. Get a 2008 charitable tax deduction by donating or renewing your membership online by December 31. Thank you!

Civil Liberties Update is a summary of some of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association's recent work. The Association publishes a newsletter, The Democratic Commitment, an annual report and posts its positions, submissions, legal arguments and news releases at www.bccla.org.
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