Please extend a warm welcome to Kate Oja, who joined the BCCLA as Staff Counsel in Litigation this fall. Kate was called to the bar in 2010, after obtaining her law degree from the University of Toronto, with a focus … Read More
Features Blog
Why “Cyber” is Red-Hot (and why it’s a Burning Civil Liberties Issue)
Posted onProtecting digital systems and being resilient to computer hacking are not new concepts. But the implications of cyber security (‘cyber’, in the lingo) have recently exploded. Cyber security is increasingly a national security matter; think: cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure … Read More
Welcome to our new staff!
Posted onJoin us in extending a warm welcome to our new staff members! We’re excited to welcome Latoya Farrell as the 2018/2019 Articling Student, Amy Gill as Executive Coordinator, and Emily Lapper as Senior Litigation Counsel. Latoya Farrell is a recent addition … Read More
Why the Arguments Against Electoral Reform in BC are Wrong
Posted onNext week BC residents will start to receive voting packages in the mail for the referendum on electoral reform. The BCCLA is excited for this opportunity to shift to a proportional representation system, as it would enhance the influence of … Read More
Should there be a Provincial Policy on Street Checks?
Posted onDuring the public dialogue on street checks in Vancouver, the BCCLA has been asked, “What can be done about the practice of street checks?” We believe that the provincial government has an important role to play in regulating policing practices. … Read More
What is a Street Check?
Posted onIn our previous blog, we unpacked part of the public dialogue that has been taking place in Vancouver on street checks. In this blog, we wanted to detail some of the legal dimensions of what is and what is not … Read More
Unpacking the public dialogue on discriminatory street checks in British Columbia
Posted onFor years, we have heard reports from racialized communities in BC that they are over policed and under protected. This manifests in many ways, from overuse of force by police, to the racially biased use of street checks on marginalized … Read More
Reflections on the MMIWG Police Hearings
Posted onThis June, BCCLA Policy Director, Micheal Vonn, and I participated in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, in Regina, Saskatchewan.[1] Families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the MMIWG Coalition (of which … Read More
We’re hiring an Executive Coordinator!
Posted onThe BCCLA is seeking a highly organized professional who demonstrates excellent judgement and a commitment to civil liberties and human rights to provide coordination support to our Executive Director and across our team. As part of our Operations team and … Read More
Canadian Government Denies Experiential Truth of Solitary Confinement
Posted onToday I find myself questioning the power of speaking truth to government. Incarcerated people bravely stepped forward and spoke the truth of their lived experiences in our recent solitary confinement trial. Although they testified separately, their voices often mirrored each … Read More