Our second annual reporting of the best and worst defenders of civil liberties in British Columbia.

BRICKBATS:

• BC Human Rights Commission & Tribunal
  the former for ordering a hearing into a sexual harassment complaint that had previously been rejected by UBC’s Equity Office, the latter for losing control of the process, then issuing a decision vastly expanding the scope of sexual harassment.
• International Forest Products Limited
  for applying for an injunction barring the public and the press from a large area around a disputed logging operation.
• New Westminster City Council
  for enacting a bylaw banning the sale of drug paraphernalia despite police advice that no problem exists, and for supporting illegal police behaviour in cracking down on the street drug trade.
• Slocan Forest Products Limited
  for launching a civil suit against an environmental group to punish and intimidate the group for protesting Slocan Forest Products’ practices.
• The University of British Columbia for requiring a pro-life group to pay for extra security for its provocative display, and for supporting a “women only” ad.
• Vancouver Police Department
  for acting beyond its legal powers to ward off feared public mayhem, and the Vancouver Police Board for its support of such police tactics.

BOUQUETS:

• All the lawyers in BC who donate their time and talents for pro bono work
  Need we add why?
• Association of Canadian Chiefs of Police
  for recommending the decriminilization of the possession of marijuana and other controlled substances.
• David Flaherty
  for his years of service as BC’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, especially his outspoken criticism of privacy invasions.
• The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)
  for quickly reversing its policy on criminal record checks of employees in non-sensitive positions.
• Kim Bolan
  the Vancouver Sun reporter, for continuing to report on Sikh extremists despite death threats.
• Vancouver Police Department/Police Board
  for devoting considerable resources to solving the murders of Downtown eastside women.
• Vancouver/Richmond Health Board
  for its creative projects for harm reduction projects in the Downtown eastside.
• Victoria Public Library
  for continuing its “content neutral” meetings rooms policy in the face of strong criticism.