Author: Clicklaw Editor

You may recall that in 2010 West Coast LEAF  released Mapping the Gap, a report that provided a broad overview of the legal resources available to women in BC. The results of the surveys conducted during the preparation of that report indicated a significant gap in responses from Aboriginal organizations and centers. For West Coast LEAF, this gap highlighted a need to better engage with Aboriginal communities in order to learn what legal resources Aboriginal women are using and what needs remain unmet.

To this end, they initiated a new project in 2011 that specifically focused on community-based legal resources accessed by Aboriginal women and their advocates within the context of diminishing legal aid services.

Now available on Clicklaw, Mapping the Gap: Linking Aboriginal Women with Legal Resources and Services is a report that describes the results of their project and their findings that there are major gaps in service for Aboriginal women (including basic, face-to-face, legal support). The report also contains recommendations for the future.

More information about this project can be found on their website.

 Although 2012 is already in full swing, I’d like to think it’s never too late to commit to another resolution for the new year. And it’s possible that in the aftermath of this past holiday season, you may find yourself interested in learning a little about how you can become a more savvy consumer.

With this in mind, I can think of no better time to direct your attention to the Canadian Consumer Handbook from Industry Canada that is now on Clicklaw.

Also available in French, this convenient online resource is designed to help you become a better informed and more confident consumer of both goods and services. Read about everything from online shopping, gift cards, and purchasing a vehicle to managing personal debt, consumer privacy, and unfair business practices. Select topics you are interested in and make your own handbook that you can download on to your personal computer!

For more information on topics such as consumer rights, scams to avoid, and credit & loans, check out these excellent resources on Clicklaw. For information more specific to debt, start your search here.

Cheers to starting off the new year a more savvy and satisfied consumer!