Category: New on Clicklaw

A report from the Law Foundation of BC documents how Aboriginal communities in BC are using alternative ways to resolve disputes in the area of child protection. The Law Foundation funded several organizations to develop alternative dispute resolution models in child protection law, particularly for Aboriginal children. The alternative models feature collaborative decision-making, where families are supported in developing a plan for their child. The Report of Aboriginal Child Welfare Collaborative Decision-Making Models, now available in the Reform and Research section of Clicklaw, describes 11 projects that use collaborative decision-making models, building knowledge in this unique area.

Appeals from court decisions: what makes them important? A seven minute video on the Justice Education Society website highlights the role of appeals in our justice system. The video is a condensed version of “Though the Heavens Fall”, an hour-long documentary developed by the BC Court of Appeal with the Justice Education Society and the Knowledge Network for the Court of Appeal’s 100th Anniversary.

The documentary highlights important social changes, such as the introduction of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as gay marriage, and illustrates how concepts such as the rule of law and judicial independence are critical to the health of our justice system. The full-length DVD and a companion teacher’s guide, now available in Clicklaw’s Learn & Teach section, can be ordered from Justice Education for $20. The lessons help students learn about the BC Court of Appeal – what it is, what it does, and how it upholds values that are cornerstones of a free and democratic society.