Tag: west coast leaf

2017 Bi-Monthly Update Series: November/December

New on Clicklaw, The broader context

To keep you informed, here are some highlights of changes and updates made to Clicklaw in November and December:

Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec

Legal Services Society

  • Gladue Submission Guide
    This new, plain language booklet for Aboriginal peoples explains how to prepare a Gladue submission to help the judge decide bail or sentencing. Includes a Gladue factors checklist and a worksheet to help Aboriginal peoples, lawyers, and Native courtworkers gather information needed to prepare a submission.
  • Your Gladue Rights
    This revised booklet explains Gladue rights, rights under the Criminal Code that apply to anyone who identifies as Aboriginal. Gladue rights can apply at bail and sentencing hearings.
  • Sponsorship Breakdown
    This updated booklet is for permanent residents who need help when the person sponsoring them in Canada is no longer supporting them.

Provincial Court of BC

  • CFCSA flowchart (Child Protection Matters)
    Chart shows possible stages and orders in child protection proceedings under the Child, Family and Community Service Act, with notes – statute sections are hyperlinked to the Act.
  • Criminal Case Flowchart
    Stages in a Criminal Case: These notes provide more information about criminal procedure – the procedures set out in the Criminal Code of Canada to be followed in criminal cases.
  • BC Provincial Court Common Questions
    General information about the Provincial Court and the BC justice system.

Disability Alliance BC Help Sheets Update

The following help sheets on BC’s disability benefits have been updated:

Small Claims Trial Preparation Clinic
by Seniors First BC

Are you a senior representing yourself in a Small Claims Court proceeding? Call 604-336-5653 to find out more about this Trial Preparation Clinic. A lawyer will call you back to assess if the clinic is able to assist.

Mothers Without Status
by YWCA Vancouver

This updated booklet is for service providers assisting “mothers without status”. It now has new content on MCFD and has been updated for immigration and Family Law Act changes.

Financing Litigation Legal Research Project
by British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)

The paper reviews six financing models to pay for litigation: unbundled legal services, third-party litigation funding, alternative fee arrangements, crowdfunding, legal expense insurance, and publicly funded litigation funds. It also discusses 18 ideas on how to enhance the use of each model.

Operating in Darkness: BC’s Mental Health Act Detention System
by Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS)

Mental health detentions in BC have increased dramatically over the last ten years. This report reveals several disturbing practices and points to a number of deep flaws in the BC Mental Health Act that do not comply with the rights guaranteed by the Charter and international human rights law.

2017 CEDAW Report Card
by West Coast LEAF

The annual CEDAW Report Card grades BC’s compliance with United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). BC’s record of action and inaction in the past year is assessed in nine key areas impacting the rights of women and girls.

The National Self-Represented Litigants Project

Charterpedia
by the Government of Canada

Charterpedia provides legal info about the Charter and contains information about the purpose of each section of the Charter, the analysis or test developed through case law in respect of the section, and any particular considerations related to it. Each Charterpedia entry cites relevant case law.

Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family

Stay informed:

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October 2017 Events (BC-wide, Online)

Events, The broader context

Bookmark this post! It will be updated as more events are announced. You can also get frequent updates via our Twitter. Have a suggestion? Email us.

  • October 2017: Personal Planning Month: Getting your affairs in order gives you peace of mind and takes the burden off family and friends. It’s easy when you know the steps to take. Attend a free presentation, find out about Nidus’ free forms to make your own Representation Agreement. Nidus is an independent, non-profit, charitable organization that was set up by seniors and disability groups. Nidus is the Centre for Excellence on Representation Agreements and personal planning.
    • Provincial Interactive Webinars with Q&A: Public libraries across BC are hosting Nidus presentations. Locations include: Castlegar, Duncan, Okanagan (Enderby, Armstrong, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Summerland), Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Trail, Thompson-Nicola, Victoria, Prince Rupert, Williams Lake.
    • Metro-Vancouver in-person presentations: With the generous support of local seniors centres, neighbourhood houses and public libraries, Nidus-trained volunteers and staff are able to offer some in-person presentations in the Metro-Van area.
    • Webinars for Professionals: Professionals need information and resources geared to their workplace role. Nidus is offering presentations for the following settings.

      Interested professionals should email info@nidus.ca for details.

Engaging Older Women in your Community is a promising practices tool developed as an outcome of the Older Women’s Dialogue Project (OWDP), a collaborative project between the West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (West Coast LEAF) and the Canadian Centre for Elder Law (CCEL). The publication is intended to support your agency to anticipate and address structural barriers to the participation of older women in community initiatives aimed at legal and policy change.

The tool includes key questions to explore, tips for enhancing organizational capacity to include older women, and examples from our experience throughout the OWDP. All of the ideas contained in this resource reflect what CCEL and West Coast LEAF learned through working with older women in Vancouver, BC.

There are more than 27,000 non-profit societies in BC, providing services and programs that touch virtually every citizen. All pre-existing BC societies need to transition to the new BC Societies Act. The Act includes many significant changes. There is a two-year transition period by which time all societies in BC will have to have filed a transition application. This workshop will provide your society with the information it needs on whether to make any bylaw or policy changes necessary for your society to transition to effectively function under the new Act.

The Fee is $50, but if you are a registered non-profit society delivering community social services within the geographical boundaries of the City of Vancouver, you may be eligible to receive a bursary to assist you with all or part of the workshop registration fee. See registration link for details.

  • October 16-24 (Various Dates): People’s Law School presents several classes on the following topics in Surrey and Vancouver:
    • Monday, October 16 (7-8pm) Probating a Will – Surrey Libraries Ocean Park Branch
    • Tuesday, October 17 (7-8:30pm) Wills and Estates – Surrey Libraries Guildford Branch
    • Wednesday, October 18 (7-8:30pm) Residential Tenancy for Landlords – Surrey Libraries Newton Branch
    • Thursday, October 19 (7-8:30pm) Strata Law – Surrey Libraries City Centre Branch
    • Tuesday, October 24 (6:30-8pm) Immigration Law – What TPRs Need to Know – Dunbar Community Centre
    • Tuesday, October 24 (12-1pm) Your Tenancy Rights – People’s Law School

This year, PovNet celebrates twenty years of building an online community of advocates, social justice lawyers and other passionate front-line workers and supporters who are committed to supporting those living in poverty, while battling the systemic issues that drive people there. We would be so happy if you could join us to celebrate this milestone. We would also like to invite you to help spread the word about this event. We are so excited to be celebrating the work of PovNetters from all over BC and indeed right across Canada. The celebration will be held at the Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport, and will start with a short Annual General Meeting, followed by a few speakers and stories. We will have finger food and refreshments and there will be a cash bar. The location is within 1 block of the Aberdeen Canadaline station. We look forward to sharing this evening with you!

  • Tuesday, October 24 (12:30-1:30 PM): Litigating for Access: Suing the Government Over the Crisis in Legal Aid at Room 122, Allard Hall, 1822 East Mall, UBC, Vancouver.

Part of the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies’ Fall 2017 lecture series. Featuring West Coast LEAF’s Executive Director Kasari Govender and Litigation Director Raji Mangat.

Get your tickets now and spend an evening with your friends from CLAS and other familiar faces from the social justice community. Tickets are $20, plus service fee, online and $25 at the door. Space is limited so buy early. A full dinner menu will be available so stay for a drink or two and maybe even dinner. Either way, we want you to join us for a fun night. Thanks for supporting our organization as we work towards advancing dignity, equality and justice for all across BC. Tickets can be purchased here. Please direct any questions about the event to Dianne Bankay at dbankay@clasbc.net.

Stay informed:

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