Category British Columbia

UVic Access to Justice Centre for Excellence Launches Justice Data and Design Lab

ajrn1 Leave a comment

The Access to Justice Centre for Excellence at the University of Victoria (UVic ACE) has released its first data update from the recently launched Justice Data and Design Lab (JDD). The JDD, which is housed at ACE, provides access to justice data insights specific to British Columbia.

Working with graduate students from the faculties of law and data science, the JDD has published data on the legal needs of British Columbians gleaned from social media site, Reddit.

Those interested in access to justice are encouraged to access the new JDD Interactive Display, which provides information on the types of legal problems people in B.C. are asking for help with on Reddit as of January 2024.

For information on how to download and view the interactive display, contact ACE at https://bcace.org/contact.

To better understand the type of data that the JDD is collecting and what they are learning from the data, there is a video explaining the data, available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LI7dpj9qZluZXAgXNFsKGFHh4qYm1WAV/view.

For general information on the Justice Data and Design Lab, visit: https://bcace.org/justice-data-and-design-lab. To learn more about the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence, visit: https://bcace.org/.

Access to Justice Week BC Offers Opportunity to Engage with A2J Movement in BC and Beyond

ajrn1 Leave a comment

Access to Justice Week BC will take place from February 5 to 9, 2024. The week’s event lineup includes panels centered on advancing the justice system through people-centered perspectives.

Events planned under this year’s theme, “What does People-Centered Justice Look Like?” include:

Monday, February 5
Author discussion of Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial
Speaker: Benjamin Perrin, UBC Allard Law Professor 

Tuesday, February 6
The Intersection between Restorative Justice and Person-Centered Justice
Speaker: Dr. Alana Abramson, KPU Criminology Instructor, Trainer & Consultant

Bridging the Gap:  Access to Justice by Van and Boat
Speakers:
Ab Currie, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, Canadian Forum on Civil Justice
Anne Fletcher, Founder and Legal Advocate, Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program
Moderator: Lindsay Frame, CBABC Access to Justice Committee / Litigation Associate, McCarthy Tetrault

Finding Justice: Challenges and Opportunities in BC’s Legal Aid Landscape
Speakers:
Aleem Bharmal, KC, Community Legal Assistance Society
Michael Bryant, CEO, Legal Aid BC
Wendy Jackson, Executive Director of Legal Access Policy Division, Ministry of Attorney General
Amanda Carling, CEO, BC First Nations Justice Council
Moderator: Lee Nevens, First Vice President, Canadian Bar Association – BC Branch

Wednesday, February 7
Legal Education and Professional Competencies: What the Access to Justice Lawyer Needs to Know
Speakers:
Hon. Associate Chief Justice Susan Wishart, BC Provincial Court
Robert Lapper, KC, UVic Law Professor
Chris Heslinga, Director, UVic Law Centre

Thursday, February 8
Designing a Person-Centred Family Justice System
Speakers: TBA

Friday, February 9
Gendered Aspects of Legal Aid
Speakers:
Lindsay Tedds, Associate Professor, Economics, University of Calgary
Gillian Petit, Senior Researcher, Economics, University of Calgary
Monique Pongracic-Speier, KC, Partner, Ethos Law

Youth Legal Needs and the Current Youth-Service Landscape in BC
Speakers:
Rachel Getz, first year law student at Thompson Rivers University School of Law
Avneet Sandhu, first year law student at the University of Victoria School of Law
Keegan Nicol, first year law student at UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law
Tina Parbhakar, Strategic Coordinator, Access to Justice BC

Youth Leaders in Law Virtual Speed Networking with Alberta & BC Law Students

The full Access to Justice Week BC schedule is available online here: https://accesstojusticebc.ca/a2jweekbc/.

Access to Justice Organizations Collaborating on Person-Centred Justice, Change & Connection Workshop

ajrn1 Leave a comment

The Access to Justice Centre for Excellence at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law (ACE) and McGill University’s Faculty of Law in collaboration with the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) and CREATE Justice at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law will be hosting a hybrid workshop on Person-Centred Justice, Change, and Connection at McGill University’s Faculty of Law from May 24-25, 2024 (the 2024 PCJ Workshop). Proposals are welcome from researchers, graduate students, and practitioners on themes related to access to justice and person-centred justice, including works and projects which challenge or expand understandings of the field through empirical, critical, or pluralistic lenses. The deadline to submit proposals is January 19, 2024.

The 2024 PCJ Workshop will build on the excellent discussions and scholarly exchanges that took place at the inaugural Person-Centred Justice workshop held at York University on May 29, 2023 and subsequent (forthcoming 2024) contributions to a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Law and Society on Person-Centred Justice. The workshop will be an opportunity to build connections between scholars, researchers, practitioners and other access to justice stakeholders across Canada; it will also facilitate the development of scholarly works for publication in journals that accept submissions on the themes of access to justice and person-centred justice such as the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice (see submission guidelines). Finally, the 2024 PCJ Workshop will also support preparation for the upcoming International Access to Justice Forum to be held in Toronto in fall of 2024 in a friendly, collaborative and supportive atmosphere.

The 2024 PCJ Workshop will be held in a fully hybrid format, with a focus on virtual presenters on May 24th and in-person presenters on May 25th. Presenters will be arranged into panels based on themes that emerge from submissions to encourage new connections. In support of the 2024 PCJ Workshop, ACE and its partners are seeking the support of SSHRC through a Connections Grant. If ACE and its partners are successful in gaining Connections Grant funding, financial support will be available to:

  1. Provide travel support funding for participants that express a need for funding to attend in- person, such as graduate students and practitioners – priority will be given to those who apply by January 10, 2024;
  2. Provide simultaneous and documentary English/French translation to support bilingual proceedings at the 2024 PCJ Workshop; and
  3. Provide guidance and support for the publication and dissemination of research through avenues such as blog posts, social media channels, and scholarly journals.

Those interested in submitting an abstract (maximum 250 words) are asked to fill out the following online form by January 19, 2024: English Version | Version française

Inquiries about the event can be directed to: kaitlyncumming@gmail.com

Download a copy of the Call for Proposals here: https://ajrndotco.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/call-for-proposals-appel-a-participation-2024-pcj-workshop.pdf.

_____________________________________________

Appel à propositions
Atelier hybride sur la justice axée sur la personne, le changement et les connexions Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill | 24 et 25 mai 2024

Le Centre d’excellence pour l’accès à la justice de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Victoria (ACE) et la Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill en collaboration avec le Forum canadien sur la justice civile (FCJC) et CREATE Justice du Collège de droit de l’Université de Saskatchewan, a le plaisir d’annoncer qu’il organisera un atelier hybride sur la justice axée sur la personne, le changement et les connexions à la Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill les 24 et 25 mai 2024 (l’atelier JAP 2024). Nous invitons les chercheuses et chercheurs, les étudiant·es aux cycles supérieurs et les praticien·ne·s à soumettre des propositions sur des thèmes liés à l’accès à la justice et à la justice axée sur la personne, y compris des travaux et des projets qui remettent en question ou élargissent la compréhension du domaine à l’aide d’approches empiriques, critiques ou pluralistes. La date limite de soumission des propositions est le 19 janvier 2024.

L’atelier JAP 2024 construira sur le fondement des excellentes discussions et des échanges scientifiques qui ont eu lieu lors de l’atelier inaugural sur la justice axée sur la personne qui s’est tenu à l’Université York le 29 mai 2023 et sur les contributions ultérieures (dont la publication est à venir en 2024) à un numéro spécial de la Revue canadienne droit et société portant sur la justice axée sur la personne. L’atelier sera l’occasion d’établir des liens entre les universitaires, les chercheuses et chercheurs, les praticien·ne·s et d’autres acteurs de l’accès à la justice de partout au Canada; il facilitera également l’élaboration de travaux universitaires destinés à être publiés dans des revues qui acceptent des articles sur les thèmes de l’accès à la justice et de la justice axée sur la personne, telles que le Recueil annuel de Windsor d’accès à la justice (voir leurs lignes directrices pour les soumissions). Enfin, l’atelier JAP 2024 soutiendra également, dans une atmosphère amicale, de collaboration et de soutien, les préparatifs en vue du Forum international sur l’accès à la justice qui se tiendra à Toronto en automne 2024.

L’atelier JAP 2024 se déroulera de façon entièrement hybride, avec un accent sur les présentateurs virtuels le 24 mai et sur les présentateurs en personne le 25 mai. Les présentateurs seront répartis en panels en fonction des thèmes qui émergeront des soumissions afin d’encourager de nouvelles connexions. Pour soutenir l’atelier JAP 2024, ACE et ses partenaires sollicitent présentement le soutien du CRSH par le biais d’une Subvention Connexion. Si ACE et ses partenaires réussissent à obtenir ce financement, un soutien financier sera disponible pour :

  1. Fournir du financement pour les déplacements des participant·es qui en expriment le besoin pour assister à l’atelier en personne, tels que les étudiant·es aux cycles supérieurs et les praticien·ne·s – La priorité sera donnée à ceux qui auront déposé leur soumission avant le 10 janvier 2024;
  2. Fournir une traduction simultanée et documentaire de l’anglais au français et vice-versa, afin de permettre que l’atelier JAP 2024 se déroule dans les deux langues; et
  3. Fournir des conseils aux participant·es en soutenant la publication et la diffusion de la recherche par des moyens tels que des articles de blog, des médias sociaux et des revues académiques.

Les personnes intéressées à soumettre un résumé de leur contribution (250 mots maximum) sont priées de remplir le formulaire électronique suivant avant le 19 janvier 2024 : Version française | English Version

Les questions concernant l’événement peuvent être adressées à: kaitlyncumming@gmail.com

New Report Examines Court Injunctions Against Homeless Encampments in B.C.

ajrn1 Leave a comment

A worsening crisis in homelessness in B.C. has resulted in an increase in the number of homeless encampments on public lands. Encampments can be a source of shelter, support, and safety among unhoused people. While B.C.’s courts have recognized that it is unconstitutional to evict people seeking shelter on publicly-owned lands overnight if they cannot be accommodated in shelters, people experiencing homelessness will often lack daytime shelter or somewhere to store their belongings. The result is “a vicious cycle of continual displacement” in which unhoused people are often forced to pack up and move daily.

“Rush to Judgement”, a new report from the Centre for Law and the Environment and Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia presents findings from a comprehensive review of reported court decisions on injunctions against homeless encampments on publicly-owned lands in B.C. The report focuses on interlocutory and final injunctions from 2000 to 2022. Notably, a majority of decisions during this period were interlocutory injunctions (20 out of 24). The report underscores that, in most cases, an interlocutory injunction will mark the end of a case since it usually means that the government has achieved its goal of legally evicting encampment residents.

The report reveals that:

  • There is an 85% success rate for applications for interlocutory injunctions against homeless encampments in B.C.
  • Only about 25% of applications for final injunctions are successful
  • In some cases, interlocutory decisions apply a relaxed legal test that “minimizes or ignores the issues of irreparable harm and balance of convenience”

The full report, Rush to Judgement: A Critical Survey of Court Injunctions Against Homeless Encampments in BC, 2000-2022 is available online here: https://allard.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/2023-10/Rush%20to%20Judgment%20Report%20Oct%202023.pdf.

Public Legal Education Association of Canada Annual Conference Takes Place October 25–26, 2023

ajrn1 Leave a comment

The Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC), the national umbrella organization for public legal education and information (PLEI) groups across Canada, will hold their annual conference this year in Toronto from October 25th to 26th.

The conference will include workshops, plenaries, and townhall sessions on a range of topics, including: “The Role of Community Workers and Other Trusted Helpers in the Justice Ecosystem”, “Artificial Intelligence: How to Harness it (for good) for Public Legal Education”, and “Advocating for Better Justice: Does Public Legal Education Have a Role?”

Attendance is capped at 150 people.

To learn more about the conference, how to register, conference fees and more, visit the PLEAC website here: https://www.pleac-aceij.ca/our-work/annual-conference/.

Women and Gender Equality Canada Publishes Two Calls for Proposals

ajrn1 Leave a comment

Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) has two open calls for proposals. WAGE invites non-for-profit organizations, women’s organizations, Indigenous women’s organizations, or other equality-seeking organizations in Canada with a mandate to advance women’s equality to submit a proposal for a capacity-building or systemic change project.

Under Call 1 – the Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund – WAGE seeks to support projects that address barriers to women’s success, change systems to improve women’s economic security and prosperity, and/or increase women’s representation.

Under Call 2 – Women’s Capacity Fund – WAGE welcomes proposals for projects that seek to develop the long-term capacity of women’s and Indigenous women’s organizations.

The submission deadline is November 3, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. pacific time. Eligible organizations can apply to one call.

For information on eligibility requirements or more information about the calls, please visit the WAGE website here: https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en/funding/funding-programs/women-economic-leadership-opportunities-capacity-funds/about.html.

Women in Law Reflect on Challenges, Triumphs, and Regrets in New Book

ajrn1 Leave a comment

A new collection, edited by Beth Bilson (University of Saskatchewan, College of Law), Leah Howie (Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan), and Brea Lowenberger (Saskatchewan’s Access to Justice Coordinator), presents the experiences of 18 women navigating law school and legal careers. Contributors – who are from different generations and different areas of law – discuss various issues they have faced in their journey in law and the impacts of gender-based and race-based discrimination, sexual orientation, and disability in their careers.

The foreword for this collection is written by The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin.

Creating a Seat at the Table: Reflections from Women in Law is available for pre-order: https://uofrpress.ca/Books/C/Creating-a-Seat-at-the-Table.

New Report Examines Perceptions of Canada’s Justice System and Experiences of Discrimination among Chinese People in Canada

ajrn1 Leave a comment

According to a new report published by Statistics Canada, Chinese people experience different forms of discrimination in Canada, including discrimination based on: race or skin colour (22%), ethnicity or culture (17%), language (11%), physical appearance (5.1%), sex (4.3%), age (3.7%) and gender identity or expression (1.4%).

A majority of Chinese people surveyed for the General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety in 2019 reported significant or some confidence in the police (85%). However, compared to other racialized and non-racialized groups, Chinese people were less likely to rate the police positively for every indicator of police performance included in the survey, and their overall confidence in the police is lower than that of the non-racialized population (92%). The report also cites findings from the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) revealing that, within the 3-year reference period of the CLPS, approximately 16% of Chinese people experienced at least one legal problem or dispute they considered serious or difficult to address. This is compared to 21% of other racialized populations who experienced serious and difficult-to-resolve legal problems for the same period.

The diverse insights from the Experiences of Discrimination in Daily Life among Chinese People in Canada, and their Perceptions of and Experiences with the Police and the Justice System report are available on the Statistics Canada website in English here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2023001/article/00005-eng.htm.

Expériences de discrimination dans la vie quotidienne des personnes chinoises au Canada, et expériences et perceptions de celles-ci relatives à la police et au système de justice est disponsible en français ici : https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2023001/article/00005-fra.htm.

The report is written by Shana Conroy.

Canadian Association of Black Lawyers Launches First-of-its-kind Study Examining Black Lawyers’ Experiences in Canada

ajrn1 Leave a comment

The Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL), with support from The Counsel Network and the TD Ready Commitment, has launched a survey to gather information about “the work experiences, career paths, opportunities and challenges encountered by Black lawyers in Canada”. In an interview with Law360, the president of CABL, Kyle Elliott observed that the legal profession “hasn’t always done a good job of [collecting and sharing data]”, adding that this study will contribute demographic data and important insights to the overall understanding of inequities and inequalities in the legal profession.

The survey includes questions aimed at collecting data on the Black experience in the legal profession related to:

  • Job interviews
  • Work environments
  • Opportunities for advancement
  • Support from mentors/sponsorship
  • Experiences within law firms, government, public and private companies are all examined.

The survey will remain open until 31 July, 2023. To access the survey in English or French, visit: https://cabl.ca/the-survey-examining-the-black-lawyers-experience-in-canada-is-live/.

Report Examines Legal Problems Experienced by First Nations People Living Off Reserve, Métis, and Inuit Living in the Provinces

ajrn1 Leave a comment

A new report by the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships examines the types and prevalence of legal problems experienced by First Nations people living off reserve, Métis, and Inuit. The 19 problems and disputes considered in the research are based on the serious problems identified in the 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS).

Among the findings, the report reveals that:

  • A higher percentage of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit experienced a serious legal problem in the past three years than non-racialized and non-Indigenous people
  • First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit experienced much higher rates of almost all 19 legal problem types than non-racialized and non-Indigenous people
  • Indigenous peoples experience problems related to discrimination at rates that are almost 2.5 times that of non-racialized/non-Indigenous people

Serious problems or disputes experienced by First Nations people living off reserve, Métis, and Inuit living in the provinces is co-authored by Tristan Marshall and Mohan B. Kumar. It is available on the Statistics Canada website in English here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/41-20-0002/412000022023003-eng.htm.

Problèmes ou conflits graves vécus par les personnes des Premières Nations vivant hors réserve, les Métis et les Inuit vivant dans les provinces est disponible en français ici : https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/41-20-0002/412000022023003-fra.htm.