British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
Encyclopedia
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association or BCCLA is a non-government organization in British Columbia
, Canada
dedicated to the preservation, maintenance and extension of civil liberties
and human rights
in Canada.
Founded in 1962, the BCCLA is the oldest civil liberties organization in Canada. It is based in Vancouver
and is jointly funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia and by private citizens through membership.
The BCCLA has developed over 200 policy briefs, which serve as the principled cornerstones for the Association's work. The BCCLA meets with government and private sector officials to persuade them to change laws or policies which infringe on civil liberties and to develop new laws and policies which protect fundamental rights and freedoms. If the Association's efforts are unsuccessful, the Association is sometimes able to go to court, either by arranging for pro bono counsel for clients, by intervening in legal cases or by litigating the issue.
The BCCLA publishes and distributes free publications such as the Arrest Handbook (English, Spanish, Arabic and Vietnamese), The Citizenship Handbook (English, Punjabi and Vietnamese) and Rights Talk (English), a guide for high school students. The Association also publishes pamphlets which provide information on drug testing in the workplace and assists those who would like to make a police complaint. The Association also provides assistance to those who think they might have a civil liberties issue that needs resolution.
The Association organizes forums on topics such as Racial Profiling, Legal Cannabis in Canada (Beyond Prohibition) and Death In-Custody. It also organizes speaking events with speakers such as Eddie Greenspan, Chief Justice Beverley McLaughlin, Michael Ignatieff, John Ralston Saul and Maher Arar.
The BCCLA publishes a newsletter twice a year, (The Democratic Commitment) as well as an annual report.
Its current president is Rob Holmes, a Vancouver-based lawyer who practices criminal and civil litigation.
in the following cases before the Supreme Court of Canada
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British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
dedicated to the preservation, maintenance and extension of civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
in Canada.
Founded in 1962, the BCCLA is the oldest civil liberties organization in Canada. It is based in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and is jointly funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia and by private citizens through membership.
The BCCLA has developed over 200 policy briefs, which serve as the principled cornerstones for the Association's work. The BCCLA meets with government and private sector officials to persuade them to change laws or policies which infringe on civil liberties and to develop new laws and policies which protect fundamental rights and freedoms. If the Association's efforts are unsuccessful, the Association is sometimes able to go to court, either by arranging for pro bono counsel for clients, by intervening in legal cases or by litigating the issue.
The BCCLA publishes and distributes free publications such as the Arrest Handbook (English, Spanish, Arabic and Vietnamese), The Citizenship Handbook (English, Punjabi and Vietnamese) and Rights Talk (English), a guide for high school students. The Association also publishes pamphlets which provide information on drug testing in the workplace and assists those who would like to make a police complaint. The Association also provides assistance to those who think they might have a civil liberties issue that needs resolution.
The Association organizes forums on topics such as Racial Profiling, Legal Cannabis in Canada (Beyond Prohibition) and Death In-Custody. It also organizes speaking events with speakers such as Eddie Greenspan, Chief Justice Beverley McLaughlin, Michael Ignatieff, John Ralston Saul and Maher Arar.
The BCCLA publishes a newsletter twice a year, (The Democratic Commitment) as well as an annual report.
Its current president is Rob Holmes, a Vancouver-based lawyer who practices criminal and civil litigation.
Supreme Court of Canada
The BCCLA has intervenedIntervener
In law, intervention is a procedure to allow a nonparty, called intervenor to join ongoing litigation, either as a matter of right or at the discretion of the court, without the permission of the original litigants...
in the following cases before the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
:
- Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (Sask.)Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (Sask.)Reference re Prov. Electoral Boundaries , [1991] 2 S.C.R. 158 is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Canada on the right to vote under section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court rejected the US principle of "one man, one vote" from the US Supreme Court decision of...
, [1991] 2 S.C.R. 158 - R. v. ButlerR. v. ButlerR. v. Butler, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452 is a leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on pornography and state censorship. In this case, the Court had to balance the right to freedom of expression under section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with women's rights; the outcome has been...
, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452 - R. v. CuerrierR. v. CuerrierR. v. Cuerrier was a 1998 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, which ruled that knowingly exposing a sexual partner to HIV constitutes a prosecutable crime under Canadian law.-Background:...
, [1998] 2 S.C.R. 371 - Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice)Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice)Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1120, 2000 SCC 69 is a leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on freedom of expression and equality rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms...
, [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1120, 2000 SCC 69 - R. v. SharpeR. v. SharpeR. v. Sharpe, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45, 2001 SCC 2, is a Canadian civil rights decision of the Supreme Court of Canada. The Court upheld the child pornography provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada as a valid limitation of the right to freedom of expression under section 2 of the Canadian Charter of...
, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45, 2001 SCC 2 - Trinity Western University v. British Columbia College of TeachersTrinity Western University v. British Columbia College of TeachersTrinity Western University v. British Columbia College of Teachers, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 772, 2001 SCC 31, is a leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on the freedom of religion and the court's ability to review a private school's policies.-Background:...
, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 772, 2001 SCC 31 - R. v. O.N.E., [2001] 3 S.C.R. 478
- Babcock v. Canada (Attorney General), [2002] 3 S.C.R. 3, 2002 SCC 57
- Sauvé v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer)Sauvé v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer)Sauvé v. Canada , [2002] 3 S.C.R. 519 is a leading Supreme Court of Canada decision where the Court held that prisoners have a right to vote under section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court overturned the prior decision of the Federal Court of Appeal and held that s...
, [2002] 3 S.C.R. 519 - Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36Chamberlain v. Surrey District School Board No. 36, [2002] 4 S.C.R. 710, 2002 SCC 86, was a case in which the Supreme Court of Canada held that a local school board could not impose its religious values by refusing to permit the use of books that sought to promote tolerance of same-sex...
, [2002] 4 S.C.R. 710, 2002 SCC 86 - R. v. Malmo-Levine; R. v. CaineR. v. Malmo-Levine; R. v. CaineR. v. Malmo-Levine; R. v. Caine [2003] 3 S.C.R. 571, 2003 SCC 74, is a leading constitutional decision of the Supreme Court of Canada. The Court rejected a constitutional challenge of the criminalization of marijuana.-Background:...
, [2003] 3 S.C.R. 571, 2003 SCC 74 - Reference re Same-Sex MarriageRe Same-Sex MarriageReference re Same-Sex Marriage [2004] 3 S.C.R. 698, 2004 SCC 79, was a reference question to the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the constitutional validity of same-sex marriage in Canada...
, [2004] 3 S.C.R. 698, 2004 SCC 79 - May v. Ferndale Institution, [2005] 3 S.C.R. 809, 2005 SCC 82
- Canada (Justice) v. Khadr, 2008 SCC 28
- WIC Radio Ltd. v. Simpson, 2008 SCC 40
British Columbia Court of Appeal
The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the B.C. Court of AppealBritish Columbia Court of Appeal
The British Columbia Court of Appeal is the highest appellate court in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The BCCA hears appeals from the Supreme Court of British Columbia and a number of boards and tribunals. The BCCA also hears criminal appeals from the Provincial Court of British...
:
- R. v. Small, [1973] 4 W.W.R. 563
- Hoogbruin v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1986] 2 W.W.R. 700
- Shewchuk v. Ricard, [1986] 28 D.L.R. (4th) 429
- Kempling v. The British Columbia College of TeachersChris KemplingChristopher Stephen Myles Kempling is a Canadian educator and counsellor who was suspended by the British Columbia College of Teachers and disciplined by the Quesnel School District for expressing opinions critical of homosexuality. Kempling challenged the suspension in court, arguing that his...
, [2005] BCCA 327
Supreme Court of British Columbia
The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the Supreme Court of B.C.Supreme Court of British Columbia
The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
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- Dybikowski v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1979] 2 W.W.R. 631
- British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1988] 4 W.W.R. 100
- Dixon v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1989] 3 BCLR (2d) 231
- Russow and Lambert v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1989] 4 W.W.R. 186
- Austin v. Personnel Services Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture et al., [1990] 66 D.L.R. (4th) 33
- Dr. Dutton v. British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal et al., 2001 BCSC 1256
- City of Vancouver v. Maurice et al., 2002 BCSC 1421
- Canadian Federation of Students - British Columbia Component et al. v. Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority et al., 2006 BCSC 455
- Barker v. Hayes, 2006 BCSC 1217
- PHS Community Services Society v. Attorney General of Canada, 2008 BCSC 661
- Victoria (City) v. Adams, 2008 BCSC 1363
- Arkinstall v. City of Surrey, 2008 BCSC 1419
British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the B.C. Human Rights TribunalBritish Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal is a quasi-judicial human rights body in British Columbia, Canada. It was established under the British Columbia Human Rights Code...
:
- Canadian Jewish Congress v. Doug Collins and the North Shore News, [1997] 23
- Elmasry and Habîb v. Roger's Publishing and MacQueen (No. 4), 2008 BCHRT 378
Federal Court of Canada
The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the Federal Court of Canada – Trial DivisionFederal Court of Canada
The Federal Court of Canada was a national court of Canada that heard some types of disputes arising under the central government's legislative jurisdiction...
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- British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v. Attorney General of Canada, [2000] DES-5-99
Periodicals
- The Democratic Commitment, a semi-annual newsletter, published every July and November
- Civil Liberties Update, an email newsletter issued every 1–2 months
Books
- (2003) The Arrest Handbook: A Guide to Your Rights
- (2003) The Arrest Pocketbook: A Guide to Your Rights
- (2002) The Teaching and Workshop Guide for ESL Teachers and Settlement Counselors
- (2001) Kiddie Porn: Sexual Representation and the Robin Sharpe Case
- (2001) Rights Talk: Students and Civil Liberties at School
- (1998) The Citizenship Handbook: A Guide to Democratic Rights and Responsibilities for New Canadians
- (1995) Restricted Entry: Censorship on Trial
- (1994) The Privacy Handbook: A Practical Guide to Your Privacy Rights and How to Protect Them
- (1994) Protecting Rights and Freedoms: Essays on the Charter's Place in Canada's Political, Legal and Intellectual Life
- (1992) Proceedings of the 1992 conference: The Charter: Ten Years After
- (1990) Catastrophic Rights: Experimental Drugs and AIDS
- (1989) The Burden of Office: Agamemnon and Other Losers
- (1989) Liberties
Brochures
- The Facts About Drug Testing in the Workplace
- Suggestions for Writing a Letter of Complaint to the Police