Rights and Liberties News
CCLA urges Attorney-General to protect Ontarians against abusive law suits
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Tue, 08/31/2010 - 09:14
August 31, 2010 — Earlier this month, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) made submissions to the Hon. Chris Bentley, Attorney General of Ontario, urging him to provide greater protections for Ontarians against abusive civil law suits that unduly infringe freedom of speech and public debate. In recent years, several jurisdictions in North America have observed [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
BCCLA calls for independent review of three police deaths in ten months
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Mon, 08/30/2010 - 17:00
The BCCLA is seeking an independent review into how three men could die in a period of just ten months in police cells in Saskatoon, a city of 257,000 residents. In comparison, Vancouver, which is twice as large as Saskatoon, has had no deaths in its cells to the knowledge of the Association since the death of Daniel Serbeh on December 7, 2007.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
RCMP must fix women’s rights violations in Kamloops jail
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Sun, 08/29/2010 - 17:00
Following news of allegations of voyeuristic activities by male RCMP and civilian guards at the RCMP lockup in Kamloops, the BCCLA is calling for improved conditions in the women’s cells in the city, including basic things like female guards for female prisoners, running water and access to showers.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
City of Toronto Campaign Policy Unduly Limits Expression
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 12:55
The CCLA recently wrote to the Clerk of the City of Toronto expressing concerns about a City policy that prohibits candidates in the upcoming municipal election from campaigning on City property. Interpreted broadly, this policy may have the effect of prohibiting campaigning on public sidewalks, in public parks and in local community centres. The precise [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Looking Back, Moving Forward: Two Months After the G20
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Fri, 08/27/2010 - 07:10
Two months ago, on June 27, Canadians were taking stock of what happened during the G20 summit in Toronto. Under the Public Works Protection Act, the legal landscape in downtown Toronto was transformed: from excessive use of police force, unconstitutional violations of fundamental liberties, to unlawful arrests and detentions, CCLA believes that events that took [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
The CCLA’s long summer demanding accountability for G20 policing and governance
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Tue, 08/24/2010 - 08:55
24 August 2010 — The G8/G20 Summits in Huntsville and Toronto, Ontario, respectively, resulted in the largest peace-time security deployment Canadian history. The federal government spent C$930-million on security and deployed 5000 RCMP officers and thousands of provincial and municipal police into the streets of Toronto. The provincial government awarded police sweeping [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Canada must ensure that rights of migrants are protected
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Thu, 08/12/2010 - 17:00
With a boatload of up to 500 Tamil migrants expected to land in British Columbia, the BCCLA is calling on the Canadian government to ensure that their fundamental human rights are respected.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Podcast: CCLA counsel discusses key legal issues around G20
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 08:36
In this podcast, Tony Navaneelan, Acting Fundamental Freedoms Program Director, speaks about the the key legal issues around the G20. From the use of the antiquated Public Works Protection Act to questions about what a systematic review from OIPRD can accomplish, Navaneelan offers critical legal insight. Tony Navaneelan on RedEye, Vancouver Coop Radio Click the link above [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Don’t tie drunk people to chairs, BCCLA tells RCMP
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Mon, 08/09/2010 - 17:00
The BCCLA is asking the Williams Lake detachment of the RCMP to stop tying intoxicated prisoners to chairs when those prisoners don’t follow directions. The organization is questioning why when Williams Lake resident Lloyd Gilbert was arrested for being drunk, he was tied to a chair for three hours and twenty minutes, was forced to urinate on himself, was only checked twice, and why officers at the detachment did not have access to a bare sobering cell for him. Gilbert was tied to a chair after he defied officer directions not to climb on a sink in the cell.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Khadr Military Trial Set to Begin in US
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Mon, 08/09/2010 - 07:55
Last week Omar Khadr’s military lawyer petitioned the US Supreme Court to delay his trial, until the legality of the Military Commissions could be determined. That petition was unsuccessful. Accordingly, Mr. Khadr’s trial before the Military Commissions will go ahead. At a pre-trial hearing August 9th, 2010, the Military Judge ruled that Mr. Khadr’s ‘confessions’ — [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
CCLA Renews Call for Canada to Repatriate Omar Khadr
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Fri, 08/06/2010 - 13:24
Omar Khadr’s US lawyer has petitioned the US Supreme Court to delay Mr. Khadr’s military trials, until the legality of the Military Commissions is determined. Mr. Khadr’s military trials are set to resume August 10th, 2010. His lawyer argues that the Military Commissions are unconstitutional and discriminatory because they apply only to non-citizens who [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Supreme Court rules on police use of force during search of home
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Tue, 08/03/2010 - 13:00
On Friday, July 30, 2010 the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its decision in R. v. Cornell, 2010 SCC 31, a case that considered the reasonableness of “hard entry” searches. A hard entry usually involves the police entering a home to conduct a search with the use of force and surprise. In this case, nine [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
BCCLA declares victory on child sex testing
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Wed, 07/28/2010 - 17:00
The BCCLA declared victory for children in B.C. after the province announced the cancellation of the penile plethysmograph research program at the Youth Forensic Psychiatric Service of B.C., a branch of the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Exploitive child testing must be stopped
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Tue, 07/27/2010 - 17:00
The BCCLA and Justice for Girls have uncovered invasive sexualized testing and research practices engaged in by the B.C. government’s Youth Forensic Psychiatric Service.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
No Remedy Right Now: Federal Court of Appeal Stays Lower Court Decision in Khadr
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Mon, 07/26/2010 - 20:18
On July 22nd, 2010, the Federal Court of Appeal stayed a recent Federal Court decision in the case of Omar Khadr. Chief Justice Blais found that serious questions are raised about the division of powers between Courts and the Executive. Earlier this month, Justice Zinn of the Federal Court ruled that Canada must provide Mr. Khadr [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Supreme Court Awards Damages for Breach of Charter Rights
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Fri, 07/23/2010 - 08:34
The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision today in Vancouver (City) v. Ward, a case in which the CCLA intervened to argue in favour of an award of damages for breach of Charter rights. Mr. Ward was detained and strip searched by police after they received a tip that someone matching his description planned [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
CCLA Welcomes Announcement of Investigation by the Ontario Independent Police Review Director
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Thu, 07/22/2010 - 15:32
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Penelope Chester Canadian Civil Liberties Association Phone: (416) 363-0321 Fax: (416) 861-1291 pchester@ccla.org www.ccla.org Toronto, ON – July 22, 2010 – The CCLA welcomes the announcement by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) that it will be conducting a systemic investigation of G20 policing. The CCLA is pleased that the issues to be investigated by [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
CCLA Keeps Up Pressure For Accountability For G20 Policing (media alert)
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Thu, 07/22/2010 - 08:51
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A downloadable MSWord version of this press release is available here. Contact: Penelope Chester Canadian Civil Liberties Association Phone: (416) 363-0321 Fax: (416) 861-1291 pchester@ccla.org www.ccla.org Toronto, ON – July 22, 2010 – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) continues to demand accountability and civilian oversight for G20 policing and security. The CCLA has appealed directly to the Office of [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
CCLA files 78 individuals public police complaints over G20 policing
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - Thu, 07/22/2010 - 08:46
July 22, 2010 — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) filed 78 individual public police complaints with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) today. OIPRD is the civilian agency tasked with accepting and investigating complaints about police policy and the conduct of police officers in Ontario. The CCLA has called on OIPRD to [...]
Categories: Rights and Liberties News
Video shows VPD officer pushing over disabled woman
B. C. Civil Liberties Association - Wed, 07/21/2010 - 17:00
The BCCLA is releasing a surveillance video showing a problematic interaction between Vancouver’s police force and a disabled resident of its most impoverished neighbourhood.
Categories: Rights and Liberties News