Downtown Eastside sex workers want to share their stories when the Supreme Court of Canada hears an Ontario challenge of the country's prostitution laws this summer. Canada's top court is set to hear the challenge on the laws that ban communication, keeping a bawdy house and living off the avails of prostitution in June. Pivot Legal Society is … [Read more...]
BC’s drunk driving laws under the microscope
March 18, 2013 by
British Columbia's drinking and driving laws will once again be under the microscope starting tomorrow as the B.C. Court of Appeal begins hearing arguments on whether the laws are constitutional. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is an intervener in the case. Raji Mangat with the BCCLA says the association will be arguing that the laws are … [Read more...]
BC liquor laws getting a makeover
February 6, 2013 by
Changes are coming to BC's archaic liqour laws just months before the next provincial election. Minister responsible Rich Coleman unveiled the first change today but promised more will be coming soon. "Stay tuned within the next number of days actually you might see some things there is a couple little I's and T's have got dotted and all of … [Read more...]
BC government will tweak liqour laws for charity auctions
October 26, 2012 by
The provincial government is making what it calls a common-sense change to liquor policy to allow charities to auction off gift baskets that contain some alcoholic products. Minister responsible Rich Coleman says the current rules are out of date. "I don't think even when the law was probably written people were as much into wine and collection of … [Read more...]
Sex workers granted leave to challenge prostitution laws
September 21, 2012 by
Vancouver sex workers have been cleared to challenge Canada’s prostitution laws. The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed an appeal brought by the federal government that tried to stop the sex workers from disputing the laws. Those laws include a ban on keeping a bawdy house, procurement, and communicating for the purposes of … [Read more...]
Drivers fined before drunk driving laws amended won’t get money back
July 12, 2012 by
Impaired drivers who were fined before BC's tough new drunk driving regulations were amended are out of luck. They won't be getting paid back. A BC Supreme court judge has ruled the decision he made declaring part of the legislation unconstitutional can not be applied retroactively. That means any fines issued before the law was re-written … [Read more...]
BCCLA to sit in on top court case over constitutionality of anti-terror laws
June 10, 2012 by
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a case tomorrow over whether laws against terrorism violate a person's charter rights. Toronto lawyer Michael Fenrick represents the BC Civil Liberties Association, which is an intervener. Fenrick says the hearing will explore whether the anti-terrorist laws interfere with a person's right to freedom of speech … [Read more...]
Liquor laws take toll
February 7, 2012 by
Rio Theatre owner Corinne Lea says her fight with the B.C. government and its archaic liquor laws has turned into a tale of David versus Goliath. The theatre has lost close to $ 40,000 and five employees have been laid off since movies were banned two weeks ago, she says. “(In) the beginning, I was quite strong because I knew logic was on our … [Read more...]
Judge rules DUI laws unconstitutional
December 1, 2011 by
Part of a law the B.C. government heralds as responsible for saving lives by keeping drunk drivers out of their vehicles has been ruled unconstitutional by a judge who found motorists are given little chance to defend themselves if they blow over the legal blood-alcohol limit at a roadside test. Justice Jon Sigurdson found B.C.’s new laws go too … [Read more...]
