British Columbia Civil Liberties Association

Infobox_Organization
name = British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
image_border = British Columbia Civil Liberties Association logo.png caption = BCCLA logo
membership = over 1000 members
type = Non-government organization
language = English
headquarters = Vancouver, Canada
formation = 1962
leader_title = President
leader_name = Jason Gratl
website = http://www.bccla.org/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 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 Jason Gratl, a Vancouver-based lawyer who practices criminal and civil litigation.

Litigation

upreme Court of Canada

The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the Supreme Court of Canada:

*"Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (Sask.)", [1991] 2 S.C.R. 158
*"R. v. Butler", [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452
*"R. v. Cuerrier", [1998] 2 S.C.R. 371
*"Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice)", [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1120, 2000 SCC 69
*"R. v. Sharpe", [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45, 2001 SCC 2
*"Trinity Western University v. British Columbia College of Teachers", [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)", [2002] 3 S.C.R. 519
*"Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36", [2002] 4 S.C.R. 710, 2002 SCC 86
*"R. v. Malmo-Levine; R. v. Caine", [2003] 3 S.C.R. 571, 2003 SCC 74
*"Reference re Same-Sex Marriage", [2004] 3 S.C.R. 698, 2004 SCC 79

British Columbia Court of Appeal

The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the B.C. Court of Appeal:

*"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 Teachers", [2005] BCCA 327

upreme Court of British Columbia

The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the Supreme Court of B.C.:

*"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

British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal

The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal:

*"Canadian Jewish Congress v. Doug Collins and the North Shore News", [1997] 23

Federal Court of Canada

The BCCLA has intervened in the following cases before the Federal Court of Canada – Trial Division:

*"British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v. Attorney General of Canada", [2000] DES-5-99

Publications

Periodicals

*" [http://www.bccla.org/05newsletter.htm The Democratic Commitment] ", a semi-annual newsletter, published every July and November
*" [http://www.bccla.org/05update.htm Civil Liberties Update] ", an email newsletter issued every 1-2 months

Books

*(2003) " [http://bccla.org/publications/handbook.pdf The Arrest Handbook: A Guide to Your Rights] "
*(2003) " [http://bccla.org/arrest/BCCLA%20pocketbook%20web.pdf The Arrest Pocketbook: A Guide to Your Rights] "
*(2002) " [http://bccla.org/citizenshipleadersguide/ The Teaching and Workshop Guide for ESL Teachers and Settlement Counselors] "
*(2001) "Kiddie Porn: Sexual Representation and the Robin Sharpe Case"
*(2001) " [http://bccla.org/rightstalk/ Rights Talk: Students and Civil Liberties at School] "
*(1998) " [http://bccla.org/citizen%20guide/index.html 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"

ee also

* Canadian Civil Liberties Association
* American Civil Liberties Union

External links

* [http://www.bccla.org/ Official site]