The federal government announced on Sept. 25, 2006 that it was abolishing the Court Challenges Program, a small program that provided modest contributions to the cost of important test cases dealing with language and equality rights. Without this Program, Canada's constitutional rights are real only for the wealthy. A website is now online to coordinate national efforts to save it: http://www.savecourtchallenges.ca
October 18, 2006
A majority of the world's global mining industry is based in Canada. It is an industry targeted internationally for being associated with environmental harm and human rights abuses. There is a federal government-led national consultation underway evaluating corporate social responsibility ("CSR") and the extractive sector. The Law Union will be making a submission to the Government in favour of legal reforms to hold Canadian-based mining companies accountable for environmental harms and human rights abuses abroad.
Political Prisoner held for 30 years by U.S. government
A Hearing has been scheduled for February 13, 2006 to correct the illegal sentencing that occurred in Leonard Peltier's case. The basis for this motion is that the United States District Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction under the statutes upon which Mr. Peltier was convicted and sentenced.
Three enviros doing actions associated with Earth Liberation Front (ELF) in the U.S. were nabbed by cops thanks to two years of work by “Annaâ€, the infiltrating snitch. Now the word’s out and folks are tracing her movements - courting activist trust, all her emails signed off with “solidarity†or “resistâ€.
LAWYER WANTS CANADA TO LET US IRAQ DESERTERS STAY
By Amran Abocar
Reuters
Thursday, February 09, 2006
TORONTO (Reuters) - Two U.S. army deserters were unfairly denied asylum in Canada partly because the refugee board would not consider the legality of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, their lawyer said on Wednesday. The soldiers want the Federal Court of Canada to overturn an immigration board decision last March that denied them refugee status in Canada.
Students writing LSAT warned about privacy threat
CBC News
The University of Ottawa is warning aspiring lawyers that they may be giving up their privacy when they hand over thumbprints while taking an admission test administered by a U.S. company.
12 protesters involved with the Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians (CASS) were acquitted of mischief in relation to the occupation of the Immigration Minister’s offices in downtown Ottawa on May 29, 2003, more than two-and-a-half years ago.
from the Winnipeg Free Press
Sun Feb 19 2006
By KIM PATE, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
In the wake of the tragic Boxing Day shooting in Toronto, media fear-mongering and political posturing conspired to convince Canadians that rising crime rates deserve the get-tough response of mandatory minimum sentencing.
