Podcasts about bc civil liberties association

The BC Civil Liberties Association along with three individual plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against the City of Vancouver to challenge the city's daytime ban on outdoor sheltering. They say this ban is cruel, dehumanizing, and deadly. They will be arguing that it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Lorraine Chisholm speaks about the case with BCCLA Executive Director Liza Hughes.

Lawyers with Pivot Legal Society and the BC Civil Liberties Association have filed complaints against the Vancouver Police Department for excessive use of force, and for targeting and surveilling pro-Palestinian protestors. The complaints relate to a pro-Palestine protest on May 31 at CN Rails and the VPD use of drones and cell phone cameras at other protests. We speak with Meghan McDermott, staff counsel with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

Both the BC NDP and the Conservative Party of BC have pledged to expand involuntary care under the Mental Health Act for people who use drugs. More than 17 organizations have condemned forced detention plans, including the BC Civil Liberties Association and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. Meenakshi Mannoe is connected to anti-prison and anti-policing movements and has previously engaged in advocacy related to the expansion of involuntary care. We speak with her about this issue.

Ian Bushfield - Humanism in CanadaToday's show is all about Humanism! Here is the definition of Humanism, from Humanist Canada:Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life based on a profound respect for human dignity and the conviction that human beings are ultimately accountable to themselves and to society for their actions. It is a secular worldview that affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical and meaningful lives.I'm delighted to welcome Ian Bushfield as my guest today. Ian has been involved in the BC Humanist Association since 2009 - and aside from a brief stint in the UK - he has been the Executive Director of BCHA since 2012. Ian has a background in physics and non-profit management and grew up in Alberta. In 2017, he also joined the BC Civil Liberties Association's Board of Directors.FIND IAN:https://www.bchumanist.ca/RESOURCES MENTIONEDhttps://askuskelowna.ca/https://humanists.international/https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/ethics-vs-morality/Support this podcast on Patreon (starting as low as $2/month) and get access to bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/janiceselbie Thanks to my newest patrons: Joel and Marie. Every dollar helps.Subscribe to the audio-only version here: https://www.divorcing-religion.com/religious-trauma-podcastFollow Janice and the Conference on Religious Trauma on Social Media: Mastodon: JaniceSelbie@mas.toThreads: Wisecounsellor@threads.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/divorcereligionTwitter: https://twitter.com/Wise_counsellorTwitter: https://twitter.com/ComeToCORTFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DivorcingReligionTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@janiceselbieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisecounsellor/The Divorcing Religion Podcast is for entertainment purposes only. If you need help with your mental health, please consult a qualified, secular, mental health clinician.Support the show

The BC Civil Liberties Association is making waves today as they take the stage at the Supreme Court to challenge a crucial aspect of the Criminal Code. Guest: Vibert Jack, Litigation Director for the BC Civil Liberties Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: AI developers believe that AI systems will most likely develop sentience in the future – which presents many dilemmas. Guest: Jacy Reese Anthis, Sociologist at the University of Chicago and Co-Founder of The Satience Institute Seg 2: The warm weather occurred earlier than usual for the season, resembling meteorological patterns typically seen in mid-summer. Guest: Mark Madryga, Chief Meteorologist at Global News Seg 3: Select Parliamentarians are being briefed on Chinese political interference. This comes after Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong were targets of Beijing state intimidation Guest: Michel Juneau-Katsuya, Former Chief of Asia-Pacific at CSIS and Author of “Nest of Spies” Seg 4: Is $2.2 million enough to reignite Chinatown's vibrant charm? Guest: Carol Lee, Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation Seg 5: What can we learn from BC's Eviction Map? Guest: Amanda Burrows, Interim Executive Director of the First United Church Community Ministry Society Seg 6: The BC Civil Liberties Association is making waves today as they take the stage at the Supreme Court to challenge a crucial aspect of the Criminal Code. Guest: Vibert Jack, Litigation Director for the BC Civil Liberties Association Seg 7: Extraordinary British Columbians: Inez Cook Inez Cook, a Nuxalk woman, was taken from her mother and Nuxalk Nation community during the Sixties Scoop. Cook grew up in a loving home but always deeply yearned for her Indigenous culture and roots. After seeing a sign about bannock on a highway, Cook decided to open a restaurant celebrating her Indigenous heritage. Guest: Inez Cook, Co-Owner of Salmon n' Bannock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were four presentations today, the final day of proceedings in the Mass Casualty Commission, followed by closing remarks from the three Commissioners. Ben Perryman from the BC Civil Liberties Association gave a clear and insightful closing, identifying the failures of policing, the hostile stance towards the inquiry taken by the RCMP, and the lack of oversight currently available for citizens when it comes to policing in NS. The NS Department of Justice made a very brief presentation, consistent with their near total absence from the MCC. They made no real recommendations, and spent most of their presentation summarizing the process and themes of the MCC without saying anything substantive about them. The National Police Federation spoke about the courage of the officers who responded to the initial call, and the difficulties they have had since the events in the face of public criticism. The Federal DOJ lawyer was emotional about some aspects of the events, but spent much of her presentation stressing how unprecedented this all was, and how the RCMP should be cut some slack. The Commissioners vapid final remarks gave no hint as to what they might be considering including in their recommendations. They simply listed the titles of the reports that were filed, thanked everyone, and urged the public to help implement whatever recommendations may emerge in their report.

The second last day of proceedings from the Mass Casualty Commission featured closing submissions and recommendations from Lisa Banfield's lawyer Jessica Zita, as well as those from LEAF/Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, Feminists Against Femicide, the RCMP Veterans Association of NS, the Truro Police, as well as firearms advocacy and opposition groups. Ms. Zita spoke about how Ms. Banfield (who, it appeared, was not present) was revictimized by the deceptive manner in which she was treated by the RCMP. She urged the MCC to accept what Ms. Banfield has claimed, and to agree that Ms. Banfield bore no responsibility for anything that her spouse did (despite, she did not add, her knowledge of him having a replica police car, illegal guns, and deteriorating mental health). Erin Breen rightly identified cross-border smuggling as a central issue, and noted how Wortman obtained a Nexus pass despite having a firearms complaint on the national police database at the time he applied for it. Neither Brian Carter for the RCMP Veterans nor Charles Thompson for the Truro Police explicitly called for the removal of the RCMP from NS, but that conclusion flowed naturally from both presentations. The Truro Police are hopeful that new RCMP leadership in NS is reason for optimism. The MCC will be back (weather depending) tomorrow for the final submissions by the BC Civil Liberties Association, the NS Dept. of Justice, National Police Federation, and the Federal Dept. of Justice.

On the final day of hearings before the parties make closing submissions next week, the Mass Casualty Commission had a half day of proceedings featuring speakers from the BC Civil Liberties Association, the East Coast Prison Justice Society, and the NS Department of Justice. That was followed by a presentation by the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre on their findings from meetings held with marginalized individuals who knew Wortman from his denturist work. The justice organizations all had issues to discuss that were only marginally connected to the work of the MCC. This disconnect was partly reflected in the lack of moderation of the discussion. Speakers went on at great length, on tangential topics. There was some discussion of police oversight and police standards, including comment from the DOJ that police standards (which are currently 'under development') will be legally enforceable regulations when they are finalized. The revelations from the Avalon consultations showed how Wortman was able to obtain sexual favours from clients in exchange for denturist work, and how DCS really did not seem to provide much oversight for such private sector service providers.

Content Warning: The stories in this series deal with difficult and sometimes traumatic topics. Please practice self care, stop listening, and seek help if you need to. Scroll down to find links to available supports. For the third installment of the Voices of the Street podcast, we have a candid and heartful conversation between host Yvonne Mark and Megaphone writer Dennis Gates in response to his piece “Without Prejudice,” published in the 2021 Voices of the Street anthology. In his piece, Dennis writes about his experiences of anti-Indigenous discrimination and injustice within the court system and the deep-felt impact of incarceration on his life. Yvonne and Dennis reflect on both their experiences with the criminal justice system, finding strength through writing, and the importance of sharing stories like theirs. This episode was curated and hosted by poet, storyteller and Megaphone vendor, Yvonne Mark, an avid writer and advocate for ending stigma around substance use. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/series/voices-of-the-street/162-yvonne-mark-dennis-gates.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/162-yvonne-mark-dennis-gates.html Mental Health Support: — Crisis Centre BC: https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/ — Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/services — KUU-US Crisis Line: https://www.kuu-uscrisisline.com/ — WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre: https://www.wavaw.ca/ — BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services: http://www.bcmhsus.ca/ More Resources: — Yvonne's website - I Live to Tell: https://www.ilivetotell.ca/ — Pivot Legal Society: https://www.pivotlegal.org/ — BC Civil Liberties Association: https://bccla.org/ About the series: The 2021 Voices of the Street anthology, “INSIDE we are all the same,” jumps from the page in this special podcast series. For four Megaphone storytellers, poetry and prose from last year's special literary edition are a starting point for exploring the themes that moved them — in a whole new form: audio storytelling. Featuring interviews with writers and personal reflections on how their lived experiences merge with the themes of the text, this podcast series illuminates Voices of the Street in a new way. The Voices of the Street podcast is a six-part series for Below the Radar, curated and hosted by participants of Megaphone's Speakers Bureau. Read more: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/series/voices-of-the-street.html Bios: Yvonne Mark (Nisga'a-Gitxsan) was born in Haida Gwaii. Her parents had moved the family there so Yvonne wouldn't have to go to residential school. She came to Vancouver when she was 16. In addition to her volunteer work at Carnegie Community Centre, Yvonne is a Megaphone vendor and member of Megaphone's Speakers Bureau, working to end stigma around substance use. She has taken part in Megaphone's Community Journalism 101 writing workshop, held in partnership with SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement, and is an outspoken advocate for the Downtown Eastside. Dennis Gates (Haida), at 60 years old, has lived in the Downtown Eastside for 25 years. He says he is proud to still be learning new things about himself. As a participant in Megaphone's recent writing workshops for people with lived experience of incarceration — offered through a partnership with the UBC Transformative Health and Justice Research Cluster — Dennis was able to explore and express himself for the first time since being released from a federal institution in 1996, about what it was like to go to prison.

A federal court has ruled that RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki violated her legal obligations when she took more than 3years to respond to a complaint about RCMP spying on anti-pipeline activists. In a groundbreaking decision, Justice Gagné said that the RCMP must respond to complaints within 6 months of receiving a report from the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission. We speak with Jessica Magonet, lawyer with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

Ch.1: When it comes to social media and online influences, how much control should government have? Guest: Anne Gaviola, Senior Digital Broadcast Journalist for Global News and Host of new series “Influenced” Ch.2: UBC researchers are leading a $24 million dollar project to treat spinal cord injury. Guest: Dena Shahriari, Co-principal investigator, and assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedics and the School of Biomedical Engineering at UBC. Ch.3: Heavy rains are leaving Abbotsford farmers with more flooding to deal with. Guest: Satwinder Bains, owner of Parsat blueberry farm in Clayburn Village in Abbotsford. Ch.4: The BC Civil Liberties Association has just won a landmark case about police accountability. The BCCLA brought this lawsuit to address the RCMP Commissioner's extreme delays in public complaints. Guest: Jessica Magonet, Legal Counsel for BCCL Ch.5: Omicron wave seems to be dragging on but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Caroline Colijn is a Researcher in Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health.  Guest: Caroline Colijn, Epidemiologist and Researcher in Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health. Ch.6: An increase in real estate prices, and a shortage in supply… and yet a lot of proposals for even small developments are backlogged at every municipality's City Hall. Guest: David Eby, Attorney General Ch.7: Cost of living and inflation are leading to more and more Canadians feeling stressed. Guest: Taz Rajan, Community Engagement Partner at Bromwich + Smith Ch.8: A very popular bar, that is closing down due to the pandemic, is holding an auction to sell off some of its memorabilia Guest: Jason Kapalka, Owner of Storm Crow Alehouse in Vancouver.

BC Civil Liberties Association says "Burn it all". And BC and Alberta open for summer

Acumen law's Kyla Lee talks about people burning down churches in BC, the possible legal fallout and whether the Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association should face anything for tweeting "BURN IT ALL DOWN".

Chapter 1: Do parks and beaches need more rules? Many of them over the weekend absolutely packed Guest:  John Coupar, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Chapter 2: With masks no longer mandatory around the province, some businesses are still “recommending” the use of them.  How have your interactions been in your community? Chapter 3: The head of the BC Civil Liberties Association has tweeted some controversial remarks about the recent burning of churches. Chapter 4: What does it say about British Columbia that Churches are now putting multiple cameras up to make sure no more arson occurs? Guest: Wayne Sparrow, Musquem Indian Band Chief. Chapter 5: A group of residential school survivors is calling for people to stop burning and defacing churches. Guest:  Jenn Allan-Riley, 60's Scoop survivor, daughter of a Residential School Survivor, Assistant Pastor Living Waters Mission. Chapter 6: Big announcement for the BC Lions this morning and great news for CFL fans. Corus Entertainment - and in particular AM 730 - will be the new home for BC Lions broadcasts in the upcoming season. Guest: George Chayka, BC Lions Vice President of Business. Chapter 7: Do those with weak immune systems need a third dose? Guest: Doctor Brian Conway, Medical Director & Infectious Diseases Specialist at the Vancouver Infectious Disease Centre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catch up on what you missed on an episode of The Richard Syrett Show. Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Ryerson University and a Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Patrice Dutil speaks about the true history of Henry Dundas. Small-town physician and lover of freedom, Dr. Patrick Phillips. Lou Schizas returns once again for News Not In The News. News Editor at the Western Standard, Dave Naylor talks about the president of the BC Civil Liberties Association backing its executive director who called for the burning down of Catholic churches across Canada after the discovery of bodies at former residential schools.

This week on Legally Speaking with Michael Mulligan:The BC Government has proposed police roadblocks to enforce travel restrictions between health authorities, in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19.Because there are significantly different rates of infection in different parts of the province, this objective is understandable. Unfortunately, contrary to the premier’s assertion that police will be able to conduct roadblocks of this kind without any new authority, that is not the case. Police have the authority to stop vehicles for motor vehicle-related purposes, such as to ensure the sobriety of the driver, that the driver has a valid licence, and the vehicle is properly insured and mechanically sound. Police do not have the authority to stop vehicles for other kinds of investigations unless, at a minimum, they already have reasonable grounds to suspect that the occupants are connected to particular criminal activity. The police would not be permitted to, for example, pull cars over at random, or set up a roadblock, to search for drugs or stolen property.In addition, police are independent of government: they are not obliged to set up roadblocks at the direction of the government. Some police representatives have already made clear that they are not prepared to participate in the proposed scheme. Finally, the province has not provided vaccines to police officers so asking them to conduct roadblocks of the type suggested would put both the police officers and people being stopped, at risk. There is, however,  a safe and lawful means to accomplish the government’s objective. Section 23 of the Public Health Act permits health officers to stop a person or vehicle for purposes including determining if “a health hazard exists or likely exists in or on the vehicle or place, or in relation to the activities of the person…”. The government could designate nurses, or other medical professionals, as health officers pursuant to section 71 of the Public Health Act.Unlike police, the designated medical practitioners would have the legal authority to conduct checks or cars at ferry terminals or elsewhere. They would also be vaccinated. This approach would also address many of the concerns expressed by the BC Civil Liberties Association, The BC Assembly of First Nations, the Criminal Defence Advocacy Society, and others relating to the use of police checkpoints. Also on the show, a COVID-denier, who attended a Flat Earth conference in South Carolina, had his claim against the Premier, AG, and others, dismissed after he was arrested and held in jail for 4 days following three alleged breaches of the Quarantine Act, upon his return to BC. In dismissing the man’s claim, the judge hearing the case said that he was not without sympathy, because the man learned the hard way that laws do not work on an “opt-in” basis. Finally, on the show, Small Claims rules for civil claims between $5,001 and $35,000, have been amended as a result of COVID-19 to permit various steps in the process to be conducted by phone or video connection. Other steps, such as a trial, would presumptively be conducted in person. On application, a judge has the authority to depart from the default online or in-person option. Follow this link for a transcript of the show and links to the case discussed.   

Top stories today: Civil rights groups concerned over restrictions Yesterday the Premier of BC announced that audits in the form of counterattack style road checks would commence to curb the spread of COVID. Well, some aren't too thrilled about it. Christy Clark faces the law Christy Clark was the latest person to testify in the Cullen commission. What did she have to say?  BC without 4/20, again Is it even British Columbia without an annual 4/20 celebration? We chat with Dana Larsen himself, about 4/20 in a pandemic.  Much more in the full episode! _____________ NAVIGATE THE PODCAST:  Chapter 1 Some groups aren't happy about newly announced travel measures ‘Roadside audits' ruffled some feathers yesterday. First there are those who need to go from Vancouver Coastal Health, to Fraser Health, to see their loved ones in LTC. Then, there are the civil liberties groups who think this is a breach of their constitutional rights.    Meghan McDermott, is Senior Staff Counsel and Interim Policy Director at the BC Civil Liberties Association.  Chapter 2 Does the tax deadline need to be extended? If you haven't yet filed your taxes, you better hurry! Is there an excuse to be made to delay the deadline? For more insight we bring in Peter Cishecki, Registered Financial Planner and President of the Everything Financial Group Chapter 3 Christy Clark takes the stand The latest in the Cullen Inquiry to be called to answer questions about Money Laundering in B.C. Sandy Garossino was looking forward to this, and helps us debrief this historic day.  Chapter 4 BC Budget Day Any big surprises in today's budget? Selina Robinson, BC's finance minister, joins the show.  Chapter 5 Why can't we stop international travel? We've heard many reports of people in India, as an example, faking COVID tests in order to travel to Canada. Why isn't more being done to stop this? India is one of the worst COVID hotspots in the world. Dr Anna Wolak, Family Physician and Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of British Columbia, shares her thoughts Chapter 6 Police association chimes in on restriction enforcement The new measures we'll learn more details about this Friday as they pertain to curbing travel has us thinking, what do cops think about this? We talk to Tom Stamatakis.  Chapter 7 COVID-420 x 2 The second year without a massive 420 gathering. Dana Larsen, Activist and long-time organizer of the 4/20 Vancouver rallies, shares his thoughts. _____________   Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet!    The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience.    Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!  

‘Roadside audits' ruffled some feathers yesterday. First there are those who need to go from Vancouver Coastal Health, to Fraser Health, to see their loved ones in LTC. Then, there are the civil liberties groups who think this is a breach of their constitutional rights.  Meghan McDermott, is Senior Staff Counsel and Interim Policy Director at the BC Civil Liberties Association. 

Below the Radar invites Harsha Walia to discuss migrant justice, movement practices, and the underlying forces that govern oppressive border practices on a global scale. She is in conversation with host Am Johal about her recently released book, Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism (Fernwood Publishing, 2021). In this episode, they discuss Harsha’s interrogation of border imperialism and the violence enacted through borders. Am asks Harsha about how her organizing background around race and migration informs her writing. She speaks to a nuanced framework for thinking about borders and migrant justice globally, connecting issues of populist nationalism, racial capitalism, migrant workers, deportations and detentions, eco-fascism, the technology of border enforcement, and more. Resources: — Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism (Fernwood Publishing, 2021) by Harsha Walia: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/border-and-rule — Undoing Border Imperialism (AK Press, 2013) by Harsha Walia: https://www.akpress.org/undoing-border-imperialism.html — No One Is Illegal: https://noii-van.resist.ca/ — BC Civil Liberties Association: https://bccla.org/

The federal government’s new Bill 22 repeals some of the offences that currently carry mandatory minimums, but it leaves quite a number still in place. Meghan McDermott says that any imposition of sentencing requirements on judges leads to problems with systemic racism within the justice system. Meghan McDermott is with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

This week, Nashwa chats with Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association and author of the upcoming book Border and Rule, Harsha Walia. They unpack the insidious nature of Canada being framed as “better” than America when it comes to marginalized people. The conversation highlights the faultlines of Canada's immigration system especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite precarious and dangerous working conditions for Canada's migrant workers, they have no guaranteed access to the vaccine; we hope listeners become signatories of and share the Vaccines For All campaign to ensure full access to the vaccine regardless of immigration status. Nashwa and Harsha also touch on the NDP's motion in the House of Commons to designate the Proud Boys a terrorist entity will and can actually harm marginalized communities. They also touch on one of Canada's most popular exports, its grotesque Canadian models of migration. The two wrap up with a discussion of how in our small worlds we can do the things that the government/state will not. They want to find ways to rethink how to be with each other and this episode reminds listeners that we have a collective struggle, to recenter what we all long for, and what we all owe each other. Walia helps us rethink borders and an imagined Canada—we re-imagine what could be and the radical possibilities that await us when we fight for one another in a demilitarized world.Guest Information:Guest of the week: Harsha Walia Harsha Walia is the author of the upcoming book Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism. She is also the award-winning author of Undoing Border Imperialism, co-author of Never Home: Legislating Discrimination in Canadian Immigration as well as Red Women Rising: Indigenous Women Survivors in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Harsha has organized in migrant justice, anti-capitalist, feminist, abolitionist, and anti-imperialist movements for the past two decades. She has been involved in grassroots movements including No One Is Illegal, Defenders of the Land, and Women's Memorial March. She is the past Project Coordinator of the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and current Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association.You can buy her first book Undoing Border Imperialism here. You can buy her highly anticipated second book Border and Rule, being released in February, here.We highly recommend people check out her 2012 article in Briarpatch entitled Decolonizing Together. You can join Harsha and D.G. Kelley for the launch of her book on February 11th for a conversation on about global migration, racial capitalism, and the ascendent far right.Additional Resources:Some readings that compliment this episode : We Must Dismantle The Security State, Not Expand It by Harsha Walia Don't Expand the War on Terror in the Name of Antiracism by Arun Kudnani and Jeanne Theoharis Whiteness as Property by Cheryl I. Harris What could a progressive alternative to the failed “war on terror” look like? by Arun Kudnani Calling the Capitol riot ‘terrorism' will only hurt communities of color by Diala Shamas and Tarek Z. IsmailBehind Closed Doors: Exposing Migrant Care Worker Exploitation During COVID-19 by The Migrant Rights Network Production Credits:Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan Music by Johnny Zapras and postXamericaArt for Habibti Please by postXamericaProduction by Nashwa Lina Khan and Johnny ZaprasProduction Assistance by Raymond KhananoSocial Media & Support:Follow us on Twitter @habibtipleaseSupport us on PatreonSubscribe to us on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

BC’s Attorney General and Minister of Housing David Eby joins Am Johal for this episode of Below the Radar, discussing policy solutions to BC’s housing crisis — from protecting tenants’ rights and serving those who are under-housed to curbing speculation and quashing renovictions, to addressing issues of supply and an aging rental stock. David also looks back on getting his start as a lawyer and housing advocate in Vancouver’s urban core decades ago. He provides insights into his time in office so far, and the different policies he has gone, and continues to go to bat for. He speaks to the effects of COVID-19 on Vancouver’s housing availability and real estate market, and gives a brief update on the public enquiry into money laundering in BC. Resources: — David Eby - MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey: https://davidebymla.ca/ — The Dash Podcast: https://www.thedashpod.ca/ — Sen̓áḵw: https://senakw.com/ — Pivot Legal Society: https://www.pivotlegal.org/ — BC Civil Liberties Association: https://bccla.org/

We chat with Meghan McDermott with the BC Civil Liberties Association. 

Not so Great Canadian Gaming Corporation Rod Baker, and his partner, traveled to the Yukon for the sake of jumping a vaccination queue. Rod Baker has since resigned, and more punishment may be on the way.  Travel restriction talks heating up President Biden suggested that travel restrictions may be incoming very soon. This off the tail of Trudeau suggesting similar.  A weird anniversary to be celebrating That is the anniversary of COVID-19. We're marking the one year point of this crazy viral disease. What's next?! And more in this episode! _____________ NAVIGATE THE PODCAST:  Chapter 1 Great Canadian Gaming Corp CEO resigns Rod Baker, who was CEO of the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation has resigned off the heels of a major scandal involving vaccine queue jumping.  Chapter 2 The end of the city? A fascinating deep dive Sylvain Charlebois is the food professor, as he's been popularly known. Recently he took a deep dive called ‘The end of cities?' We chat with him.  Chapter 3 Eye on Ottawa: Travel restrictions incoming? This has been on the agenda for a few weeks now, with the public putting pressure on both local and federal government to do something about all the non-essential travel. Tom Korski, managing editor of blacklocks reporter joins us. Chapter 4 Is the city's new trespassing initiative inhumane? We chat with Meghan McDermott with the BC Civil Liberties Association.  Chapter 5 COVID-19, we are one year in! WHAT?!  Has it felt like a year? What are your biggest takeaways? And, what do you miss?  Chapter 6 Hockey Night in Punjabi colour guy joins us! BONINOOOOOOOOOOOONINONINONINOOO Does that sound familiar? Probably not in text form, but that was an infamous call by Harnarayan Singh _____________ Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet!    The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience.    Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!

Representatives from the Indian Farmer protest are asking the RCMP for an apology for the way they were shut down, before things even got underway.  To discuss the issue we have both Meghan McDermott - Interim Policy Director at the BC Civil Liberties Association, as well as Guntaas Kaur - Vice President of the World Sikh Organization of Canada

Six years ago, the BC Civil Liberties Association made a complaint against the RCMP after it discovered that it spied on the activities of people opposed to Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline project. The final report of the Complaints Commission for the RCMP came out in mid-December. We talk with Jessica Magonet of the BCCLA about what the report said and why it took so long to come out.

Imagine not being able to see your mum or dad who lives in long term care on Christmas? This might be the reality facing hundreds of people.  The biggest problem is the inconsistency across the board. We chat with Meghan McDermott Interim Policy Director and Senior Staff Counsel at the BC Civil Liberties Association

At a time when the Vancouver Police department is under pressure from a broad range of activist groups and the City of Vancouver to end street checks, it has formed a new neighbourhood response team in the downtown core that could lead to an expansion of this type of police activity. We talk with Meghan McDermott of the BC Civil Liberties Association about the VPD’s new unit.

Meet Harsha Walia, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, co-founder of No One is Illegal and author of Undoing Border Imperialism. We talk about what it means to be a good community member, why we can't talk about borders and migration without talking about race, and interrogate the critiques placed against the call to undo borders.

On this episode of the podcast, Hilary Young and Robert Danay are joined by constitutional litigator and self-styled "Blackademic," Joshua Sealy-Harrington. The discussion primarily centred on the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Chouhan, which was a constitutional challenge to Bill C-75, a law that removed the ability of an accused (or a prosecutor) to remove potential jurors peremptorily. This law was passed in the aftermath of Gerald Stanley's controversial acquittal in the murder of Colton Boushie, a 22-year old Indigenous man in Saskatchewan. Joshua represented the intervener BC Civil Liberties Association in Chouhan. The discussion also touched on the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Fraser v. Canada (Attorney General), 2020 SCC 28, which was a constitutional challenge to an aspect of the RCMP's statutory pension scheme that disproportionately affected women. It was the first decision in which the Court found an unjustifiable breach of the right to equality in s. 15 of the Charter on the basis of "adverse impact" discrimination. In obiter dicta, Hilary recommended the songs of Tom Lehrer, which the math professor/satirical musician recently released into the public domain. Rob recommended the CBC show You Can't Ask That! and Joshua recommended The Alchemy of Race and Rights by Patricia J. Williams. Find us on Twitter and Facebook!

VPD has long been insistent that systemic racism is not a problem. But with new data released on drug charges, questions are being asked again.  We chat with Harsha Walia - Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association

Highlights:    Today Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced our economic forecast, and it does not look good at all.       Cancel culture has ruined the lives of many people. Was it all deserved, or do we need to rethink cancel culture?       Street checks in Vancouver. Do they happen? Some say yes, some say no.   Navigate the podcast:  Chapter 1    Federal Government reveals grim financial outlook thanks in part to COVID-19 Finance Minister Bill Morneau unveiled the outlook for Canada's finances up till Spring 2021, and it doesn't look good. They still seem confident about things though.   We chat about this snapshot with Brian Kingston, VP of Policy at the Business Council of Canada   Chapter 2 Working on the West Coast: Working from home and the labour market   Christian St. Cyr, Author and Publisher of the BC Labour Market Report, joins us to chat about working from home and the impact on the labour market.    Chapter 3   Does ‘cancel culture' go too far?   In recent months, we've seen swaths of people get ‘cancelled' because of outbursts caught on camera, or social media.  Is this the right course of action?  Chapter 4   Are police street checks in Vancouver still happening?    A conversation set to take place within Vancouver council has been pushed back around the concept of police street checks.  Harsha Walia with the BC Civil Liberties Association is our guest.  Chapter 5   Green Party taking action in regards to wellness checks We're joined by Parliamentary Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May; to talk about wellness checks.    Chapter 6   50 percent meat + 50 percent plant protein = 100 percent stupid?    That's Amir's opinion on a new line of 50/50 meat brought to you by Maple Leaf.    The team chats about it.    Chapter 7   Human trafficking right under our nose Eric Chapman has the details ___________   Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet!    The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience.    Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!

A conversation set to take place within Vancouver council has been pushed back around the concept of police street checks.  Harsha Walia with the BC Civil Liberties Association is our guest. 

Street checks are when police stop someone in public to question them and record their information in a police database, outside the context of an investigation. Statistics show that Black and Indigenous people are by far the most common target of this kind of police attention. The BC Civil Liberties Association, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the Hogan’s Alley Society are calling for a stop to the practice. We talk with BCCLA policy lawyer Latoya Farrell about their concerns about the legality and usefulness of street checks.

Street checks are when police stop someone in public to question them and record their information in a police database, outside the context of an investigation. Statistics show that Black and Indigenous people are by far the most common target of this kind of police attention. The BC Civil Liberties Association, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the Hogan’s Alley Society are calling for a stop to the practice. We talk with BCCLA policy lawyer Latoya Farrell about their concerns about the legality and usefulness of street checks.

With three episodes left in season 2, Stephanie and Craig return with their last news roundup before breaking for August. Most of bill C-59 came into force this week (and the CSE Act will come into force on August 1). This podcast has the details of the provisions now in force. And CSIS was in the news twice this month: once in relation to a BC Civil Liberties Association complaint about alleged “spying” by CSIS implicating environmentalists; and more recently after the federal Conservative Party called on CSIS to invistigate Canada's former ambassador to China, John McCallum, for media comments urging the Chinese to consider the implications of their actions for the election fortunes of the Liberal Party. Stephanie and Craig do their best to parse these issues, and the role of CSIS when at issue is lawful advocacy, protest and dissent.

The BC Civil Liberties Association says the Canadian Security Intelligence Service spied on environmentalists opposed to the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, and shared information with the national Energy Board and petroleum companies. Thousands of pages have been released by CSIS - but heavily redacted. The body that oversees CSIS held meetings in previous years and the BCCLA says those who participated in that hearing are under a gag order.  They're now challenging those gag orders in federal court and requesting for documents to be un-redacted. The watchdog found that CSIS was investigating "targets" but found the intelligence service did nothing wrong. Guest: Meghan McDermott Staff Counsel at the BC Civil Liberties Association

In this special edition episode of our Data Subjects podcast, we revisit our Policing Info World conference. On May 23, 2019, we co-hosted a conference that explored the data behind crime, law enforcement, and surveillance. Along with department of criminology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the BC Civil Liberties Association, we heard from experts in law enforcement, academia, and the legal profession. As this was a full-day conference, this episode is very long. Please view the show notes on our website for a complete list of panels, panelists, and time codes. This conference wouldn't have been possible without the support of our sponsors: CUPE BC, News Media Canada, and Web exPress.

An appeal filed by the federal government is being heard this morning, after a BC Supreme Court shot down its law, which would allow prisoners to be in solitary confinement indefinitely. Among those challenging Ottawa is the BC Civil Liberties Association - their Executive Director Josh Paterson argues solitary confinement is inhumane and causes psychological problems, and he joins me now... Guest: Josh Paterson Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association

Chapter 1

Ottawa has announced plans today to move away from solitary confinement in Canada's prisons.  Josh Paterson is the executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, and joins Rob to provide perspective.

Last month, in response to an FOI request, the Vancouver Police Department released data on almost 100,000 street checks from 2008 to 2017. The data shows that Black and Indigenous people are disproportionately targeted by steet checks. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Civil Liberties Association have filed a complaint with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner calling for an investigation into the practice. Dylan Mazur is community lawyer with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

Last month, in response to an FOI request, the Vancouver Police Department released data on almost 100,000 street checks from 2008 to 2017. The data shows that Black and Indigenous people are disproportionately targeted by steet checks. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Civil Liberties Association have filed a complaint with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner calling for an investigation into the practice. Dylan Mazur is community lawyer with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

BC has already legislated a buffer zone for protestors- Michael Vonn is the Policy Director at the BC Civil Liberties Association. 

On January 17, the BC Supreme Court ruled that indefinite solitary confinement violates the constitutional rights of Canadian prisoners. The decision marks a huge victory in the campaign to end a practice that the UN calls torture. We speak with Jay Aubrey, a lawyer with the BC Civil Liberties Association.

The practice of solitary confinement in Canada is being constitionally challenged by the BC Civil Liberties Association and the John Howard Society of Canada. Rob is joined by the Executive Director of the BBCLA Josh Paterson.  

My guest for today is Ian Bushfield, executive director of the British Columbia Humanist Association. According to his bio, “Ian Bushfield was the first Executive Director for the BC Humanist Association and lived for two years in the UK where he worked on campaigns with Sense About Science. He has a background in physics and non-profit management and grew up in Alberta. In 2017 he joined the BC Civil Liberties Association's Board of Directors.” So today we’re going to talk about Ian’s background and find out everything the BC Humanist Association is doing.Links:•BC Humanist Association: http://www.bchumanist.ca/ •Ian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibushfield •4 Ways White People Can Process Their Emotions Without Bringing the White Tears: http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/02/white-people-emotions-tears/ •The Podunk Polymath Podcast: https://thepodunkpolymath.com/ •Unbuckling the Bible Belt: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzq5cXYaLevSZ4EnQRsTwiA •Cellar Door Skeptics: https://cellardoorskeptics.com/ •Freedom from Religion Foundation: http://ffrf.org •Utah Outcasts: http://utahoutcasts.com/ •The Biskeptical Podcast: http://www.spreaker.com/show/the-biskeptical-podcast•The Spin Off: http://www.spreaker.com/show/the-spin-off •Dream Youth: http://dreamyouth.bandcamp.com •Asher Silberman: http://www.ashersilberman.com/ •My Twitter: http://twitter.com/tmamone •Bi Any Means on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bianymeanspod •Bi Any Means on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bianymeanspodcast •The Bi Any Means/Biskeptical Podcast/Spin Off Fans Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/179617892470906/ •Email: bianymeanspodcast@gmail.com •Listener line: 410-690-3558 •My Patreon page: http://www.patreon.com/tmamone •Bi Any Means Blog: http://freethoughtblogs.com/bianymeans/

While the use of segregation – or what's more commonly known as solitary confinement – is increasing in Canada, so is opposition to the practice. Indeed, the BC Civil Liberties Association and John Howard Society of Canada have launched a legal challenge to the use of segregation in federal prisons. In this episode we explore Canada's use of the practice through the lens of the legal challenge. We explain what segregation is, the harm it causes, and what's being done to change how it's used in Canada. We speak with Howard Sapers, the Correctional Investigator of Canada, Alison Latimer, a lawyer with Farris, Vaughan, Wills, and Murphy and co-counsel on the BCCLA and John Howard Society's case, and a man who, on the condition of anonymity, shared his personal experience of segregation.

This week... Mind Grapes: Alli is all about voiceover, having watched both the documentary I Know That Voice and Lake Bell's In a World. Having finally gotten to see Gone Girl, Sam is on a Gillian Flynn kick, reading Sharp Objects and Dark Places. Class Z(ed): Last week, we attended a talk given by Michael Vonn of the BC Civil Liberties Association regarding a change of policy in VPL's Internet Use Policy that prohibits the viewing of "sexually explicit materials" on library workstations. While they have some good explanations, we discuss our own opinions (and certainly not those of our employers) why the problems with this policy may run deeper than they look.

The BC NDP's David Eby (former executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association) is running against BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark in the Vancouver-Point Grey riding on Vancouver's wealthy westside in the upcoming provincial election. He discusses regional planning, housing, poverty, jobs, and the importance of progressive provincial-municipal policies.

In this podcast: protecting the rights of Vancouverites, advocating for Uganda's gays and lesbians, learning through art, and music from Ottawa. Leaked documents show that the Province of B.C. is considering legislation that would allow the police to detain the homeless. David Eby, executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association speaks about what that will mean for the homeless during the Vancouver 2010 games. A multi-media piece about child soldiers called Strange News made it's Canadian Debut last week, and featured actor Arthur Kisenyi, who travelled from Uganda to perform.  Ugandan GLBT activists are asking for help from the international community. They want you to deliver letters against the implementation of a strict anti-homosexuality bill that is now on its way to becoming law. The Ruckus has been featuring Ottawa artists in its last few podcasts. In the latest Ottawa edition, the Mighty Popo. Here he is, with Ma Africa.

Keith Gottschalk is looking for some help getting some sleep.  The BC Civil Liberties Association's Executive Director Murray Mullard, speaks about why more oversight is needed for both the public's and the police's sake. Music from A Northern Chorus: The Shepherd and the Chauffeur  The Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti's Brian Concannon speaks about the current political situation in Haiti. Reel Women take on the Troubles by examining Ken Loach's film "The Wind That Shakes the Barley." Another tune from A Northern Chorus: Fragile Day.