Legal news & strategy
Substance use & parenting time
Women who have had a partner who has subjected them to intimate partner violence may also be concurrently dealing with partners who have substance use issues. Cases involving substance or alcohol use can be emotionally draining for all involved, especially if that makes it difficult for the parties to co-parent. How substance use can affect…
Read moreB.C.’s informal court process pilot a flawed approach
B.C.’s provincial government has recently announced a new family law informal court pilot in Kamloops. Parties can consent to participate in an informal process where the trial judge takes a facilitative role and manages the conduct of the case. Lawyers are permitted to attend but not to ask questions (except of expert witnesses). The rules…
Read moreWhat is a motion to change?
What is a motion to change? A motion to change is a court process where you can ask a judge to change a final court order about one or more of the following issues: Parenting time Decision-making authority Support payments related to an order made at least six months ago (unless permission was granted by a judge to return sooner) Restraining or non-harassment order …
Read moreFirearms controls and violence against women
Firearms can bring about deadly consequences for women and children in cases involving intimate partner violence. We united with other feminist organizations in opposing Bill C-21 and call on parliament to enact legislation that adequately addresses gun control in such cases. On May 16, 2022, the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) submitted…
Read moreBill C-233: The need for judicial education on intimate partner violence
We continue to support Bill C-233 as it moves to Third Reading. Luke’s Place Legal Director, Pamela Cross, and Legal Services Director, Emily Murray, submitted a discussion paper to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women regarding Bill C-233 and the importance of judicial education on intimate partner violence. Check out previous blog posts…
Read moreWhy it can’t all happen online
This article was originally published by The Lawyer’s Daily, part of LexisNexis Canada Inc., on November 2, 2021. Last month Gary Joseph posed the question “Why go back to the courthouse?” and encouraged family law lawyers to speak up so our voices could be heard. Family law lawyer A.J. Jakibowski took up the challenge and…
Read moreSubmission to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women re: Bill C-233
Presented by Pamela Cross, Luke’s Place Legal Director, on May 10, 2022 at 3:30pm. Thank you for this opportunity to appear before you to talk about Bill C-233. I do so on behalf of Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre in Durham Region, where I am the Legal Director. I’m happy to talk to you…
Read moreBill C-233 passes Second Reading and moves to debate at Committee stage
We are thrilled that Bill-C-233 passed Second Reading on Friday and has been referred to the Status of Women Committee for debate. As we explained in our previous blog post, a central component of this Bill involves judicial education on the issue of intimate partner violence. This aspect of the Bill honours Keira Kagan, a…
Read moreBrief on Bill C-5, which proposes amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
This brief was jointly submitted by the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, Luke’s Place, and Women’s Shelters Canada to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (“the Clinic”) is the only Clinic of its kind in Canada, providing specialized counselling, legal, and interpretation services. The Clinic has extensive expertise representing and…
Read moreJudicial education on intimate partner violence
Bill C-233 is moving to Second Reading in the House of Commons on Friday, April 29, 2022. A central component of this Bill involves judicial education on the issue of intimate partner violence. Known as Keira’s Law, this aspect of the Bill honours Keira Kagan, a four-year old girl killed by her father in an…
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