Our Executive and various committee members have been hard at work. Read about the update to the “Alternative Report” and other advocacy highlights and discover our new social media accounts. If you would like to get more involved in the Section, apply for a vacant position on the 2022-2023 national Executive (deadline May 31, 2022).
Advocacy Highlights
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: April 2022 Update to Alternative Report
The Section’s United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee, has updated the Alternative Reports it prepared in February 2020 and October 2020 with a discussion of recent cases and events involving children’s rights in Canada, with a focus on access to justice for children.
The April 2022 Alternative Report Update is critical to these efforts and was prepared in anticipation of Canada’s upcoming appearance before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in Geneva, to ensure the CRC is aware of current issues where Canada falls short in meeting its human rights obligations to children. The Update highlights that children and youth continue to face disparate and serious challenges in accessing justice in Canada, limitations that particularly impact marginalized, racialized and Indigenous children.
The Committee reiterates previous recommendations that federal, provincial and territorial governments in Canada must facilitate and ensure dedicated and adequate funding to meet children’s essential legal needs. Other recommendations include the need for specific incorporation of the UNCRC in domestic law; swift ratification by Canada of the Third Optional Protocol, which would create a communications procedure whereby children could make complaints about violations of their rights under the UNCRC directly to the CRC; the establishment of a National Commissioner for Children and Youth; and ongoing child rights education for judges and other legal professionals.
Our governments’ implementation of these recommendations remains critical to ensuring the meaningful protection of children’s rights under the UNCRC and children’s access to justice in Canada. Read the latest submission and watch Canada’s appearance before the CRC on May 17 and 18, 2022 at 3 pm GMT.
CBA End-of-Life Working Group
Our Section is actively involved with the CBA End-of-Life Working Group. In early February 2022, the Working Group made a submission on Medical Assistance in Dying, namely issues about mature minors, advance requests and mental illness. The Working Group has consistently recommended that amendments to the Criminal Code for MAiD align with the criteria established by the Supreme Court of Canada in Carter.
Recent Submissions
Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
Our Section has new Twitter and LinkedIn accounts! Please follow us for updates on issues across the child and youth law bar, including relevant court decisions and case comments, law reform, our professional development offerings, government policy or legislative announcements, links to member articles and more!
More relevant, recent PD!
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Thank You,
CBA Child & Youth Law Executive Committee