Marking 20 years
of bold journalism,
reader supported.
Opinion
Rights + Justice
BC Politics

Ten Civil Liberties and Human Rights Priorities for BC’s New Government

The BCCLA will be tracking these to-dos in coming months.

Josh Paterson 20 Jul 2017TheTyee.ca

Josh Paterson is executive director of the BCCLA.

After a historic provincial election that took weeks to resolve, British Columbians woke up this week to a new government. A change in government, especially one in which a different political party assumes power, brings new opportunities, and new challenges.

The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association is a non-partisan organization based here in B.C., and we are deeply committed to the rights and liberties of the people living on these lands. While the new government will have a lot that they want to accomplish, we will be working hard in Victoria to ensure that critical changes for civil liberties and human rights stay squarely on their packed agenda.

To this end, we have assembled an initial list of priorities for the new government to pursue. We are in strong support of the government’s promise, stated in the confidence agreement between the New Democrats and Greens, to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and to respect Aboriginal Rights and Title.

In addition to the full realization of the rights of Indigenous peoples, the BCCLA’s priorities for the new provincial government include the following:

1. Taking systemic action to eliminate racial discrimination against First Nations and racialized minorities by police, both in the RCMP and municipal police services.

2. Reforming the laws dealing with information rights, including long-needed reforms to access to information.

3. Reforming our electoral system to ensure that every vote counts.

4. Pursuing serious action and finding effective and rights-respecting means to address the opioid crisis.

5. Enacting anti-SLAPP legislation to protect the freedom of expression of those who participate in the political life of their communities, and to stop people from being intimidated into silence when they speak out on matters of public interest. (“SLAPP” is an acronym for a strategic lawsuit against public participation.)

6. Ensuring genuine access to justice by strengthening legal aid and legal services.

7. Ending the over-representation of Indigenous people in all aspects of the criminal justice system.

8. Creating a Human Rights Commission to ensure that there is a public body dedicated to fulfilling a vital educational and advocacy role in fostering human rights awareness and preventing discrimination in employment, accommodation, services and other areas.

9. Reforming the provincial correctional system to ensure the just and humane treatment of those who are incarcerated, promoting rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society.

10. Ensuring the just treatment of people with mental illnesses.

These priorities are just the beginning of our goals for B.C. They sit alongside other critical goals such as the reduction of poverty and the fixing of the broken child protection system. Over the coming months, BCCLA will be working hard to ensure that the new government upholds civil liberties and human rights, and rebuilds the justice system to ensure that our rights are protected.  [Tyee]

  • Share:

Facts matter. Get The Tyee's in-depth journalism delivered to your inbox for free

Tyee Commenting Guidelines

Comments that violate guidelines risk being deleted, and violations may result in a temporary or permanent user ban. Maintain the spirit of good conversation to stay in the discussion.
*Please note The Tyee is not a forum for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, denying its existence or minimizing its risk to public health.

Do:

  • Be thoughtful about how your words may affect the communities you are addressing. Language matters
  • Challenge arguments, not commenters
  • Flag trolls and guideline violations
  • Treat all with respect and curiosity, learn from differences of opinion
  • Verify facts, debunk rumours, point out logical fallacies
  • Add context and background
  • Note typos and reporting blind spots
  • Stay on topic

Do not:

  • Use sexist, classist, racist, homophobic or transphobic language
  • Ridicule, misgender, bully, threaten, name call, troll or wish harm on others
  • Personally attack authors or contributors
  • Spread misinformation or perpetuate conspiracies
  • Libel, defame or publish falsehoods
  • Attempt to guess other commenters’ real-life identities
  • Post links without providing context

LATEST STORIES

The Barometer

Do You Think Naheed Nenshi Will Win the Alberta NDP Leadership Race?

Take this week's poll