The following statement is issued jointly by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”), the Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA), and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). August 7, 2020 — This week, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in R. v N.G., a case […]
Current News Releases
Media Statement: Civil Society Organizations Renew Call for Drug Decriminalization
Civil Society Organizations Renew Call for Drug Decriminalization The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police now recognizes harms of criminalization The following statement is issued by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, and Pivot Legal Society. July 10, 2020 — Yesterday, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) released […]
Media release: Civil society organizations call for drug decriminalization as a necessary response to COVID-19
May 14, 2020 — Today, more than 50 leading human rights, health, and drug policy organizations from across the country, including the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Pivot Legal Society, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, Canadian Association of People who use Drugs, Amnesty International, the BC Centre on Substance Use, and the Canadian Public Health […]
NEWS RELEASE: LEGAL CHALLENGE CITING CANADA’S FAILURE TO PROTECT PRISONERS’ HEALTH DURING COVID-19
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS FILE LEGAL CHALLENGE CITING CANADA’S FAILURE TO PROTECT PRISONERS’ HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 Correctional Service Canada must take steps to reduce the prison population to the greatest extent possible May 12, 2020 — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Canadian Prison Law Association […]
STATEMENT: A SETBACK FOR PRISONERS’ RIGHTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The following statement is issued by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. Comments can be attributed to Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Director of Research and Advocacy. Court suggests denying sterile injection equipment to prisoners may breach Charter rights, but declines to find that flaws in current federal prison needle exchange program make it unconstitutional May 1, 2020 […]
ONTARIO: Protecting Prisoner Health during COVID-19
SIGN YOUR NAME IN SUPPORT OF PRISON HEALTH IN ONTARIO (both individuals and organizations can sign) Download letter April 23, 2020 Hon. Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General, Ministry of the Solicitor General Hon. Christine Elliott, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier, Ministry of Health Hon. Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, Ministry of the Attorney General Dear […]
SECOND LETTER TO GOVERNMENT (FOLLOW UP): COVID-19 – PROTECTING PRISONER HEALTH
Download letter to Federal Minister Bill Blair and Commissioner of CSC Anne Kelly. April 13, 2020 The Hon. Bill Blair Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Public Safety Canada Anne Kelly, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada Dear Minister Blair and Commissioner Kelly: Re: COVID-19 – Protecting Prisoner Health We […]
FLATTEN INEQUALITY: Human rights in the age of COVID-19
In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, law- and policymakers are taking and contemplating drastic measures to minimize the spread of the virus. But hasty and broad punitive measures may perversely undermine public health objectives while also violating human rights — so it is essential that any measures be appropriately narrow and comply with […]
Letter: Protect The Right to Health of People Who Use Drugs During COVID-19
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network has joined leaders in harm reduction to call on the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health to provide guidance to states on how to promote and protect the right to health of people who use drugs in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 emergency poses unprecedented challenges, creating […]
Letter: Canadian border closed to refugees
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Doctors Without Borders Canada and Amnesty International Canada called on the Canadian government to uphold refugee laws and treaties and to immediately reverse its March 20, 2020 Orders in Council legislation during COVID-19 to shut the Canada-US border to people seeking refugee protection and return them […]
Open letter to government: COVID-19 – Protecting Prisoner Health
Download letter to Ontario Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. Download letter to Federal Minister Bill Blair and Commissioner of CSC Anne Kelly. March 17, 2020 The Hon. Bill Blair Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Public Safety Canada Anne Kelly, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada Dear Minister Blair and Commissioner Kelly: […]
NEWS RELEASE: PRISON NEEDLE AND SYRINGE PROGRAM
A PUBLIC HEALTH FAILURE: FORMER PRISONER AND HIV GROUPS IN COURT SUING THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE ACCESS TO PRISON NEEDLE AND SYRINGE PROGRAM This statement is being re-released (with additional information) due to a rescheduling of the court hearing from December 9, 2019 to March 6, 2020. The following […]
STATEMENT: WHY ARE WE STILL PROSECUTING PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV WHO USE CONDOMS?
The following statement is issued jointly by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”), the Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA), and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). Comments can be attributed to Richard Elliott, Executive Director, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. TORONTO, February 12, 2020 — Today, […]