Introduction People who use drugs retain their fundamental rights, including the right to health and including in detention settings, and States have a heightened, positive obligation to protect those most vulnerable, and/or under their direct control. Regrettably, the criminalisation of drug use and drug possession for personal use, in the context of repressive drug policies, […]
Publication Topics Archives: Prisons
Report to OHCHR on “human rights in the administration of justice”
Open Letter to the Government of Canada on the Evaluation of its “Prison Needle Exchange Program”
On March 20, 2019, a group of scientists wrote to the Hon. Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Anne Kelly, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada, about the evaluation of the Government of Canada’s “Prison Needle Exchange Program.” The text of the letter is available in the download below.
Improve Access to Naloxone in Federal Prisons
There is an opioid overdose crisis in Canada. In 2017, a record 3,987 people in Canada died of apparent opioid overdoses, an increase of nearly 34% from 2,978 in 2016. As in the community as a whole, an increasing number of prisoners are overdosing — sometimes fatally — behind bars. Naloxone can temporarily reverse an […]
Appointment of the next Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada
In February 2018, the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada retired. The Legal Network sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale, and Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick to tell them the appointment of a new CSC Commissioner presents a key opportunity to promote […]
Comments on Canada’s Draft Third Report Under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
In this brief, the Legal Network provides information about Canada’s implementation of its international human rights obligations as raised in the draft report, organized under subheadings included in the draft report. It expands on issues presented in the Legal Network’s Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s UPR Working Group in advance of the […]
Respect, Protect, Fulfill: A Human Rights Response to HIV
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network’s strategic plan, Respect, Protect, Fulfill: A Human Rights Response to HIV sets out the goals for the organization over the next five years.
Brief to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women: The need for drug policy reform and comprehensive prison-based harm reduction
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Prisoners with HIV/AIDS Support Action Network, CATIE and the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network work to promote the human rights of people living with, at risk of or affected by HIV and hepatitis C (HCV), including Indigenous women in prison. We appreciate the opportunity to make this submission on Indigenous women […]
Respect, Protect, Fulfill: A human rights response to HIV: Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network Strategic Plan 2017–2022
In 2016, we undertook a planning process to set our strategic directions for the next five years (2017–2022), including seeking the input of our members, key partners and supporters. This is a summary of the Legal Network’s 2017–2022 strategic plan.
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Working Group: Third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Canada
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network makes this submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group in advance of the third review of Canada, to take place in April/May 2018. In this submission, the Legal Network describes four key areas requiring action from the government of Canada to fulfill the […]
UN rights experts criticize Canada’s failure to end racist drug policies affecting Black and Indigenous people
TORONTO, August 28, 2017 — The Government of Canada must take immediate steps to implement recommendations by the United Nations’ highest body for combatting racism calling for an end to punitive drug policies that disproportionately impact Black and Indigenous Peoples, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network said today. In its Concluding Observations on its review of […]