Newsroom

  People living with HIV in Canada continue to face unjust criminal prosecution and imprisonment for allegedly not disclosing their HIV status to sexual partners. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network is hosting a full-day symposium in Toronto on HIV criminalization with legal experts, members of parliament, activists and people living with HIV.   WHAT: 8th Symposium … Read more

The following statement is issued by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”). Comments can be attributed to Richard Elliott, Executive Director of the Legal Network.   April 23, 2019 — The British Columbia Prosecution Service (BCPS) has issued an updated policy on criminally prosecuting cases of alleged HIV non-disclosure. This policy falls short of … Read more

Rather than helping, sex workers’ human rights are being systemically violated by those meant to protect them   The following statement is issued by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”). Comments can be attributed to Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Director of Research and Advocacy, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.   April 10, 2019 — In … Read more

April 8, 2019 — Brandon Coward, who attacked Barbadian trans woman Alexa Hoffmann with a meat cleaver on February 18, 2018, was today convicted in the Oistins Magistrates Court by Magistrate Elwood Watts and ordered to compensate Alexa BD$460 (about CAD$306) or face three months in prison. The gruesome attack left Alexa with serious injuries, … Read more

On March 18, 2019, the Legal Network made an oral statement to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs – “Implementation of the international drug control treaties.”  “Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the opportunity to contribute to this discussion regarding the implementation of the international drug control treaties. For more than 20 years, Member States have recognized, … Read more

Statement submitted by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Sixty-second session, Vienna, 14–22 March 2019. “We urge Member States to promote a public health approach focused on promoting health and social justice, rather than relying predominantly on criminal law responses. A public health approach is an organized, comprehensive, multi-sectoral effort directed at … Read more

In the midst of a growing overdose crisis, more than 75 health and human rights organizations have signed a letter to the federal government calling for a much-needed “class exemption” to protect clients and staff of supervised consumption services (SCS) from prosecution for drug offences when accessing or providing those services. These organizations are also … Read more

TORONTO, February 20, 2019 — In the midst of a growing overdose crisis, more than 75 health and human rights organizations have signed a letter to the federal government calling for a much-needed “class exemption” to protect clients and staff of supervised consumption services (SCS) from prosecution for drug offences when accessing or providing those … Read more

Submission to the Attorney General of British Columbia January 2019 The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network submits this brief to supplement previous correspondence and submissions to the Honourable David Eby, Attorney General of British Columbia, for the purpose of assisting with the development of a directive from the Attorney General to the British Columbia Prosecution Service … Read more

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH) and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), are jointly intervening in a landmark case before the Court of Appeal for Ontario regarding whether doctors can put their personal religious beliefs ahead of patients’ rights to health care.