Publication Topic : Indigenous Communities

The Perils of “Protection”: Summary reports

Criminal law has perpetually trapped sex workers within dualities of criminality and victimization. Whereas the previous criminal offences concerning sex work framed sex workers in terms of nuisance and criminality, the passage of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in 2014 legally enshrined sex workers as victims, invalidating the labour of sex … Read more

The Perils of “Protection”: Sex Workers’ Experiences of Law Enforcement in Ontario

Criminal law has perpetually trapped sex workers within dualities of criminality and victimization. Whereas the previous criminal offences concerning sex work framed sex workers in terms of nuisance and criminality, the passage of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in 2014 legally enshrined sex workers as victims, invalidating the labour of sex … Read more

Drug Policy and Human Rights: The Canadian Context and Recommendations to OHCHR

“Repressive drug control laws and policies around the world have fueled the HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) epidemics and contributed to mounting human rights violations against people who use drugs. The upcoming Ministerial Segment of the 62nd session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in March 2019 represents another important opportunity for Member … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

Indigenous Communities and HIV: Resilience, strength and solidarity

June 21, 2017 Today, National Aboriginal Day, we recognize not only the cultures and contributions of First Nation, Inuit and Métis people in Canada, but also the resilience and strength of these communities. Many Indigenous Peoples have had to cope with traumatic life circumstances, including those related to experiences with the residential school and child … Read more