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w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 13 ability to consent, treatment, conditions of leave, restraints and enforcement. The report calls for the B.C. govern- ment to "ensure genuine access to justice" by strengthening legal aid and other ser- vices. The group wants more funding for family, criminal, mental health, poverty and refugee legal aid (the latter in collabo- ration with federal counterparts) and more funding for front-line lawyers who work in front-line delivery organizations. The group recommends eliminating the legal services tax for low- or middle-income earners and having the collected taxes go to delivering legal aid services. It also rec- ommends that recent law school graduates who commit to practising in high-need rural areas for five years have student loans forgiven along with those who practise in clinics or take on many legal aid cases. "Extend funding for legal services to all people whose liberty is being infringed, including the following Acts: the Adult Guardianship Act, Mental Health Act, Patients Property Act, Health Care (Con- sent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act," the report urged. The report also tackles proceeds of crime forfeiture, a controversial issue in B.C. "Conduct an immediate review of the Civil Forfeiture Act, restore court oversight in the civil forfeiture process and ensure that the burden is on the government to justify property seizure, consistent with the rule of law," the report advocates. Under family law reforms, the report urges more funding for family law media- tion so public services are more readily available, collaboration with the federal government to develop a Unified Fam- ily Court, reduced wait times for parent psychological assessment and view-of-the- child reports and consistent standards and training governing those who carry out assessments under the Family Law Act. The report also urges more fund- ing for legal support for those filing and pursuing human rights complaints, ensuring the Human Rights Tribunal has adequate funding, creating a Human Rights Commission that can foster human rights awareness and prevent discrimination in employment, accom- modation, services and other areas. The report also urges amending the Human Rights Code to allow for a filing exten- sion, a complaint to proceed if the indi- vidual is dying or has just died and "to add social conditions as a further pro- tected ground of discrimination." Under strengthening "the institutions and legal framework of democracy," some of the reforms the group seeks include: a positive "duty to document" for public bodies; a prohibition on pub- lic bodies' unauthorized destruction of records; and anti-SLAPP legislation, such as exists in Ontario. The report also calls for amendments to the Employment Standards Act, including accommodations for women facing violence, as well as to the Resi- dential Tenancy Act, including closing loopholes on rent controls and evictions. — JEAN SORENSEN \ AT L A N T I C \ C E N T R A L \ P R A I R I E S \ W E S T REGIONAL WRAP-UP Choosing a personal injury lawyer is one of the most important decisions an injured person will make. Help your client ask the right questions: Is the lawyer... • selected by peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada • rated 5 out of 5 AV Preeminent - Martindale Hubbell • selected by peers for inclusion in Lexpert, Canada's Legal Lexpert Directory • a Director or Past President of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association • a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation CREDENTIALS MATTER A Noticeable Difference ™ TORONTO I BAR R IE I HAMILTON I K ITCHENER 1-866-685-3311 w w w.mcleishorlando.com C A N A D I A N L AW Y E R M A G A Z I N E cLeishOrlando_CL_Aug_17.indd 1 2017-07-14 12:54 PM

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