[van-announce] Wed Nov 26: Anti-Poverty Legal Strategies

[Harsha]

- Apologies for short notice -


Anti-Poverty Legal Strategies

*** A panel including Irene C. Faulkner from Victoria on Shelter as a
Charter right ***

When: Wed November 26th from 6:30-8:30 p.m
Where: YWCA, 733 Beatty Street
The event is free

Join us in a discussion with legal organizations and lawyers representing
poor and homeless people in the fight against poverty. What are the
possibilities and limitations of the law in anti-poverty organizing? What
role do those directly affected by poverty have in advancing legal
challenges?

* IRENE FAULKNER: Lawyer in Victoria Tent City lawsuit. Last month, a BC
Supreme Court found that Victoria's bylaw preventing homeless people from
erecting temporary shelters in city parks violates s. 7 of the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms (please see below)

* ROZ SALVADOR: lawyer with BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre, a
non-profit, public interest law office that advocates for poor people in
matters of income assistance, disability benefits and residential tenancy.

* LAURA TRACK: lawyer with Pivot Legal Society that utilizes strategic
legal advocacy to focus on the causes of problems rather than symptoms.
PIVOT has released several reports and launched several legal complaints
on the issue of lack of affordable housing in the DTES.


This event is organized by West Coast LEAF and co-sponsored by Downtown
Eastside Women's Centre POW Project. For more information please phone
684.8772 ext.111 or email exec at westcoastleaf.org.

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Full text of s. 7 of the Charter: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty
and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except
in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice."

Lawyers point out error of Victoria's new anti-camping policy:
http://www.thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Housing/2008/10/30/BylawFreePolicy/