Skip to main content

Profiles

British Columbia Civil Liberties Association

British Columbia Civil Liberties Association

The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is a Canadian provincial charitable society based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

History

On April 24, 2020, the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General announced the creation of the Justice COVID-19 Response Group, with the BCCLA as a member, "to support government response to the impact of restrictive public health measures on the justice system."[1]

The BCCLA participated in the Mass Casualty Commission.[2]

In April 2025, lawyers for the BCCLA argued before the Supreme Court of Canada in Canadian Civil Liberties Association, et al. v. His Majesty the King in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, et al. that "section 6 of the Charter protects the right to move between provinces, as well as within them," and that "these rights should be enjoyed not just by citizens, but also by permanent residents." Further, the BCCLA argued that "individual communities – in particular Indigenous governments – should have control over access to their land," and that all of the above is "necessary in order for Canada to comply with its obligations under international law."[3]

Organization

Name Position Notes
Liza Hughes Executive Director[4] Law Office of barbara findlay, Gender-Free ID Coalition, Grace, Snowdon & Terepocki, Comox Valley Arts, Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS)
David Eby Executive Director (2008-2012)[5] Office of the Premier of British Columbia
Hasan Alam President[6] British Columbia General Employees' Union (BCGEU), Archway Community Services, Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers British Columbia (FACL BC), Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC)
Karen Mirsky Vice President[6:1] Pivot Legal Society, PACE Society
Jason Gratl Secretary[6:2] Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation (CELL), Radix Theatre Society, Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch
Joanna Joniec Treasurer[6:3] Government of Yukon, Chartered Professional Accountants of Yukon, Yukon Housing Corporation
Wassim Garzouzi Board Member-at-Large on Executive Committee[6:4] Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers (CALL), University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Kyla Lee Board Member-at-Large on Executive Committee[6:5] Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, The Verdict, Canadian Bar Association (CBA), The Advocates' Society, DUI Defense Lawyers Association, Universal Womens Network
Haran Aruliah Board Member-at-Large[6:6] Comdu.it, Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, Law Union of British Columbia, Legal Aid Ontario
Molly Beatrice Board Member-at-Large[6:7] -
Derek Brackley Board Member-at-Large[6:8] Leadnow, Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society (WSCCS)
Ian Bushfield Board Member-at-Large[6:9] British Columbia Humanist Association, PolitiCoast, Cambie Report, University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics, Sense about Science
Paul Champ Board Member-at-Large[6:10] -
Kevin Huang Board Member-at-Large[6:11] Hua Foundation, City of Vancouver, Vancity, Vancouver Foundation
Tristen Wybou Board Member-at-Large[6:12] -
Daniel Song Board Member-at-Large[6:13] Peter A. Allard School of Law, American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL)
David Fai President (former)[7] -
Craig Jones President (former)[8] Cross-Jurisdictional Technical Advisory Group
Ayendri Riddell Board Member-at-Large on Executive Committee (former)[7:1] Amnesty International, Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), No One is Illegal-Vancouver Coast Salish Territories, Terminal City Legal Collective (TCLC), End Immigration Detention Network
Irina Ceric Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:2] Kwantlen Polytechnic University Criminology Department, Common Front Legal Collective, Movement Defence Committee (MDC), Law Union of Ontario
Joey Doyle Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:3] Law Union of British Columbia, Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), Association of Legal Aid Lawyers
Michael Friedlaender Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:4] -
Cat Hart Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:5] West Coast LEAF, BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA), Qmunity, LOVE BC
Lisa Kerr Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:6] Queen's University Faculty of Law, Prisoners' Legal Services, Pivot Legal Society, Queen's Prison Law Clinic (QPLC), Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Jay Krishnan Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:7] Pacific Society for the Advancement of Employment Equity (PSAEE)
Kevin Millsip Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:8] Next Up, Vancouver School Board (VSB), Greenest City 2020 Action Plan (GCAP), Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Vancouver Foundation, Vancity, Small Change Fund, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Theatre for Living Society, Centre for Civic Governance, Rabble.ca, Check Your Head, Get Your Vote On, Katimavik
Steven Savitt Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:9] UBC Department of Philosophy
Marc Shannon Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:10] Strive4education, Mountain View Academy, Franciscans of Western Canada
Moya Teklu Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:11] Legal Aid Ontario, National Judicial Institute (NJI), Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators (SOAR), Ontario Court of Justice, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
Paul Tétrault Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:12] Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE), OneCity Vancouver, British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism, World Peace Forum 2016, Trade Union Committee for Justice in the Middle East, Free Omar Khadr Committee, Seriously Free Speech Committee (SFSC)
Vanessa Wolff Board Member-at-Large (former)[7:13] Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), CUPE Local 2316, Children's Aid Society of Toronto, Ministry of Justice of the Netherlands, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Heidi Antolick Legal Coordinator[4:1] Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), British Columbia's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University (SFU), City of Vancouver Women's Advisory Committee
Sarah Bakke Fundraising and Development Manager[4:2] DOXA Documentary Film Festival, The Cinematheque, Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver (GEMS), SAD Magazine, Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), VIVO Media Arts Society
Owen Cameron Communications and Outreach Manager[4:3] -
Latoya Farrell Policy Staff Counsel (Community)[4:4] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)
Ga Grant Litigation Staff Counsel[4:5] Supreme Court of British Columbia
Jerome Igbokwe Articling Student[4:6] Knights of Columbus
Vibert Jack Litigation Director[4:7] Prisoners' Legal Services (PLS)
Aislin Jackson Policy Staff Counsel[4:8] Indigenous Law Journal
Zoe Kaur Outreach and Communications Coordinator[4:9] -
Camy Lai Donations and Operations Coordinator[4:10] -
Amélie Malissard Operations Manager[4:11] Suoni Per Il Popolo, Lux Magna Festival, act•art•mgt
Veronica Martisius Litigation Staff Counsel[4:12] Brantford Food Bank, University of Victoria Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA), Indigenous Law Research Unit (ILRU), Legal Aid Ontario
Meghan McDermott Policy Director[4:13] Dullah Omar Institute, Island Mountain Arts (IMA)
Bríd McKeown Director of Engagement and Development[4:14] -
Leila Toledo Director of Operations and People[4:15] Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF), PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Megan Tweedie Senior Litigation Counsel (former)[9] Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia

Funding

The BCCLA has received funding and in-kind donations from:[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

  • Alexander Holburn
  • Arvay Finlay
  • Baker & Corson
  • Black, Gropper & Co.
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon
  • Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG)
  • British Columbia Federation of Labour (BCFED)
  • British Columbia General Employees' Union (BCGEU)
  • Brooks Vinall Associates
  • Bull Housser & Tupper
  • Canadian Bar Association (CBA)
  • Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU)
  • Canadian Internet Registry Association (CIRA)
  • Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF)
  • Canadian Union of Public Employees British Columbia (CUPE BC)
  • Collins & Cullen
  • Community Gaming Grants Branch
  • Community Services Recovery Fund
  • Court Challenges Program (CCP)
  • Crossin Coristine Wodall
  • Desroches & Co.
  • Dosanjh Woolley
  • Farris
  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin
  • Fiorillo & Glavin
  • Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC)
  • Gardiner & Co.
  • Gourlay Spencer Wade
  • Government of British Columbia
  • Granville & Pender Labour Law Office
  • Guild Yule
  • Guy Holeska Law
  • Hamilston Howell Bain & Gould
  • Harper Grey
  • Health Sciences Association of British Columbia (HSABC)
  • Heenan Blaiklie
  • Illahie Foundation
  • Joseph Avray Legacy Fund
  • Kambas Galbraith
  • Labatt Brewing Company
  • Law Foundation of British Columbia
  • Law Foundation of Ontario
  • Law Society of British Columbia
  • Lawson Lundell
  • Lesperance Mendes
  • Lidstone Young Anderson
  • Lindsay Kenney
  • McCarthy Tétrault
  • McCarthy Tétrault Foundation
  • McGrady, Baugh & White
  • Michael Audain
  • Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson
  • Nelson Vanderkruyk
  • Notary Foundation of British Columbia
  • Owen Bird
  • Pamela Boles
  • Peck and Company
  • Peter A. Allard School of Law
  • Pro Bono Students Canada[19]
  • Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC)
  • Ratcliff
  • Retail Wholesale Union (RWU)
  • Robert D. Holmes Law Corporation
  • Rosenbloom & Aldridge
  • Shortt, Moore & Arsenault
  • Simons Foundation Canada
  • Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel
  • Student Summer Works
  • Taylor Jordan Chafetz
  • Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU)
  • Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)
  • Tim Louis & Company
  • UBC Social Justice Centre
  • UFCW 1518
  • Unifor
  • Union of British Columbia Performers (UBCP)
  • University of Victoria Faculty of Law
  • Vancity
  • Vancouver Bar Association (VBA)
  • Vancouver Foundation
  • Vick, McPhee & Liu
  • West Coast Title Search (WCTS)

Activities

BCCLA is engaged in the following lawsuits:

Publications

  1. Ministry of Attorney General. (2020, April 24). Provincial justice system advisory groups established. BC Gov News. https://web.archive.org/web/20230929215201/https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020ag0032-000747 ↩︎

  2. Participants. Mass Casualty Commission. Retrieved April 1, 2025, from https://masscasualtycommission.ca/about/participants/#group-applicants ↩︎

  3. Media Advisory: Mobility rights at stake in Supreme Court of Canada case. (2025, April 14). BC Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20250508230943/https://bccla.org/2025/04/media-advisory-mobility-rights-at-stake-in-supreme-court-of-canada-case/ ↩︎

  4. Our Staff. BC Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved June 16, 2025, from https://web.archive.org/web/20250616221013/https://bccla.org/about/meet-our-staff/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  5. David Eby stepping down from BCCLA, moving on to politics? (2012, July 25). Global News. http://web.archive.org/web/20160304092426/http://globalnews.ca/news/270139/david-eby-stepping-down-from-bccla-moving-on-to-politics/ ↩︎

  6. Our Board. BC Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved June 16, 2025, from https://web.archive.org/web/20250616225446/https://bccla.org/board-of-directors/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  7. Our Board. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved June 9, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20210609193731/https://bccla.org/board-of-directors/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  8. Craig E. Jones, K.C. Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law. Retrieved May 22, 2024, from http://archive.today/2024.05.22-233057/https://www.tru.ca/law/faculty-staff/faculty/craig-jones.html ↩︎

  9. Our People. Access Pro Bono. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://web.archive.org/web/20220707002923/https://www.accessprobono.ca/about-us/our-people ↩︎

  10. Mirksy, K., & Goodwin, S. Annual Report 2021. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230316205126/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/BCCLA_annual-report_2021_spread-view_digital-1.pdf ↩︎

  11. Alam, H., & Hughes, L. (2025, June). Annual Report 2024. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20250607235156/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BCCLA_annual-report_2024.pdf ↩︎

  12. Mirsky, K., & Hughes, L. (2024, May). Annual Report 2023. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20250616201836/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/BCCLA_annual-report_2023_website.pdf ↩︎

  13. Mirsky, K. (2023, August). Annual Report 2022. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20250616202417/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BCCLA_annual-report_2022_.pdf ↩︎

  14. Litigation - Financial Assistance. (2005, March). The Democratic Commitment, 39(1), 18. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20241216225418/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2004-BCCLA-Report-Annual-Report.pdf ↩︎

  15. Russell, J. (2004, March). The Legal Community - Our Thanks. The Democratic Commitment, 38(1), 17. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20241218043248/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2003-BCCLA-Report-Annual-Report.pdf ↩︎

  16. Russell, J. (2004, March). The Legal Community - Our Thanks. The Democratic Commitment, 38(1), 19. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20241218043248/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2003-BCCLA-Report-Annual-Report.pdf ↩︎

  17. Jones, C. Annual Report 2000 (p. 25). British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved June 16, 2025, from https://web.archive.org/web/20250616213455/https://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2000-BCCLA-Report-Annual-Report.pdf ↩︎

  18. About. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20210421173425/https://bccla.org/about/ ↩︎

  19. About. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved June 16, 2025, from https://web.archive.org/web/20250616214510/https://bccla.org/about/ ↩︎