BLAC’s Written Deputation to the Toronto Police Services Board on the TPS Budget Increase
The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) is extremely concerned by Mayor John Tory’s proposal to increase the already inflated $1.2+ billion budget of the Toronto Police Services (TPS) by nearly $50 million. Read our full written deputation to the Toronto Police Services Board’s Special Meeting on January 9, 2022 here.
Our System, Our Children, Our Responsibility: A Campaign against the Deportation of Child Welfare Survivors
Our System, Our Children, Our Responsibility: A Campaign Against the Deportation of Child Welfare Survivors is a coalition steered by BLAC that seeks to end the deportations of child welfare survivors and to address the related immigration issues. We demand that the government: 1. Halt all the deportations of child welfare survivors currently facing removal orders;2. […]
Our System, Our Children, Our Responsibility Request to the Minister of Immigration
Our System, Our Children, Our Responsibility: A Campaign Against the Deportation of Child Welfare Survivors is a coalition steered by BLAC that seeks to end the deportations of child welfare survivors and to address the related immigration issues. On October 29, 2022, the coalition requested that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship create a Public […]
Guide to the 2022 Ontario Provincial Election
In June 2022, people in Ontario will be able to vote on who will lead the provincial government for the next four years. The results of this election will impact the daily lives of Black people across the province. In this document, the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) outlines what the major political parties say […]
Join our focus groups!
The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) is collecting information on what services and legal areas we should prioritize in the coming years. We are conducting focus groups to hear from: 1. Black people in Ontario (members of the public); 2. Community organizations (Black-led and/or Black-serving); 3. Legal service providers. We’re inviting Black people living in […]
Survey on the Black Legal Action Centre’s Services and Priorities
What services should the Black Legal Action Centre be providing to the Black community? Please fill in this 10 minute survey and help us with your feedback, and share widely with other Black folks in Ontario! The survey is available in English, French, Amharic, Somali, and Twi: Survey on the Black Legal Action Centre’s Services […]
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform et al. v. Attorney General of Canada
In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada found that various sex work offences in the Criminal Code violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). They prevented sex workers from taking measures to increase their safety. The Supreme Court gave Parliament one year to draft new laws. As a result, the Harper government changed the Criminal Code with Bill C-36, the […]
The John Howard Society of Ontario launches new free online training hub to better support frontline staff and help individuals get the civil remedies they deserve
Today, the John Howard Society of Ontario (JHSO) launched a first-of-its-kind in Canada free online civil legal training and education platform for frontline staff who serve justice-involved individuals in Ontario, to help break down barriers to accessing civil justice. Read the press release here.
Looking back on 2021 and forward to 2022
As 2021 comes to an end, we at BLAC wish you and your families a safe, happy and restful holiday season. This past year, the staff at BLAC have continued to work tirelessly to litigate, educate, and advocate on behalf of Black Ontarians. We provided legal services to hundreds of Black people across the province. […]
BLAC Supports Decriminalization Done Right: A Rights-Based Path for Drug Policy
Punitive drug laws and policies purported to deter drug use have failed — and worse, they have done catastrophic harm. They have fueled deadly stigma; epidemics of preventable illness and death; poverty; homelessness; and widespread, systematic, and egregious violations of human rights. They are rooted in, and have reinforced, sexism, racism, and colonialism. They have […]
