Charter of Rights

70% of Canadians Do Not Have Access to Palliative Care

• October 14, 2015
• Kimberly Srivastava
• Comments Off on 70% of Canadians Do Not Have Access to Palliative Care

Bakerlaw is currently exploring the possibility of taking on a case regarding inadequate access to palliative care in Canada. Palliative care is not available in roughly 70% of deaths, though experts report that 90% of deaths would benefit from palliative care. » Read the rest

Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario: Facing a Future with Assisted Suicide

• September 23, 2015
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario: Facing a Future with Assisted Suicide

On Sunday, October 4, 2015, Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario (CWDO) is presenting its “Facing a Future with Assisted Suicide” webinar (link to flyer for webinar).

Dr. Eric Wasylenko, Director of the Dosseter Centre of Health Ethics, will moderate, with disability rights lawyer David Baker and health law expert Gilbert Sharpe forming the expert panel leading the discussion on the remaining questions that need to be addressed in the wake of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Carter v Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5 (link to case). » Read the rest

Public servants with visual impairments say government failing them

• July 23, 2015
• Phil Emery
• Comments Off on Public servants with visual impairments say government failing them

David Baker recently spoke with Julie Ireton of CBC to voice the concerns of public servants with visual impairments who allege that the federal government is lagging behind when it comes to accessibility in employment. Please see CBC’s July 2, 2015 article to learn more about the federal government’s failure to ensure all of its employees have the tools necessary to do their jobs (link to article). » Read the rest

Lobbyists, public office holders and conflict of interest

• April 16, 2015
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Lobbyists, public office holders and conflict of interest

On April 14, 2015, the Globe and Mail reported that city councillor and vocal Uber opponent Jim Karygiannis received thousands of dollars in donations from the taxicab industry in the lead up to last year’s election (link to article). » Read the rest

Bakerlaw to appear before Supreme Court of Canada in Carter Assisted Suicide case

• October 10, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Bakerlaw to appear before Supreme Court of Canada in Carter Assisted Suicide case

On Wednesday, October 15, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada is set to hear arguments on whether Canada should strike down statutory provisions designed to prevent assisted suicide, but only with regard to disabled people. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) are the organized voice of Canada’s disabled citizens and will be represented by bakerlaw as an intervener at the hearing in order to oppose efforts to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia (AS/E). » Read the rest

“Canadians Should not be Provided Public Support to Kill Themselves”

• September 2, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on “Canadians Should not be Provided Public Support to Kill Themselves”

Toronto, ON, August 29, 2014 —  “It’s not worse than death, and people who are mislead into believing it will be should not be offered public support to kill themselves”, say two leading disability rights organizations who will be opposing attempts to strike down statutory provisions designed to prevent counselling or assisting anyone, disabled or not, to die. » Read the rest

Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

• July 31, 2014
• David Baker
• Comments Off on Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

This week the Toronto Star published the column “Deaf-blind woman tests Canada’s equality guarantee” (link to article). The column outlines the plight of Jasmin Simpson, who is blind and deaf and who graduated with 60% more student debt due to the increased time it took her to complete her B.S.W. » Read the rest

Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

• July 16, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

Toronto, ON, July 16, 2014 – Students with disabilities have significantly higher costs when attending post-secondary colleges and universities.  What is less well understood is that many students with disabilities are also burdened with significantly higher student debt to repay after leaving school. » Read the rest

Ministry Breaches Charter and Puts Lives at Risk

• October 21, 2013
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Ministry Breaches Charter and Puts Lives at Risk

Toronto, ON, October 21, 2013 – Where medically necessary health services are not performed in Ontario, or treatment wait lists pose a risk of death or irreversible tissue damage, Ontario residents have a right to go outside the country (“Out of Country”) for treatment at public expense. » Read the rest

Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) celebrate ruling in Carter v. Canada

• October 10, 2013
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) celebrate ruling in Carter v. Canada

Toronto, ON, October 10, 2013 — The British Columbia Court of Appeal released its decision today in Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), concerning the constitutionality of the Criminal Code prohibitions against euthanasia and assisted suicide. The majority of the Court allowed the appeal by the Attorney General of Canada, finding that the trial judge was bound by stare decisis to apply the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Rodriguez v. » Read the rest