In Focus

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Program Areas Education

Fundamental Freedoms

Public Safety

National Security

Equality

About us

Since 1964, CCLA has passionately defended the fundamental human rights and civil liberties of all Canadians through:
  • Public Education
  • Litigation
  • Citizen’s Engagement
  • Monitoring and Research
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Raising the Civil Liberties Bar -- January 12, 2012 Featuring:
  • Andrew Lokan (Paliare Roland LLP) who recently represented the CCLA at the Supreme Court of Canada in Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott, et al., will be giving a talk on his experience doing pro-bono and public interest work as part of his wider portfolio.
  • Marc Laverdiere will introduce elements of scotch nosing and allow like-minded students, young lawyers, and practitioners to mingle.Featured scotches include: The Macallan 12, The Macallan 15, The Macallan Cask Strength, Highland Park 18, Laphroaig 1/4 Cask
Sponsored by Paliare Roland LLP Read more...

Education

Since the early 1990s, the Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust has developed a unique approach to teaching civil liberties in the classroom. The organization provides free workshops and seminars in schools and educational institutions to teach citizens about social justice, their rights and freedoms. Read more...

Fundamental Freedoms

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects those freedoms that are considered fundamental in a democratic society. These freedoms include:
  • Freedom of Expression
  • Freedom of Association
  • Freedom of Assembly
  • Freedom of Religion
  • Freedom of Information
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Public Safety

The CCLA monitors the legal and policy frameworks that govern policing and the administration of justice in Canada to ensure that they are sufficiently respectful of civil liberties and Charter rights. This program includes:
  • Police Powers
  • Police Accountability
  • Privacy and Policing
  • Liberty and Due-Process
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National Security

Through litigation and advocacy, CCLA works for accountability and compliance with Canada"s legal obligations. The key issues are:
  • Privacy & National Security
  • Fair Trial & Due Process
  • Absolute Prohibition Against Torture
  • Security Certificates
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Equality

The equality program concerns all forms of discrimination, and seeks to promote fairness and equality in Canada. The following groups fall within the CCLA program:
  • Disability
  • Gender
  • Immigration
  • LGBT
  • Race / Ethnicity / Religion
  • Socioeconomic Status
  • Youth
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Canada - U.S. Security Perimeter

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(Un)Lawful Access: Stop Online Spying

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Act for Freedom Too

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Recent Work

Recent Posts

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RSS Rights Watch

  • La République du Kenya en voie de pacification January 26, 2012
    Le lundi 23 janvier 2012,  la Chambre préliminaire II de la Cour pénale internationale a rendu sa décision concernant la confirmation des charges pesant sur six accusés de crimes contre l’humanité à l’égard de la présente situation en République du Kenya. D’ailleurs, lors d’une déclaration publique, le 24 janvier 2012, le procureur de la CPI […]
  • Closure of BC Prison Units Raises Concern for Girls January 25, 2012
    The planned closure of two girls’ units inside youth prisons in Victoria and Prince George has raised concern among advocacy groups about potential breaches of girls’ human rights. According to the BC Ministry for Children and Families, the cost of running the two units has led them to decide to centralize services in Burnaby. This […]
  • Windsor police officers accused of coverup January 24, 2012
    Ontario’s top police complaints watchdog says officers on the Windsor, Ont., police force tried to cover up a case of excessive force and false arrest. CBC News and the Windsor Star have obtained exclusive copies of reports by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director that chronicle a violent altercation — all caught on […]
  • Dr. Tyceer Abouhassan allegedly assaulted by police January 24, 2012
    WINDSOR, Ont. — A police-watchdog report that suggested improper conversations between two Windsor officers and the lawyer of a doctor beaten during an arrest shows “bias,” a defence lawyer charged Tuesday. But in closing submissions at the Police Act hearing of Staff Sgt. Patrick Keane and Staff Sgt. Paul Bridgeman, the prosecutor called the two […]
  • Secretive ‘informal’ cop discipline January 24, 2012
    WINDSOR, Ont. — When Windsor police Const. Brad Snyder assaulted a handcuffed man in 2009, repeatedly kneeing him in the body and raining forearm blows down on his head, other cops stood by and watched. This week, Windsor police revealed that five officers other than Snyder were disciplined for their involvement in the case. But […]

Features

Icon of information logo - capital i Key Reports

Demand a public inquiry now! “It is imperative that there be a full public inquiry into what happened during the G20 in order to get at the truth and ensure it doesn’t happen again. The maintenance of public confidence in law enforcement demands nothing less.” The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the National Union of Public and General Employees are pleased to present [...]

Op-Ed

Human Rights Day 2011

This speech was delivered by CCLA General Counsel Nathalie Des Rosiers on Saturday, December 10, on the International Human Rights Day event hosted by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC) with the participation of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA)

“Human Rights Day began in 1950 to commemorate the Universal Declaration of [...]

Multimedia

Audio Audio

Discussion: CBSA’s “Most Wanted List”

A conversation about a Canadian government fugitive list put out by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The list includes some of the people the agency wants to deport from Canada for allegedly being war criminals, or for a number of other alleged offences. MASALA CANADA, a Radio Canada International program hosted by
Wojtek Gwiazda, discusses the [...]

Icon of camera Video

Nathalie Des Rosiers Speaks About Lawful Access (video)

Watch Nathalie Des Rosiers, CCLA General Counsel, speak about concerns regarding lawful access legislation, as part of a project is a response to the serious threats to privacy, free speech and civil liberties raised by proposed lawful access legislation. To understand what is at stake in this invasive and costly bill, the (un)lawful access project [...]