What is elder law? In some ways the best way to understand the practice is in terms of what it is not.
First, there is no single distinct statute that impacts on older adults; rather, consideration of how the law affects older people and how laws can be changed to become more responsive implicates criminal law, health legislation, adult guardianship and mental capacity law, pensions, tax policy, wills and estates, and many other areas of law. It is impossible to be a leader in elder law without collaborating and consulting with practitioners from diverse areas of law, within Canada...
Older Adult, Older Person, Senior, Elderly or Elder: A Few Thoughts on the Language we use to Reference Aging
The English language seems to lack appropriate, positive terminology for referencing aging in a way that recognizes the strength, wisdom and often privilege associated with chronological age. "Elderly" connotes frailty. "Senior" is too limited – in Canada, the word “senior” indicates a person is specifically age 65 of older; the term is generally used in a government context, to reference programs, portfolios, and entitlements associated with...
Vancouver, 14 June 2012—The Canadian Centre for Elder Law (CCEL) announces it will host the 2012 Canadian / International Conference in Elder Law to advance elder rights.
Friday, June 15, 2012 (tomorrow) is the first time World Elder Abuse Awareness Day will be commemorated by The United Nations with activities planned by organizations around the globe. Events highlight the importance of recognizing and responding to elder abuse, help to create a culture of support for vulnerable older people, and raise awareness that...
Physician-Assisted Dying in Canada: The Supreme Court of British Columbia’s Recent Ruling in Carter v. Attorney-General of Canada
June 18, 2012
Justice Lynn Smith of the BC Supreme Court handed down her decision on Friday in the case of Carter v. the Attorney-General of Canada, 2012 BCSC 886, ruling that the Criminal Code provisions which prohibit assisted suicide in Canada were unconstitutional. Justice Smith declared the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code invalid, but suspended the operation of the declaration for one year in order to permit the government time to consider and draft appropriate legislation. However, Her Honour gave Ms. Gloria Taylor, one of the plaintiffs in the...
Highlights from the 2011 Census: Canada’s Aging Population
June 28, 2012
On May 29, 2012 Statistics Canada released the 2011 Census data on population growth in Canada. This data confirmed predictions that as life expectancies lengthen and the baby boomers age, the population of seniors would significantly outweigh younger populations. Across Canada the population of seniors, those 65 years of age and older, has risen dramatically, without corresponding significant growth in populations under 64 years of age.
Provincial and territorial data revealed that B.C. has one of the highest populations of seniors in Canada. Other data revealed that while the...
The BC Ministry of Health recently published a Discussion Paper on a Seniors’ Advocate for BC (click here to download), inviting comment from individuals, families and service providers alike on a number of questions with respect to the mandate, role and functions that the Seniors’ Advocate might play. The Ministry also held a series of public consultations throughout the province in May and June this year as a means of seeking input into the creation of this...
Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women – Abuse of Older Women, May 2012
August 24, 2012
The Standing Committee on the Status of Women (“the Committee”) has published its report on the Abuse of Older Women. In preparing this report the Committee received evidence from 30 expert witnesses across Canada ranging from health agencies, elder law groups and federal and provincial police departments to women’s networks and specialized elder abuse prevention networks. Click here...
CCEL to Conduct Public Consultations with Older Women
August 31, 2012
Vancouver, 31 August 2012 —The Canadian Centre for Elder Law has launched a new research initiative to study the pressing legal and social policy issues impacting older women.
This project will be the first BC community-engaged legal research project focused on older women. The project aims to identify and raise awareness about the legal and policy issues that most impact older women, and to encourage professionals who develop law and policy, and the elder law community in general, to consider and address these issues.
The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia held their first CLE on Elder Mediation on May 16, 2012. The Canadian Centre of Elder Law participated in the CLE, with staff lawyer Emma Butt presenting the Centre’s report on Elder Guardianship Mediation. To view a copy of the Elder Guardianship Mediation Report, click here.
Amongst this and other presentations at the CLE was a presentation by Kathleen Cunningham of the BC Public Guardian and...
