February 2024 Newsletter: News from the BCLI!
February 27, 2024
BY British Columbia Law Institute
How would you renovate the public hearing process?
Feb 28 from 6:00-7:00 PM (PST) on Zoom
We’re partnering with Women Transforming Cities to host this virtual town hall focused on improving BC’s legislation that guides public engagement when a local government is enacting a land-use by-law.
Event details and registration can be found here.
Oxford Handbook of Comparative Trust Laws (OHCTL) Conference
On 5 April 2024, Greg Blue, KC will chair a panel session of the Oxford Handbook of Comparative Trust Laws (OHCTL) Conference, which runs from 5-7 April 2024 at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC.
The OHCTL Conference is likely to be the largest conference on trust law to take place in BC in 2024, drawing speakers from five continents, plus Japan, Bermuda, Singapore, and New Zealand.
More information on the OHCTL Conference and registration details can be found at: Home | Ohctl Conference (comparative-trusts.ca).
Renovate the Public Hearing Consultation Paper
The Consultation Paper on Renovating the Public Hearing gives readers information on the current BC law, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and a range of options for reform.
Our consultation paper and a link to our survey are all available on the project page.
Share your comments before March 15, 2024.
Review of Parentage Under Part 3 of the Family Law Act Consultation Paper
BCLI is considering changes to the laws about Parentage.
“The proposed changes will take into account families who have been excluded: trans and non-binary folk, folks with a poly or multiple parent family, and others. This will create a desperately-needed sea-change in how we think about ‘family’.” – barbara findlay, KC, BCLI Parentage Law Reform Project Committee
Our consultation paper and a link to our survey are all available on the project page.
Share your comments before March 31, 2024.
Dementia + Decision-Making
The CCEL Dementia + Decision-Making Project is an initiative to support the rights of people living with dementia in making decisions about their care and well-being. A major component of the project are a set of ground-breaking tools and resources designed to assist caregivers and partners in the decision-making process for people living with dementia, titled – Pathways.
View the resources on our project page.
On 31 January 2024, BCLI took part by invitation in a panel discussion on artificial intelligence on 31 January 2024 held at the North Vancouver City Library as part of the library’s “Issues That Matter” events series. BCLI was represented on the panel by Greg Blue, KC, who spoke about the BCLI AI and Civil Liability Project and the consultation paper published by BCLI in 2023, and mentioned that a report would be forthcoming before mid-2024. The other panel member was Joseph Fell, an instructor in the Capilano University Dept. of Computing and Data Science, who explained different forms of AI, and described their capabilities and limitations. Following the presentations, the panel fielded questions from the audience in a free-ranging discussion about AI and its influence.
On 13 and 14 of February, Karen Campbell attended the UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) Housing Summit 2024 . Karen met BCLI Renovate the Public Hearing Project committee member Ashley Murphey who was presenting at the event.
MEGAN VIS-DUNBAR
Legal Pluralism and the SCC’s decision in Reference re An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families
KELLY MELNYK
CCEL Dementia + Decision Making Project
ALISON WILKINSON
The Lasting Impact of BCLI’s Guide to Gender Diversity in Legal Writing
