VANCOUVER, BC; unceded territories - Following a hearing in August 2022, the BC Supreme Court has granted the Single Mothers' Alliance public interest standing to bring our Legal Aid Test Case forward. Public interest standing means the organization has the right and the credibility to bring a case forward on behalf of impacted community members. The court confirmed the importance of allowing public interest organizations such as the Single Mothers' Alliance to challenge unjust laws on behalf of community members.
In early 2022, the Province brought a court application challenging SMA’s ability to continue litigation for the Legal Aid Test Case on its own without individual single mothers as co-plaintiffs. Courts have long recognized the problem of unequal access to justice and allow organizations like SMA to bring legal challenges on behalf of directly affected people in certain circumstances. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated legal team for bringing this momentous win about.
CFE looks forward to working with our legal counsel represented by West Coast LEAF towards a trial in 2024. For more information on the case please click here.
CBC media coverage of our standing challenge win.
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