CCRC Submission to the Senate on Bill C6: An Act to amend the criminal code (Conversion Therapy)

The CCRC wrote a submission to the Senate as it deliberates on Bill C6: An act to amend the criminal code. This is an important bill as it prohibits conversion therapy, which is extremely damaging to young people, and violates their human rights.

CCRC feature: What about kids under 12? The importance of prioritizing young children and listening to their perspectives when lifting Covid restrictions

Much of the public focus around COVID-19 vulnerability has been placed on seniors in our communities, and rightfully so. Thankfully, many of the oldest members of communities across Canada have started to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, and in some cases are now fully vaccinated. As more of the population is vaccinated, talk has turned to reopening. …

Voting age challenge

The CCRC continues to participate, alongside Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) and the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (Asper Centre), and other organizations, as they pursue a court challenge on Canada’s minimum voting age before the end of the year. This project has received second-stage funding from the Court Challenges Program, which helps finance …

More than the January Blues: Why More Mental Health Supports are Needed for Children & Youth

Author: Cathy Xie (University of Toronto undergraduate student & CCRC volunteer) In Canada, January can be a hard month: the weather is chilly, and winter looms ahead. This January is particularly challenging for many Canadians, as the lockdown due to COVID-19 continues. Many young people undoubtedly have a case of the January blues at this …

Children in the City: Challenges & Opportunities for Children’s Rights due to COVID-19

By: Stephanie Watt, Geneviève Grégoire-Labrecque, and Kate Butler Children are active participants in city life and deserve to be the focus of city planning, just as adults are. As rights holders, young people should be considered in public policy decisions about city activities, places and events. Unfortunately, that’s rarely been the case. For instance, for several …

Children at the Center of New Family Law

Bill C-78 proposes significant changes in the laws that affect children caught up in the separation and/or divorce of their parents and related family court processes.  Legislative changes that will make the best interests of the children the paramount consideration for all actors is positive.  It makes Canada’s laws more consistent with the Convention on …

Family Law and Children’s Rights

Proposed changes in Canadian family law are a big step forward for children’s rights in Canada.  If passed, Bill 78 will make the Best Interests of the Child the only principle for decisions on parental arrangements in divorce cases.  Criteria for determining the best interests of the child reflect Convention principles, including a legal requirement …