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Posts Tagged ‘rights’

Legal Workshop on Bill 78

by Head & Hands on

What is Bill 78? Are all public gatherings illegal? How do you contest a ticket? You can find the answers to all these questions and more at the workshop we’re offering on August 6th from 6:00 – 7:30 pm! Come join Andrée Bourbeau, member of the CLASSE legal committee and UQAM law student, who will discuss the impact of Bill 78 and give an update on the tribunal proceedings contesting this law. This will be followed by a presentation on how to contest a ticket from Daniel Barza, a lawyer who volunteers his expertise in criminal and civil law at our legal clinic. If you have questions or concerns about this important issue, we invite you to come out and participate in this night of information sharing, at our offices at 5833 Sherbrooke St. West!

Let’s set the record straight before back-to-school this fall!

Allies in HIV Work: CATIE Youth Symposium Opened Many Dialogues

by Sense Project on

(This article was originally published on CATIE’s website! Our two Health Educators attended and enjoyed this symposium earlier this year.)

It’s been 22 years in the making but worth the wait. On February 4-5, 2012, healthcare and frontline service providers, youth leaders, researchers, and policy makers, from across the country serving youth living with, or affected by HIV, gathered in Toronto to discuss their work and the communities they serve at the second national HIV and youth knowledge exchange symposium.

The first national conference that focused on HIV and youth was held back in 1992, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Organized by Toronto-based Youthlink-Inner City and its Program Manager Laurie Edmiston, coincidentally now CATIE’s Executive Director, the conference aimed to raise awareness about the issues and effects of HIV/AIDS on youth, and to act as a catalyst for developing strategies to cope with the epidemic. Twenty-two years later, the evidence suggests that youth, and marginalized youth in particular, continue to be at risk for HIV, HCV and STIs. In 2009 alone (the latest available statistics) 582 new cases of HIV among Canadian youth were reported. The continuing fact of Canadian youth being at risk of contracting the virus underscores the importance of facilitating young people’s understanding and ensuring an ongoing dialogue around issues concerning sexual health and harm reduction. (more…)

Know Your Rights: Interacting with the Police

by Head & Hands on

This week, Head & Hands would like to remind you of your basic rights when interacting with the police:

  • You can stay silent and refuse to talk to police or answer their questions, unless you are in a bar or a movie theatre, driving a car, or they say you broke the law. In those cases, you must give your name, birth date, and address, or show your ID, but you do not have to say more.
  • You can say no if police ask to search you or your belongings. Saying no does not mean you have something to hide.
  • You can leave unless you are being detained or arrested.
  • If you are being detained or arrested, you have the right to know why, and the right to speak to a lawyer in private without delay, even if you can’t pay.
  • You can only be strip-searched in private and by officers of the “same” sex.
  • You have the right to know an officer’s name and badge number.
  • You can report an officer who abuses you, swears at you, or violates your rights.

At Head & Hands, our legal services include information, support, and accompaniment in the case of arrest or violation of rights. We also have twice weekly, by-appointment legal clinics where you can get legal advice from a lawyer, and we offer community workshops on a variety of legal issues.

The above legal information is based on Pivot Legal‘s  “Statement for Police” cards, available at our offices. These cards can be read aloud and then given to police in case of detention or arrest.

The above information should not be taken as legal advice or relied upon in legal proceedings–if you require legal advice, you should contact a lawyer.

Did You Know?

by Head & Hands on

A lot of you probably know about services like our medical and legal clinics, counseling, and Sense Project sexual health workshops–at least based on how many phone calls we get about them! Today we’d like to highlight a few of our less visible services. Did you know that Head & Hands offers…

  • Accompaniment! Sometimes life throws you situations that can be confusing or scary.  Our team is available to go with you to your abortion appointment or court date to provide support and help clarify the process.
  • Tons of community workshops! Besides sex ed, we’ve got workshops on racial profiling, legal rights, drugs, healthy boundaries, and relationships. We are often able to tailor workshops to the needs of your school, group home, community centre, or organization. One example? “Paddling the Pink Canoe: The Importance of Talking About Female Sexual Pleasure.”
  • Food Pantry! Up to twice a month, youth can drop by the main offices to pick up groceries intended to last 1-2 days in emergency situations.
  • Free tutoring! Every fall, we match students aged 12 – 18 with volunteer tutors based on scheduling and subject. The pairs work together weekly at Head & Hands.