An Ontario judge has found that psychiatric patients at the Oak Ridge division of the Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre (today the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care) endured gross violations of their human dignity and human rights and were tortured both mentally and physically while detained. The case was a multi-plaintiff proceeding commenced in 2000 […]

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Mercedes Perez co-authored a paper with lawyers Tess Sheldon and Karen Spector analyzing the Charter’s liberty and equality protections for persons detained in psychiatric facilities.  The paper is titled “Re-Centering Equality:  The Interplay Between Sections 7 and 15 of the Charter in Challenges to Psychiatric Detention” and was published in the March 2016 issue of […]

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Kelley presents closing submissions to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario in support of her client’s allegations of racial discrimination within the Peel Regional Police Service.  Although the force is responsible for policing one of the largest South Asian communities in Canada, Kelley’s client claimed that no South Asian police officer had ever been promoted […]

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On behalf of her client, a Peel Police officer who claimed race discrimination against South Asian officers within the police force, Kelley examined and cross-examined police witnesses before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.  South Asian officers testified that fellow officers said the police should “let them [South Asians in Peel] kill themselves.  Let them go […]

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Kelley appeared before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario in an ongoing racial discrimination case against the Peel Police.  Her client, a Staff Sergeant who was one of the first South Asian officers hired by the police force, testified about “humiliating” and “embarrassing” treatment by fellow officers due to his race.  Peel region has one […]

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Joining other leading practitioners in the field of mental health law, Mercedes and Alex presented at the Law Society’s Practice Before the Consent and Capacity Board conference.  Mercedes spoke on the topic of law reform and Charter challenges to mental health legislation.  Alex’s paper was presented with practical tips on funding for a mental health law […]

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