- HALCO’s submission to the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RDSCO) “Access to Care” consultation that is informing the development of (i) a standard of practice to set out dentists’ legal, professional and ethical obligations when accepting new patients into their practices and (ii) a professionalism guide to set out the values, principles and duties dentists have as professionals (May 2024); http://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/HALCO_RCDSO-Access-to-Care-Consultation-2024.pdf
- HALCO provided a submission in response to the Ontario Ministry of Labour Consultation on Personal Long-Term Illness Leave (the “Leave”) under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) (May 2024); http://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/HALCO_MOL_ESA-Leave-Consultation_May-6-2024.pdf
- HALCO and partners call on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to immediately revoke the discriminatory HIV Automatic Partner Notification Policy (June 2023): English http://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/00.Final_.demand.letter.15.6.2023_HIV.pdf ; French http://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/00Lettre-de-demande-finale.2023-06-15_VIH-fr-km-arb.pdf
- HALCO and the HIV Legal Network submitted this response to the Government of Canada’s consultation on reforming the criminal law regarding HIV non-disclosure on January 10th, 2023. http://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/HIV-Legal-Network_HALCO-Submission-to-GOC-Consultation-_Final.pdf
- HALCO and HIV Legal Network provide submissions to the federal government regarding medical inadmissibility in Canada’s immigration system: https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HALCO-LN_Medical-Inadmissibility-Submission_April-26-2021-002.pdf
- HALCO calls for stronger privacy protections in Ontario: HALCO made a submission in response to the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services’ (the “Ministry”) consultation on the strengthening of privacy protections in Ontario (2020 Oct): https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/HALCO-Submission-Ministry-of-Govt-and-Consumer-Services-Privacy-Consultation-Oct-16-2020.pdf.
- United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: Submission by HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2019 Oct): https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UN-CEDAW-sub2019Oct.pdf.
- Why HIV testing needs informed consent: Healthy Debate article by HALCO and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2019 Sept): https://www.halco.org/2019/news/hiv-testing-healthydebate2019sept.
- Ontario’s new 2019 Health and Physical Education Curriculum (sex education): HALCO statement (2019 Aug): https://www.halco.org/2019/news/new-sex-ed-2019aug.
- HIV decriminalization changes welcome but not enough, Lawyer’s Daily article by HALCO’s Ryan Peck (2019 July): https://www.halco.org/2019/news/decrim-lawyerdaily-2019july.
- Response to Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights Report on Criminalization of People Living With HIV: HALCO’s response to the report (2019 June): https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/HIV-Crim-Cttee-2019June-response.pdf.
- Amendments to the Mandatory Blood Testing Act in Bill 68 (Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act, 2019): submissions by HALCO, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and other organizations to the Ontario Standing Committee on Justice Policy regarding involuntary testing for HIV and other illnesses (2019March): https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Bill68_subs-2019Mar.pdf.
- OHIP+ Proposed Amendments: HALCO submission to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (2019 Jan): https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/OHIP_HALCO_sub-2019Jan.pdf.
- Landmark Patient Rights Case at Court of Appeal for Ontario: whether doctors can put their personal religious beliefs ahead of patients’ rights – HALCO, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH) intervening in landmark case at Court of Appeal for Ontario (2019 Jan): Statement by interveners https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Relig-Docs-Statement-2019Jan18.pdf; Déclaration (Français) : https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Relig-Docs-Statement2019Jan18-FR.pdf. Court of Appeal decision (2019May): https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2019/2019ONCA0393.htm.
- Reverting to an Outdated Sexual Education Curriculum Violates Charter Rights of Ontarians (2019 Jan): statement by interveners HALCO and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Sex-Educ-Statement-2019Jan8.pdf. See our August 2019 Statement about the new curriculum: https://www.halco.org/2019/news/new-sex-ed-2019aug.
- Canada must adopt a human rights-based approach to drug policy: statement by HALCO and other organizations (2018 Nov): English https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CDSS-Stmt-2018Nov_EN.pdf; Français: Le Canada doit adopter une approche de droits humain aux politiques sur les drogues Déclaration https://www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CDSS-SCDS-Stmt-2018Nov_FR.pdf.
- Open letter to Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care about the newly proposed “Consumption and Treatment Services” model: HALCO, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, Canadian Public Health Association and Toronto Overdose Prevention Society (2018 Oct). English www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Ont-CTS-2018Oct.pdf; Français www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Ont-CTS-2018Oct_FR.pdf.
- Landlord and Tenant Board Consultation on Proposed Amendments to Rules of Procedure: HALCO submissions (2018 Sept). www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LTB-HALCO-Sub2018Sept.pdf.
- Health care in provincial correctional facilities: Submission by HALCO, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Prisoners with HIV/AIDS Support Action Network (PASAN) (2018 May) www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CorrectionalHealthCare-Submission2018May.pdf.
- Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act (Canada’s Bill C-66 An Act to establish a procedure for expunging certain historically unjust convictions and to make related amendments to other Acts): HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network submitted a brief arguing that the Act, which purports to address criminal offences used against LGBTQ2S people, do not address the full range of laws that unjustly and disproportionately affected and continue to affect LGBTQ2S+ people and inhibit their access to HIV prevention, care, treatment and support (2018 Apr) www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Bill_C-66-Submission2018Apr.pdf.
- Excessive Demand/Medical Inadmissibility: HALCO and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network Brief statement on federal government announcement (2018 Apr): www.halco.org/2018/news/medical-inadmissibility.
- Online Reputation: HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network submitted a brief in response to the call for comments by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada on its Draft Position on Online Reputation (2018 Apr) www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/OnlineReputation-OPC-2018Apr.pdf.
- Ontario Income Security Roadmap for Change: HALCO submission (2018 Jan) www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/HALCO_submissions_Income_Security_Roadmap_2018Jan.pdf.
- Ontario Human Rights Code Amendment Act (Bill 164): HALCO and a coalition of community organizations supported proposed amendments to expand human rights protections for vulnerable Ontarians – submissions (2017 Dec): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Human_Rights_Amend-Submissions-2017Dec.pdf.
- Medical Inadmissibility of Immigrants: HALCO / Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network joint submissions to support repeal (2017 Nov): www.halco.org/2018/news/medical-inadmissibility-of-immigrants-halco-and-legal-network-make-submissions-to-support-repeal.
- Canadian Coalition to Reform HIV Criminalization (CCRHC www.hivcriminalization.ca/) / Coalition canadienne pour réformer la criminalisation du VIH (CCRCV www.criminalisationvih.ca/) : including survey, petition, consensus statement, etc.:
- Community Consensus Statement to End Unjust HIV Criminalization (2017 Nov): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Consensus-Stmt-2017_Eng.pdf
- Consensus Statement Frequently Asked Questions 2017: www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Consensus-Stmt-FAQ_2017-En.pdf
- Déclaration de consensus communautaire pour cesser la criminalization injuste du VIH (2017 nov): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Concensus-Stmt-2017-Fr.pdf
- Déclaration de consensus communautaire – foire aux questions 2017 : www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Consensus-Stmt-FAQ-2017-Fr.pdf
- Proposed cuts to Legal Aid Ontario refugee and immigration law services -please also see our What’s New post. HALCO letters (2017 Jun): HALCO letter to Legal Aid Ontario; HALCO letter to the Honourable Yasir Naqvi, Attorney General of Ontario; HALCO letter to the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
- Submission to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on Medical Inadmissibility – by HALCO, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and La Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA)(2017 May update): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Medical_Inadmissibility-Submission_to_IRCC-updated2017May30.pdf.
- Privacy Concerns with U.S. Executive Order – letters from HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network to Canadian government privacy authorities and replies (2017 Apr/May): Letter to Privacy Commissioner of Canada; Letter to Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. Replies: Letter from Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario; Letter from Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
- An Act to amend various Acts with respect to medical assistance in dying – deputation by HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2017 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Medical-Assistance-in-Dying_Ontario-Bill84_HALCO-deputation2017Mar17.pdf.
- Exploring Avenues to Address Problematic Prosecutions Against People Living with HIV in Canada – brief prepared by HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2017 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Medical-Assistance-in-Dying_Ontario-Bill84_HALCO-deputation2017Mar17.pdf.
- Criminal law out of step on HIV, Law Times article by Ryan Peck (2017 March): https://www.halco.org/2017/news/criminal-law-out-of-step-on-hiv-article-in-law-times-by-halcos-ryan-peck.
- Ontario Provincial Ministerial Roundtable on Criminal Law and HIV – brief by the Ontario Working Group on Criminal Law and HIV Exposure (CLHE) (2016 Dec): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CLHE_Ministers-Roundtable-brief_2016Dec5.pdf. For more information about the meeting, please see www.halco.org/2016/news/ontario-provincial-ministerial-roundtable-on-criminal-law-and-hiv.
- Complaint against Justice Bernd E. Zabel of the Ontario Court of Justice – HALCO and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network November 2016 letter to Ontario Judicial Council in support of complaint of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) (2016 Nov): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/HALCO-LN-OJC_complaint-Zabel_J_28Nov2016.pdf.
- Consultation on the future of Immigration in Canada – HALCO Submissions to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s consultation (2016 Aug): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HALCO-submission-Immigration-Consultation-2016Aug.pdf.
- Pay Day Loan Consultation – HALCO submissions to Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (2016 May): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Payday_Loans_Consultation-HALCO_Submissions_toMinGovConsSer-2017May.pdf.
- Bill 185 to establish the Social Assistance Research Commission – HALCO wrote to Glen Murray, Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre and Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, to urge him to support Bill 185 (2016 Apr): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HALCO_Bill-185-re-social-assistance-rates_Hon-Glenn-Murray_13April16.pdf.
- Supervised Injection Services in Toronto – Brief to the Toronto Board of Health (2016 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Supervised-Injection-Services_Brief-TorontoBrdHlth-2016Mar.pdf.
- Social assistance and refugee claimants Submissions – Canada Budget Bill C-43 by HALCO and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2014 Nov): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Bill_C-43_Submission_to_CIMM_2014Nov7.pdf.
- Trans* Legal Needs Assessment Ontario project: www.halco.org/our-services/trans-legal-needs-assessment-ontario.
- Opposing Accreditation of Trinity Western University School of Law – Submission to the Law Society of Upper Canada (2014 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TWU-School-of-Law_LSUC-accreditation_HALCO_2014Mar21.pdf.
- Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) procedures, Practice Directions and the Rules of Procedure – Submission to Consultation (2014 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/HRTO_Consultation-HALCO_submission-2014Mar17.pdf.
- Public Consultation on Prostitution-Related Offences in Canada – Submission (2014 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Prostitution_Related_Offences_Consultation-HALCO_Submission-2014Mar13.pdf.
- Landlord and Tenant Board should have the power to review individual Rent Subsidies. In September 2013, we submitted to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly to request that Section 203 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 be amended to give the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) explicit power to review decisions about rent subsidies that affect individual social housing tenants and members of housing co-operatives (2013 Oct): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/HALCO-submission_Standing-Committee_RTA-section-203-Oct2013.pdf.
- Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Diversity Committee – submissions for HIV issues to be specifically addressed in best practices (2013 Feb): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Police-Criminalization-recomm_LN-HALCO_Feb2013.pdf.
- Participation in the Ontario Working Group on Criminal Law and HIV Exposure’s (CLHE) Campaign for Prosecutorial Guidelines for HIV non-disclosure criminal law matters. Ryan Peck, HALCO Executive Director, is co-chair of the Working Group.
- Making written submissions to the Ontario Human Rights Review 2011-12. Our submissions focus on our experience with human rights issues for people living with HIV in Ontario (2012 Mar): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Human_Rights_review-HALCO_submissions2012-March.pdf.
- Health Canada’s Consultation on Proposed Improvements to the Marihuana Medical Access Program (marijuana) HALCO submissions (2011 July): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/HALCO-Medical_Marihuana_submission2011July.pdf.
- Making submissions regarding proposed amendments to the Regulations under the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act related to Ontario’s eHealth initiative (2011Apr): www.halco.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/HALCO-PHIPA_e-Health_amendment_submission-2011Apr.pdf. Please visit our Health Law section for more information.
- Providing submissions to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care regarding electronic health records.
- Advocating for human rights reform including advocacy for and implementation of Bill 107, an Act to Amend the Human Rights Code, 2006. The Bill was passed and a new human rights regime came into effect in Ontario in June 2008. (please visit our Human Rights section for more information about human rights law in Ontario).