2010 Mary McDonald essay contest winners announced

The BCCLA has announced the top three essays in its 2010 Mary McDonald Memorial Essay Contest. The award, presented annually, recognizes the top essay by a Canadian post-secondary student on a human rights or civil liberties issue. The 2010 award winners and their essays are as follows:

First – Homelessness and Housing in Canada
Sarah Allan
Sarah’s essay explores using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to argue for a positive legal right to basic shelter for all Canadians.

Second – The (In)Visibility of Sex Workers: A Politics of the Flesh
Sacha Ivy
Sacha’s essay deconstructs and critiques the recent decision of the B.C. Supreme Court not to hear Sex Workers United Against Violence’s legal challenge to Canada’s prostitution laws.

Third – Beyond Insite: Charter Protection of a Safe Smoking Facility
Jon Major
Jon’s essay examines legal protections available to a “safe smoking” facility that, modelled on Insite, would allow people addicted to illegal drugs to use in a safer, monitored and controlled environment.

The 2011 Mary McDonald Essay Contest deadline is June 1, 2011. This prize was established by the BC Civil Liberties Association in 2009 to honour the memory of Mary B. McDonald, a director of the board and retired librarian, in recognition of her personal dedication to protecting civil liberties and human rights.

The best post-secondary essay on a human rights or civil liberties topic that is a current focus of the BCCLA will receive a prize of $500. The intent of this Essay Prize is to promote student interest in current civil liberties and human rights issues in Canada. Essays should be sent, along with contact information for the author, to info@bccla.org.