The new location for website of the Refugee Lawyers of Ontario is http://rlaontario.ca
Educational and AGM – November 30, 2017
This education was held at:
CENTRE FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION, 192 SPADINA (QUEEN & SPADINA), ATRIUM ROOM, TORONTO, ONTARIO— WEST SIDE OF SPADINA
The topics covered were:
– CPD ACCREDITATION –
3.25 hours (substantive hours)
– AGENDA –
5pm – 5.45pm DISCUSSION OF MPSEP V. TRAN
Speaker: Justice Justice O’Reilly, Justice – Federal Court of Canada
Moderator: Leigh Salsberg
5.45 pm -6.30 pm INTERSECTIONS OF CRIMINAL AND IMMIGRATION LAW: WORKING WITH CRIMINAL DEFENCE COUNSEL
Speaker: Peter Edelmann, Edelmann & Co. Law Offices
Moderator: Leigh Salsberg
6.50pm – 7.40pm EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT INADMISSIBILITY ON SECURITY GROUNDS, AND SECTION 34
Speaker : Ronald Poulton, Poulton Law office
Moderator : Leigh Salsberg
7.40pm – 8.10pm Q&A SESSION
8.10pm – 8.30pm RLA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
RLA – Winter and Spring Educationals 2017
Since November’s AGM, where members heard from Raoul Boulakia on Test Case funding for challenging backlog/legacy cases, and Doyon Gold (Homewood Health, Member Assistance Program) and keynote speaker, Marley Mawhinney (Iyengar Yoga Centre) speaking about vicarious trauma and self-help and creating balance for refugee lawyers, the RLA held two members-only educational seminars in the winter and spring.
On February 28, 2017, Leigh Salsberg, Jacqueline Bonisteel, and Maureen Silcoff presentations on current issues around the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement.
Then, on May 10, 2017, the Honourable Justice Campbell, Richard Wazana, and Robert Blanshay spoke on emergency stays in Federal Court. Both Richard and Robert provided written materials for the attendees.
RLA Executive 2017
At the November 29, 2016 the following members were named to the executive:
Astrid Mrkich
Dilani Mohan
Eve Sehatzadeh
Giselle Salinas
Kemi Oduwole
Lani Gozlan
Marianne Lithwick
Pablo Irribarra
Raoul Boulakia
Tina Hlimi
RLA Winter Educational
The Refugee Lawyers Association Winter Educational, held in Toronto on February 16, 2016, covered the importance of recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions in Kanthasamy and B10 on refugee law advocacy.

RLA AGM November 17, 2015
The Refugee Lawyers Association held it’s 2015 AGM at the CSI Annex in Toronto on November 17th. The meeting featured a panel discussion with Barbara Jackman, Jean Marie Vecina, and Swathi Sekhar, about the Ontario Court’s Habeas Corpus jurisdiction over immigration detention matters, as well as a presentation by Ratna Omdivar about Lifeline Syria and the citizen-led initiative to get groups of residents in the Toronto area to sponsor 1000 refugees over the ext two years.

The RlA executive for the upcoming year includes
Membership – Joining the RLA or Renewing Your Membership
Annual Membership Dues for lawyers can now be paid online via Paypal. Just click on the button at the bottom of this post.
To join the RLA, you need to download the application form, complete it, and then email it to the RLA, as directed. Once approved you can pay online using the Paypal button.
STUDENTS
For student members only, pay your annual dues by clicking here:
What was in the 2014 RLA Members-Only Spring Educational – H&C
The Refugee Lawyer’s Association (RLA) is pleased to invite its members to an essential and informative panel on the latest developments in humanitarian and compassionate law. This area of immigration law has seen many legislative and practical changes in the past few years. Recent changes have impacted who may apply on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds and what factors may be taken into account for assessing such applications. The simultaneous overhaul of the refugee determination system has changed the immigration landscape for clients and for the lawyers advising them. Our panelists will discuss the many facets of the H&C, including:
o Admissibility Issues in H&C Applications
o Judicially Reviewing H&C refusals
o The latest Federal Court decisions on H&C Applications
o Invoking H&C considerations in Live in Caregiver Applications, IAD Appeals, and in overseas applications
o Narrowing the definition of hardship – Federal Court of Appeal Update on IRPA ss 25(1.3) and ‘risk’ in H&C Applications
o Tools for preparing a comprehensive H&C Application
Date: Monday, May 26, 2014
Location: 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1C7
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Cost: $50 for lawyers
$30 for students (pay by e-money transfer or by cash or cheque at the event)
Please note that this event is for RLA members only.
Panel:
Michael Battista, Jordan Battista LLP
Richard Wazana, Wazana Law
Barbara Jackman, Jackman and Associates
Sayran Sulevani, Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Welcome to the new Refugee Lawyers Association of Ontario webpage
This is the new beta version of the RLA webpage.