Right to say 'No', Maternity Leave, Fair Pensions - LEAF marks 25th
anniversary with Equality Day celebration

Event honours 15 women lawyers and LEAF founders

TORONTO, April 20 /CNW/ - The Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) celebrates its 25th anniversary on Equality Day, April 27th, while also honouring Canadian women who have worked hard to implement important legislation including: pay equity, sexual harassment laws and maternity leave benefits.

LEAF is the only women's organization in Canada focusing on legal action using the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to challenge laws, policies and practices that discriminate against women. LEAF has intervened in more than 150 cases to ensure the Supreme Court of Canada interpretations of Section 15 address inequalities experienced by women.

Honourable Claire L'Heureux- Dubé, former justice, Supreme Court of Canada, has said of LEAF: "(Its) legal arguments have been ground-breaking, and have influenced courts, the legal community, government and academics not only in Canada, but also abroad. Since my retirement from the bench, I have had the opportunity to participate in the training of judges around the world. I have regularly used LEAF's arguments as examples of how true equality can be achieved."

    
    This year, LEAF celebrates women in the legal profession by honouring the
    following lawyers:
    -   Deborah M. Alexander
    -   Jennifer Babe
    -   Mary Louise Dickson
    -   Barbara Findlay
    -   Elizabeth McIntyre
    -   Sheila McIntyre
    -   Sharon McIvor
    -   Mary Jane Mossman
    -   The late Helena Orton
    -   Kim Pate
    -   Laurie Pawlitza
    -   Elizabeth Shilton
    -   Linda Silver Dranoff
    -   Latha Sukumar
    -   Lisa Vogt

    LEAF also honours its founders:
    -   Beth Atcheson
    -   Mary Eberts
    -   Marilou McPhedran
    -   Yvonne Peters
    -   Eloise Spitzer
    -   Beth Symes
    -   Susan Tanner
    

LEAF (www.leaf.ca) is a charitable, nonprofit organization. It celebrates Equality Day annually, in recognition of the coming into force of Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, guaranteeing equal rights for women and disenfranchised groups.

The Equality Day event will take place Tues., April 27th from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library.

Kirby Chown and Sylvia Chrominska are co-chairs of Equality Day 2010.

The Toronto Reference Library is located at 789 Yonge Street, Toronto. Tickets and information can be found at www.leaf.ca.

For further information: Media are encouraged to arrange advance interviews by contacting Teresa Donia, iAMBIC Communications, [email protected] or [phone]. LEAF Contacts: Audrey Johnson, Executive Director: [phone] ext. 225; Katherine Blake, Director of Fund Development: [phone] ext. 222, (Cell [phone])