In Wesley v. British Columbia, Avize’s Raj, Patrick, and Emanuela argued in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to certify a class action lawsuit against the Governments of Canada and British Columbia on behalf of survivors previously incarcerated at the Willingdon School for Girls. This case involves allegations of widespread abuse and neglect at Willingdon, a “correctional facility” for girls under age 18 operated by the provincial government between 1914 and 1973. Girls were sent to Willingdon for “crimes” such as “incorrigibility,” “sexual immorality” (which included the “crime” of being homosexual), and, for Indigenous girls, the offence of being intoxicated off a reserve.
Justice Jackson certified the matter as a class proceeding on March 12, 2026, which allows survivors to pursue their claims in one joint action, rather than pursuing multiple actions individually.
Like all other Avize class action lawsuits, while this claim was advanced to obtain compensation for class members, it was also initiated to ensure that provincial and federal governments are held accountable for the conditions in their institutions and the treatment of the people confined in them.
Read the full decision here: Wesley v. British Columbia, 2026 BCSC 422.