LEAF Ottawa is a branch of Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund National (founded in 1985) that works towards ensuring the law guarantees substantive equality for all women, girls, trans, and non-binary people. Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national charitable organization that works towards ensuring the law guarantees substantive equality for all women, girls, trans, and non-binary people. “Women” includes both cis and trans women. In Canadian society, cis and trans women, trans, intersex, gender-diverse, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, bigender, and non-binary people all experience discrimination based on their gender. LEAF is committed to advancing their substantive equality, consistent with thirty-seven-years (and counting) of advocacy to advance substantive gender equality for those who face gender-based discrimination. LEAF Ottawa facilitates two programs in elementary and secondary schools throughout the Ottawa region. The “Only Yes Means Yes” Program focuses on the right to consent, and “LEAF at Work” deals with contemporary workplace issues. LEAF Ottawa also hosts various events throughout the year, such as the Person’s Day Breakfast, which celebrates the women’s suffrage movement in Canada. The annual LEAF Silent Auction, enables the chapter to engage in fundraising for other organizations in the community which are promoting equality for marginalized groups of people through their work.
