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Supported Decision-Making:
Connecting Law and Practice
Krista James, National Director
Valerie Le Blanc, Staff Lawyer
May 2019
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Canadian Centre for Elder Law
1. Legal research
2. Law reform
3. Legal education
4. Outreach
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Disclaimer
This presentation is not legal advice
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Presentation outline
1. Inclusive Investing Project
2. Legal framework for supported decision-making in BC
3. Group discussion: promising practices for supported decision-making
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Inclusive investing project
We are speaking with:
• Investors from various communities, e.g.
▪ people living with dementia,
▪ people living with an intellectual disability
• Supportive decision-makers
• Investment industry, regulators, PGT
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Research concepts & themes
• Supported decision-making
• Investment decision-making
• Undue influence
• Financial abuse
• Respect for autonomy
• Accommodation of skills and abilities
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Why this project?
• Decision-making rights are fundamental
• Some individuals are particularly vulnerable to lack
of respect for these rights:
– People who are identified as living with
intellectual or developmental disabilities
– Survivors of traumatic brain injuries
– People with some forms of mental illness
– Adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia
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What are investment decisions?
• Investment needs range from conservative to
complex:
– One or more Guaranteed Income Certificates
(GICs)
– Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
– Larger and more sophisticated portfolios
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Substitute decision-making
• If incapable, dominant approach is substitute decision
-making
– Example: Guardianship
• Communicate directly with financial institution staff
• Duties and powers of the guardian or other substitute
decision-maker are generally clear to financial
institution staff
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Supported decision-making
• Supported decision-making is less familiar
• Perceived risk to financial institution
• Families may have to choose between not accessing
financial institution’s services or going to court to get
guardianship order
• Yet supported decision-making may be adequate
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Project goals & outcomes
• Understand the legal, regulatory and practical
issues
• Identify ideas and opportunities
• Publish report
• Develop educational resources and tools
• Publication of report and tools: 2020
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Who will benefit?
• Adults receiving support and self-advocates
• Supporters and supporting organizations
• Investment Industry Members and Regulators
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What is supported decision making?
Supported decision making is:
• a voluntary relationship
• a person or network of people assist
another person with decision-making
• assistance with making communicating
and implementing decisions
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PRINCIPLES OF
SUPPORTED DECISION MAKING
• Adult retains full legal capacity
• Adult makes the decision
• Relationship of trust
• Voluntary
• Supportive group or network
• Supporters assist adult make the decision
• Supporters are usually unpaid and could include
friends, family and/or community members
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International context:
UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
• Adopted by UN in 2006
• Ratified by Canada in 2010
• Promoting, protecting and ensuring full and
equal enjoyment of all human rights by people
with disabilities
• Article 12: legal capacity
• Canada’s Reservation
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Supported decision-making in Canada
• International leader
• British Columbia’s Representation Agreement Act
• Different models of Sup DM now exist in:
– British Columbia
– Yukon
– Alberta
– Saskatchewan (possibly)
– Manitoba (to a very limited degree)
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What does “support” mean?
Help to:
• Understand the issues involved
• Understand the consequences
• Access appropriate assistance / information
• Express their views, and act as interpreter
where needed
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What does “support” mean?
A supportive decision-maker can help others to:
• Truly hear a person who requires support;
• Appreciate the person’s needs, rights, values,
preferences and goals; and
• Respect the person’s autonomy, dignity and
wisdom—in other words, help prevent
discrimination and bias linked to disability.
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Why do we have substitute and
supported decision making?
• Not everyone has the ability to make their own
decisions without support
• Capacity can fluctuate or change over time
• Decision making is a fundamental part of life
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Why we have substitute and
supported decision-making laws?
• Vulnerability to abuse
• Significant responsibilities
• Capacity standards
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What does “support” mean to you?
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What does “supported decision
making” mean to you?
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Who supports you to make
decisions?
• Family?
• Friends?
• Spouse/Partner?
• Group?
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Working together
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Examples of support
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Examples of support: finances
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Barriers or challenges?
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Tools & resources
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HEALTH CARE DECISION-MAKING:RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
May 24, 4-5 pm
Krista James, CCEL &
Alison Leaney, Office of the Public Guardian and
Trustee
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Canadian Centre for Elder Law
www.bcli.org/ccel