
Rebecca Kantwerg
Associate
Assistant Kelly Robinson
Rebecca joined the firm as an associate in 2018, after articling and working in-house for a large union in British Columbia. She has represented clients at numerous mediations, and has appeared before labour arbitrators, the BC Labour Relations Board, the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the Federal Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada (in the context of responding to an application for leave to appeal). She also has experience responding to last minute applications for injunctions against picketing and protesting.
Rebecca has particular interest in supporting unions with legal matters impacting workers’ ability to access their constitutional freedoms of association and of peaceful assembly, including certification applications, collective bargaining issues like employer unfair labour practices, and picketing. She is also passionate about advocating for workers’ privacy and human rights, and in particular arguing against drug testing and discrimination. She is especially interested in fighting sexual harassment and sex discrimination, as well as discrimination on the basis of disability and issues related to workers autonomy in their treatment plans.
Rebecca focused her legal studies on issues relevant to human rights and civil liberties, including by spending a semester working on housing and tenancy law issues for a non-profit in the Lower Mainland, successfully advocating for the proactive disclosure of information about polluted drinking water being improperly withheld by government, participating in a national moot about healthcare and Section 7 and Section 15 of the Charter (and winning third-place factum), and spending half a year studying international law in Amsterdam, Netherlands with courses including multinational corporate crime and international labour law.
Recognition and Awards
- University of Victoria, Law Foundation of British Columbia Public Interest Law Award
Results (Arbitration / Tribunal / Court)
Edward Illi and LAPSA v Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, 2021 BCLRB 176 (Leave for reconsideration of 2020 BCLRB 134)
Sukunka Natural Resources Inc. v Unifor, Local Union No. 449, 2021 BCLRB 94 (CanLII) – LRB – Terminations during essential services designation.
Unifor, Local 1115 v Carinoo Pulp & Paper Co., 2019 CanLII 51796 (BC LA) – Grievance – Failure to notify Union of intention to have work performed by a contractor.
Unifor Local 1115 v Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company, 2019 CanLII 18358 (BC LA) – Grievance – Failure to notify Union of contractor performing bargaining unit work.
Education
- JD, University of Victoria, 2016
- International Law and Legal Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), 2014
- BA, International Relations (major), Latin American Studies (minor), University of British Columbia, 2011
Associations
- Member, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers
Bar Admissions
Practice Areas
- Civil Liberties
- Human Rights
- Labour Law
- Privacy Law
Bio
Rebecca joined the firm as an associate in 2018, after articling and working in-house for a large union in British Columbia. She has represented clients at numerous mediations, and has appeared before labour arbitrators, the BC Labour Relations Board, the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the Federal Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada (in the context of responding to an application for leave to appeal). She also has experience responding to last minute applications for injunctions against picketing and protesting.
Rebecca has particular interest in supporting unions with legal matters impacting workers’ ability to access their constitutional freedoms of association and of peaceful assembly, including certification applications, collective bargaining issues like employer unfair labour practices, and picketing. She is also passionate about advocating for workers’ privacy and human rights, and in particular arguing against drug testing and discrimination. She is especially interested in fighting sexual harassment and sex discrimination, as well as discrimination on the basis of disability and issues related to workers autonomy in their treatment plans.
Rebecca focused her legal studies on issues relevant to human rights and civil liberties, including by spending a semester working on housing and tenancy law issues for a non-profit in the Lower Mainland, successfully advocating for the proactive disclosure of information about polluted drinking water being improperly withheld by government, participating in a national moot about healthcare and Section 7 and Section 15 of the Charter (and winning third-place factum), and spending half a year studying international law in Amsterdam, Netherlands with courses including multinational corporate crime and international labour law.
Recognition and Awards
- University of Victoria, Law Foundation of British Columbia Public Interest Law Award
Results (Arbitration / Tribunal / Court)
Edward Illi and LAPSA v Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, 2021 BCLRB 176 (Leave for reconsideration of 2020 BCLRB 134)
Sukunka Natural Resources Inc. v Unifor, Local Union No. 449, 2021 BCLRB 94 (CanLII) – LRB – Terminations during essential services designation.
Unifor, Local 1115 v Carinoo Pulp & Paper Co., 2019 CanLII 51796 (BC LA) – Grievance – Failure to notify Union of intention to have work performed by a contractor.
Unifor Local 1115 v Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company, 2019 CanLII 18358 (BC LA) – Grievance – Failure to notify Union of contractor performing bargaining unit work.
Education
- JD, University of Victoria, 2016
- International Law and Legal Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), 2014
- BA, International Relations (major), Latin American Studies (minor), University of British Columbia, 2011
Associations
- Member, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers