Chairperson Biography

Chairperson Biography

SHIRISH P. CHOTALIA, Q.C.
Chairperson, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal

Shirish P. Chotalia, Q.C. was appointed Chairperson of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal effective November 2, 2009.

Ms. Chotalia obtained her Bachelor of Arts in 1983, her Bachelor of Laws in 1986 and her Master of Laws in 1991 from the University of Alberta. She was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1987.

Ms. Chotalia practiced with the law firm of Pundit & Chotalia LLP in the areas of immigration, human rights and employment litigation. She successfully litigated many high profile cases. She was a Commissioner with the Alberta Human Rights Commission from 1989 to 1993, an adjudicator with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal from 1999 to 2005 and served as an elected Bencher, Law Society of Alberta, from 2008 until her appointment to the Tribunal.

Ms. Chotalia was an instructor at the University of Alberta's Law Faculty since 1995, intermittently, teaching courses in Human Rights Law as well as Terrorism and the Law, and was also appointed as a Special Advocate in 2008 to address terrorism cases. She has written several books and many articles about human rights law and immigration law. Other professional service included Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Immigration Section, Northern Alberta, and Member, Selection Advisory Board of Canada. Ms. Chotalia speaks several languages including French, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati.

Vice-Chairperson Biography

 

Member Biographies

 

Part-time Members

MATTHEW D. GARFIELD
Part-time member
Ontario

Matthew D. Garfield was appointed as a part-time Member of the Tribunal in 2006 for a five-year term.

Mr. Garfield is a Chartered Mediator and Chartered Arbitrator, specializing in human rights and workplace disputes. Since 2005, he has been the Monitor for the implementation of the Orders of the Honourable Alvin Rosenberg, Q.C. in the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario case of Lepofsky v. Toronto Transit Commission. From 2000 to 2004, Mr. Garfield was the Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He joined the then Board of Inquiry (Human Rights) as Vice-Chair in 1998. Prior to his appointment to the Ontario tribunal, Mr. Garfield practised law in Toronto. He graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1988 and was a recipient of the class prize in constitutional law. He was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1989 and the Ontario Bar in 1992. He was also the Co-Chair of the 2001 Conference of Ontario Boards and Agencies.

KERRY-LYNNE D. FINDLAY, Q.C.
Part-time Member
British Columbia

Kerry-Lynne Findlay was appointed as a part-time member of the Tribunal in 2006 for a five-year term.

Ms. Findlay graduated from the University of British Columbia (BC) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and an LL.B in 1978. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1979 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1999. Ms. Findlay is a partner of the Vancouver, BC law firm of Watson Goepel Maledy with a civil and commercial litigation practice that has encompassed a variety of legal areas including family law and mediation, estate matters, employment law and aboriginal land issue.

Active in the Canadian Bar Association, Ms. Findlay served on the National Task Force on Court Reform in Canada, as National Chair of the Constitutional Law Section and as Chair of the National Women Lawyers Forum. In addition to her national profile, Ms. Findlay has served on several boards, including Science World, Chair of the Vancouver City Planning Commission and Honorary Counsel for the Chinese Benevolent Association of Canada, a century old association that provides umbrella service and support for the Chinese Canadian community. Ms. Findlay was named the 2001 YWCA Woman of Distinction in the category of Management, the Professions and Trades.

WALLACE G. CRAIG
Part-Time Member
British Columbia

Wallace Gilby Craig was appointed in 2007 to a three-year term as a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Former judge Wallace Craig worked in the justice system for forty-six years. After 20 years of experience in a general practice he was promoted to the Bench in 1975. Judge Craig resided over the Vancouver Criminal Division — Provincial Court of British Columbia from 1975-2001. A retired accomplished independent lawyer in his hometown of Vancouver, B.C, Judge Craig is the author of “Short Pants to Striped Trousers — The Life and times of a Judge in Skid Road Vancouver”. He earned his LLB from the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia.

 

MARC R. GUIGNARD
Part-time Member
New Brunswick

Marc Guignard was appointed in December 2007 to a three-year term as a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Mr. Guignard received his Bachelor of Science (specializing in Political Science) at the Université of Moncton, New Brunswick, in 1989 and earned his law degree at the Université of Moncton in 1992. He was called to the Bar of New Brunswick in 1993. Mr. Guignard has been a partner in the law firm Godin, Lizotte, from 1993 to present.

RÉJEAN BÉLANGER
Part-time Member
Quebec

Réjean Bélanger was appointed in 2008 to a three-year term as a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Mr. Bélanger is a lawyer and certified mediator. He holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Montreal as well as a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Commerce, a Masters of Education and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Ottawa.

Mr. Bélanger was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1980 and has conducted a private practice in Gatineau (Québec), principally in the areas of labour and administrative law. He received his accreditation as a mediator in the areas of civil, commercial and family matters in 1997. He has argued before several administrative tribunals, the Superior Court of Quebec, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Bélanger served as Deputy Secretary of the Franco-ontario Teachers Association and as Director of the Regional Office of the Teachers Association of West Québec. He is also an active member of the board of directors of three non-profit-organizations that have or are currently bringing aid to African countries, the Antilles (Haiti) and South America (Honduras).

 

EDWARD LUSTIG
Part-time Member
Ontario

Edward Lustig was appointed in 2008 to a three-year term as a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Mr. Lustig received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Toronto, his Bachelor of Laws Degree from Queen’s University, and was called to the Bar of Ontario with First Class Honours in 1975. He has been a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Canadian Bar Association since 1975.

Mr. Lustig joined the Legal Department of the City of Niagara Falls in 1975 and, after 27 years of dedicated service, he retired in 2002. In January 2006 he joined Broderick & Partners as counsel and carries on a general law practice with particular emphasis on municipal law, planning and development matters, commercial and real estate law and related litigation. Mr. Lustig also has experience in labour matters, including employment and pay equity.