Chairperson’s roundtable

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal’s Chairperson’s Roundtable is a forum that meets at least twice a year. During these meetings, the Tribunal Chairperson obtains feedback from those who regularly practice before the Tribunal on the efficacy of its policies and processes. The Roundtable’s Terms of Reference, below, list its procedures and goals.

Terms of Reference

  1. The Roundtable will meet at least twice a year or more often at the request of the Chair. Meetings will be conducted in both French and English. Members may attend by videoconference or in person in Ottawa. 
  2. The Roundtable’s focus is on the effectiveness of the Tribunal’s process. The Roundtable is not a forum for the discussion of the merits of individual cases, disputes about the substantive law, amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s processes. 
  3. The Chair sets the meeting agenda with input from members. The agenda will be circulated to members at least two weeks before the meeting.
  4. The Roundtable shall be composed of the following members:
    1. The CHRT Chairperson.
    2. Up to 5 members who regularly represent respondents including at least one who regularly represents the DOJ. 
    3. Up to 5 members who regularly represent complainants.
    4. Up to 2 members who regularly represent the Commission.
  5. Members serve a two-year term. Members will be selected by each representative group through an invitation to express an interest in serving on the Roundtable posted on the CHRT website. Members may serve more than one term, up to two additional years.
  6. The Chairperson may invite representatives of the CHRT’s legal or registry staff to meetings as appropriate.  
  7. Members will maintain reasonable discretion and confidentiality about Roundtable discussions. This will encourage candour and open discussion.
  8. No minutes or votes will be taken at Roundtable meetings.

Members

The Roundtable is currently composed of the following members:

CHRT

Jennifer Khurana, Chairperson

Members who regularly represent respondents (Respondent representatives)

Brian G. Johnston, Stewart McKelvey, Halifax, N.S. 
Kevin Staska, DOJ, Sask.
Sean Stynes, DOJ, Ottawa, Ont.
Maryse Tremblay, Borden Ladner Gervais, Montreal, Que.
Michelle Henry, Borden Ladner Gervais, Toronto, Ont.

Members who regularly represent complainants (Complainant representatives)

Busayo Faderin, Koskie Minsky, Toronto, Ont. 
Wade Poziomka, Ross & McBride, Hamilton, Ont.
Malini Vijaykumar, Nelligan Law, Ottawa, Ont.
Bijon Roy, Champ Law, Ottawa, Ont.
Fo Niemi, CRARR Service, Montreal, Que.

Members who represent the CHRC (Commission representatives)

Sheila Osborne-Brown, CHRC/CCDP, Ottawa, Ont. 
Brian Smith, CHRC/CCDP, Ottawa, Ont.