MINISTER OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF THREE MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

OTTAWA, April 11, 2005 – The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today announced the appointment of Karen Jensen as a full-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) and Marilou McPhedran and Kathleen Cahill as part-time members of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Karen Jensen holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg, a Master of Psychology from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario. Originally from Western Canada, Ms. Jensen currently serves as a Senior Research Officer with the Law Commission of Canada. She has won various academic awards and scholarships and her previous work experience includes serving as a law clerk to former Justice Peter C. Cory of the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also worked for the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Canada Labour Relations Board, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, and the provincial government of Quebec. Ms. Jensen has published and presented papers on human rights issues in various forums. She has travelled extensively and is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Marilou McPhedran is the founder and Co-director of the International Women's Rights Project at the University of Victoria Centre for Global Studies. As a lawyer and advocate for women and children's rights, her work has been published in a variety of well-known academic and other media. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Law, a Master of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Doctorate of Law (honoris causa) from the University of Winnipeg. She is a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal and a Member of the Order of Canada.

Kathleen Cahill holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Ottawa and was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1986. She is currently a lawyer in private practice, with a primary focus on labour and administrative law. She has also served as an instructor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Montreal, has appeared before various boards and tribunals, and has spoken on various topics relating to her work.

"I am very pleased to see the appointment of Karen Jensen, Kathleen Cahill and Marilou McPhedran as members of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. They bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience that will greatly assist the Tribunal in equitably interpreting and enforcing the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act," said Minister Cotler.

The CHRT inquires into complaints of discrimination to decide if what is alleged to have occurred is a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Its main goal is to ensure that the Act is interpreted and applied fairly and impartially at all its hearings.

For more information on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, visit http://www.chrt-tcdp.gc.ca/index_e.asp.

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Ref:

Denise Rudnicki
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Justice
(613) 992-4621