About Us
Since the mid 1960s, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has been a leader in protecting our fundamental freedoms.
The fight against abuse of state authority has not always won popularity contests for the CCLA, but the association has earned widespread respect for its principled stands on such issues as censorship, capital punishment, and police powers.
The CCLA was formed in 1964 by a group of citizens, primarily based in Toronto, who were alarmed about a proposal by the Ontario government to drastically increase police powers. While the police bill was withdrawn after extensive protest, civil libertarians saw a need for an ongoing watchdog group to guard against threats to democratic rights.
Since then the CCLA has spoken out on hundreds of issues, from film censorship to the rights of welfare recipients not to be harassed by government officials, from forced religious teaching in the schools to the rights of political groups to demonstrate in the streets.
While the CCLA has operated with a volunteer board of directors made up of prominent citizens, its chief public spokesperson since 1968 has been lawyer Alan Borovoy. From a small office in downtown Toronto, Borovoy and the rest of the CCLA’s small staff have organized court interventions, presentations of briefs to legislative committees, and rallies, as well as a programme to educate students on the value of civil liberties.
“Our strategy has always been to raise hell without breaking the law,” Borovoy says.
Throughout, the CCLA has always been backed financially only by its members and supporters. It has neither sought nor received any government money.
Over the years, active CCLA members have included some of Canada’s most well known names in law, journalism, politics, the arts, labour, business and other fields. Our founding president was former Ontario judge and lieutenant-governor J. Keiller MacKay, and early activists included prominent journalists Pierre Berton, June Callwood and Barbara Frum. Political leaders such as Allan Blakeney and Dalton Camp have been active as have top names in the legal field, such as Louise Arbour and Edward Greenspan.
Within a few years of its founding, the CCLA spoke out vigourously against one of the most severe restrictions of liberty in Canadian history, the invocation of the War Measures Act during the Quebec crisis of 1970. At the time, the CCLA was one of the few groups to protest against the imposition of martial law and the arrest of hundreds of Canadians even though no charges were laid against them.
Other early campaigns by the CCLA included the fight against religious instruction in the public schools, and the push for independent investigation of complaints against police forces, an issue that is still alive today. The CCLA was also active in publicizing the difficulties accused citizens were having consulting lawyers.
In the 1970s, the CCLA became more active on human rights related questions, becoming one of the first groups to document under-representation of visible minority groups in parts of the job market. In one of the association’s more well publicized actions, CCLA activists called up employment agencies posing as employers but specifying they wanted only white workers. Such surveys found a widespread willingness to discriminate. Its unique research enabled the CCLA to document its argument that existing human rights legislation was not strong enough. This set the stage for the ensuing employment equity campaigns.
The rights of citizens receiving welfare or charged with criminal offences have always been a focus of CCLA attention. In its early years, the association challenged the infamous “spouse in the house rule” that treated women welfare recipients unfairly. The CCLA was the first group to propose that citizens who had been wiretapped by police should be informed of the fact once the bugging has ended.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the CCLA was one of the most prominent groups speaking out against “dirty tricks” and other wrongdoings by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and against excesses in the government’s legislation creating the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. The CCLA has consistently upheld the right of Canadians to associate freely and dissent politically without unwarranted surveillance and harassment from the authorities.
Restrictions on freedom of speech have often drawn the CCLA’s attention – from movie censorship to obscenity laws and banning of hate propaganda, to university speech codes and curtailment of picketing. In courts and at legislative committees, the CCLA has fought for the right of Canadians to express themselves freely, even if the thoughts and opinions being expressed are offensive to most.
Threats to fundamental freedoms have not ended, but the CCLA is proud of the contribution it has made in pushing for freedoms while at the same time promoting equality and non-discrimination.
“I think we have raised the consciousness of government and citizens to the centrality of civil liberties in Canadian democracy”, Borovoy says. But, he adds, fundamental liberties must always be defended because there are so many temptations to restrict them.
“If we lose our freedoms in this country, the job will be done to us not by malevolent autocrats seeking to do bad but by parochial bureaucrats seeking to do good,” Borovoy says.
CCLA Staff
A. Alan Borovoy
General Counsel
Alan Borovoy has been General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association since May, 1968. Prior to coming to CCLA, Alan worked with other human rights and civil liberties organizations such as the National Committee for Human Rights of the Canadian Labour Congress, the Ontario Labour Committee for Human Rights, and the Toronto & District Labour Committee for Human Rights.
As General Counsel of CCLA, Alan has made presentations to public inquiries and given testimony before parliamentary committees on issues such as mandatory drug-testing in the workplace, wiretapping, and police race-relations. His community organizing activities have included delegations to the federal and provincial governments on issues of capital punishment, religious education in the public schools, the War Measures Act, campus speech codes, and national security and intelligence.
In addition to his work as General Counsel, Alan was a fortnightly columnist for the Toronto Star from 1992-1996. Other media work has included appearances on many public affairs programs, and on open-line television and radio programs. He is published widely across Canada, and is the author of The New Anti-Liberals, Uncivil Obedience: The Tactics and Tales of a Democratic Agitator and When Freedoms Collide: The Case for Our Civil Liberties, which was nominated for the Governor General’s Award in 1988. He has also given lectures and public addresses to students, human rights organizations, and policing agencies in Canada and abroad.
Alan has been a visiting professor at the faculties of law at Dalhousie University and the University of Windsor, and a part-time lecturer at the University of Toronto Faculty of Social Work and York University’s political science department.
Alan received his B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1953, and his LL.B. from the University of Toronto in 1956. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1958. He has also received four Honourary Doctor of Laws Degrees, the Law Society Medal from the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1989, an Award of Merit from the City of Toronto in 1982, and was inscribed in the Honour Roll of the aboriginal people of Treaty Number 3 in 1991. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982.
Donna Gilmour
Administrative Assistant
Donna has been the administrative assistant at CCLA since April, 1990. As the only administrative assistant in the office, Donna works with all the staff members at CCLA.
email address: admin@ccla.org
Abby Deshman
Student at Law
Abby Deshman joined the CCLA in July 2008 as the Law Foundation of Ontario’s Pro-Bono Articling Fellow. She graduated from the University of Toronto Law School with an Hons JD in 2008, and prior to that received her BSc (with high distinction) in Zoology and English from U of T in 2003. She is currently involved in all aspects of CCLA’s advocacy and educational programs, including the organization’s litigation, legislative advocacy, policy work, and civil liberties workshops for high school and university students.
Abby has always been very active in the areas of social justice and human rights. Prior to joining the CCLA she worked with numerous local and international non-governmental organizations, including the United Nations High Council for Refugees in Kenya and Human Rights Watch’s Terrorism/Counterterrorism division in New York. During law school, she spent a term representing family, immigration and criminal law clients at Downtown Legal Services, the University of Toronto’s poverty law clinic. She was also a case worker in the law school’s International Human Rights Clinic, where she worked primarily on international human rights and counterterrorism issues, including the Clinic’s intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Khadr case.
Her previous work has also taken her to Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Belize and Peru. Although she loves Toronto, she is concerned about the lack of sun available during Canadian winters, and is therefore constantly on the lookout for inexpensive flights to combat incipient vitamin D deficiencies.
email address: adeshman@ccla.org
Noa Mendelsohn Aviv
Director, Freedom of Expression Project
Noa Mendelsohn Aviv joined the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in 2002. Since 2005 she has served as the Director of CCLA’s Freedom of Expression Project, working with CCLA staff, volunteers, the Board and external counsel around issues of free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and equality. Noa has been involved in numerous CCLA interventions in the Supreme Court of Canada, provincial courts, and human rights tribunals. She has also spoken out frequently in the media, as well as making oral and written submissions to legislative committees and municipal councils. In addition, Noa is an integral member of CCLET’s public education project, engaging students at schools and faculties of education in discussions on the challenges of civil liberties.
Before joining the CCLA, Noa volunteered and worked at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and was involved in some leading civil rights cases. Concurrent with her graduate legal studies, she spent several years as a lawyer in a small firm. Her practice areas included litigation, labour, commercial, and corporate law. Noa has also served as Acting Administrative Director of Hebrew University’s Center for Human Rights, and as Field Coordinator for a large research project on eating disorders in women.
Noa earned her law degree (LL.B.) and Masters of Law (LL.M.) from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, where she focused on equality, civil rights, and certain interdisciplinary studies. She was called to the Israeli Bar in May 1998. She received her B.A. (with Distinction) in sociology from York University in Toronto. In her free time, Noa enjoys reading, hiking in leafy spots, and spending time on beaches with her family. She is thrilled to have two small children who are already strong and vocal advocates for their rights (phew!).
email address: mendelsohnaviv@ccla.org
Danielle S. McLaughlin
Director of Education and Administration
Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust
Having spent her youth involved with social activism, Danielle joined the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust in 1988. Since that time, in addition to her work as Director of Administration for the national organization, Danielle has developed the CCLET programmes “Teaching Civil Liberties” and “Civil Liberties in the Schools.” Her article, “Cultivating Habits of Democracy: Asking the Hard Questions,” appeared in the Winter 2004-05 edition of Education Canada.
From discussions with young children on “What is fair?” to heated debates with university, education, and law students on such issues as equality rights, freedom of expression and anti-hate laws, Danielle enjoys challenging people to think about the conflicting values we live with in our democratic system.
As well as providing seminars and workshops on civil liberties and fundamental values to school groups and classrooms from grade 2 through university, Danielle has designed and organized conferences for high school students. These conferences have included such speakers as Alan Borovoy, June Callwood, David Cronenberg and Susan Eng.
Since 1996, CCLET’s “Teaching Civil Liberties” programme has been supported by a grant from the Law Foundation of Ontario. Pre-service student teachers at the faculties of education at Brock, Lakehead, Laurentian, Nipissing, OISE/Toronto, Ottawa, Queen’s, Western, Windsor and York universities have participated in workshops and seminars dealing with the controversial issues they are likely to face once they are in the classroom.
Between 1997 and 2001, in addition to her educational and administrative duties, Danielle represented the Canadian Civil Liberties Association on the Toronto Police Services Board sub-committee on Race Relations.
email address: education@ccla.org
Graeme Norton
Director, Public Safety Project
Graeme Norton joined the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in June 2007 as the Director of CCLA’s Public Safety Project. His work with CCLA involves providing the Association with legal opinions and research, coordinating interventions in court cases, preparing submissions to legislative committees and other public forums, and mentoring articling students and volunteers.
Prior to joining CCLA, Graeme completed his articles and then practiced law with a boutique labour and employment law firm in Toronto. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto in 2005, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations, both also from U of T.
While attending law school, Graeme was a volunteer caseworker and Co-director of the student program at the Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples legal clinic, was a Pro Bono Students Canada volunteer, and spent a summer at CCLA as a Donner Civic Leadership fund fellow.
Graeme currently sits on the Board of Directors of Community Outreach Programs in Addictions (COPA), a harm reduction organization assisting older adults living with addiction. He originally hails from Vancouver, B.C. and enjoys travel, SCUBA diving, and playing soccer and hockey in his spare time.
email address: gnorton@ccla.org
Caitlin Smith
Coordinator, Fundraising & Membership
Caitlin joined CCLA in May 2008. She is responsible for membership, donations, special events, major gifts, and all other aspects of fundraising at CCLA.
Prior to joining CCLA, Caitlin worked at PEN Canada, the free expression organization. She looked after membership, special events, and administration. She is a member of the Toronto chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Caitlin has also worked as a journalist, and in the publishing industry as a sales and marketing manager. She hails from Montreal. Her passions include The New Yorker, scrabble, cooking and fiction.
email address: csmith@ccla.org
2008-2009 Board of Directors
The Hon. J. Keiller MacKay (1888-1970)
J.S. Midanik, Q.C.(1920-1997)
John Nelligan, Q.C.
Harry Arthurs
The Hon. Walter Tarnopolsky (1932-1993)
Walter Pitman
Sybil Shack (1911-2004)
The Hon. Allan Blakeney
President
Marsha Hanen, adjunct professor, University of Victoria; former President University of Winnipeg; former President of the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership
Vice-Presidents
Jamie Cameron, Osgoode Hall Law professor
Susan Cooper, Nunavut lawyer
Giséle Côté-Harper, Q.C., University of Quebec Law professor
Michael de Pencier, publisher
Marlys Edwardh, criminal lawyer
Edward L. Greenspan, Q.C., criminal lawyer
Patricia Jackson, counsel to the Arbour Inquiry into the Prison for Women
John D. McCamus, Osgoode Hall Law professor
Delia Opekokew, general counsel, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
The Hon. Howard Pawley, former Premier of Manitoba
Kenneth P. Swan, Labour arbitrator
Dr. Joseph Wong, former President, Chinese Canadian Council on Race Relations
Secretary
Sydney Goldenberg, former counsel, Ontario Human Rights Commission
Treasurer
Elaine Slater, former U.S. civil rights activist
Board of Directors
Frank Addario, criminal lawyer
The Hon. Warren Allmand, former Solicitor General of Canada
Bromley Armstrong, former President, Jamaican-Canadian Association
The Hon. Ronald Atkey, Q.C., former Chair, Security Intelligence Review Committee
Frédéric Bachand, Professor of law, McGill University
The Hon. Edward Broadbent, former leader, New Democratic Party of Canada
Leah Casselman, President, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
Paul Cavalluzzo, Counsel to the Arar Inquiry
Larry Chartrand, professor Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa and consultant, Metis National Council
The Hon. Saul Cherniack, Q.C., former treasurer, Province of Manitoba
*Jane Cobden, Halifax psychiatric social worker
Dr. Debby Copes, member, Medical Reform Group
David Cronenberg, film maker
Fernand Daoust, former President, Quebec Federation of Labour
Michael Depencier, publisher
Peter Desbarats, former Dean, University of Western Ontario, School of Journalism
*Brian A. F. Edy, Calgary lawyer
Susan Eng, former Chair, Toronto Police Services Board
Mel Finkelstein, former Chair, Board of Jewish Education
Robert Fulford, National Post columnist
Vicki Gabereau, television host
Kenneth V. Georgetti, President, Canadian Labour Congress
The Hon. Constance R. Glube, Q.C., former Chief, Nova Scotia Supreme Court
Katherine Govier, former President, PEN Canada
*Louis Greenspan, Emeritus professor of philosophy, McMaster University
Shirley Heafey, former Chief Commissioner, Commission for Complaints Against RCMP
Harish Jain, professor, School of Industrial Relations, McMaster University
Mahmud Jamal, Special Counsel to CCLA in kirpan case and others
Sheema Khan, former Chair, Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations
Joy Kogawa, author
Anne La Forest, Dean, University of New Brunswick, Faculty of Law
Andrew Lokan, Special Counsel to CCLA in same-sex marriage case and others
A. Wayne Mackay, Professor of law, Dalhousie University
*Ken Mandzuik, Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties
*Jon Oliver, urban planner
Penelope Rowe, Executive Director, Community Service Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
Paul Schabas, counsel for the Ontario Association for the Deaf
Marvin Schiff, former Director, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
David Schneiderman, University of Toronto Law professor
*Eric L. Teed, Q.C., St. John, New Brunswick lawyer
*Walter Thompson, Halifax, Nova Scotia lawyer
The Very Rev. Lois Wilson, former President, World Council of Churches, former Independent Senator
*Denotes CCLA Chapter Representative
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