Staff

General Counsel

Nathalie has been General Counsel of Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust since July 1, 2009. She was previously Acting Vice President – Governance of the University of Ottawa. She was Dean of the Civil Law Section of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law from 2004 to 2008. She obtained an LL.B. from Université de Montréal in 1981, an LL.M. from Harvard University in 1984, and an honorary doctorate from the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2004. She became a member of the Québec Bar in 1982 and of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1987.

Nathalie was president of the Law Commission of Canada from 2000 to 2004. From 1987 to 2000, she was a member of the University of Western Ontario’s Faculty of Law. She served as law clerk to Supreme Court of Canada Justice Julien Chouinard from 1982 to 1983 and then worked in private practice until 1987.

She is the past President of the Canadian Federation of Social Sciences and Humanities, Canadian Council of Law Deans, of the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO), and the Canadian Association of Law Teachers. She was a member of the Environmental Appeal Board from 1988 to 2000 and a member of the Ontario Law Reform Commission from 1993 to 1996. She received the Médaille de l’Université Paris X in 2007, the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) Partnership Award in 2004, the Medal of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1999, and the Order of Merit from AJEFO in 2000.

Nathalie has authored numerous articles. For a complete list of publications please visit http://www.droitcivil.uottawa.ca/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=3&Itemid=117&lang=en.

**

Nathalie Des Rosiers est avocate générale et directrice exécutive de l’Association canadienne des libertés civiles depuis juillet 2009. Auparavant, elle était vice-présidente – gouvernance à l’Université d’Ottawa. Elle a été la doyenne de la Faculté de droit, section de droit civil de l’Université d’Ottawa de 2004 à 2008, présidente de la Commission du droit du Canada de 2000 à 2004. Elle détient une licence en droit de l’Université de Montréal et une maîtrise en droit de Harvard University. Elle est membre des Barreaux du Haut Canada et du Québec.

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 bodies.

Prior to joining CCLA, Graeme articled and practiced law with a Toronto-based labour law firm. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto in 2005, and holds Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Political Science, both also from U of T.

email address: gnorton@ccla.org

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

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

Director, National Security Program

Sukanya Pillay joined CCLA in October 2009 as Director of the National Security Program. She was previously a law professor at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law (2002-2008), in-house legal counsel for Hutchison Telecommunications in India (2000-2002), Director of the Law & Human Rights Program at TVE International New York office (1998-2000), and Program Director of Witness with the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (now Human Rights First), New York (1995-1998). She made over twenty missions to conflict zones worldwide in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. She has appeared before UN treaty bodies and Canadian courts on human rights issues, and has represented clients or presented expert evidence before administrative and judicial bodies in the US, India, Canada, and Europe.

Her research focuses on protecting the rights of vulnerable groups including the poor and disadvantaged in developing countries, refugees, and victims of human rights abuses, and she has written numerous papers published in academic journals on these issues. Sukanya won the Holmes-Cardozo award for research excellence from the American Academy of Legal Studies in Business (2006) for a co-authored paper on privacy, an Award for Excellence in Research from the University of Windsor (2005) for research and a documentary film on the effects of NAFTA on Mexican corn farmers, and an Outstanding Faculty Member Award from the Students Law Society Windsor (2003).

She graduated with a JD from the University of Windsor (1990), became a member of the Ontario Bar in 1992, and received an LL.M. in international legal studies from NYU School of Law (1994) where she was a graduate editor of the Journal of International Law and Politics. She worked at Davies Partners in Toronto (1992-1993), articled at Borden & Elliot (now Borden Ladner Gervais, Toronto) (1990-1991), clerked with the Ontario Court of Justice (1994-1995), and was seconded to work on the First Civil Justice Review with the Honourable Justice Robert Blair. Her documentary films and photography on human rights issues have appeared on BBC World, CBC, and in many film festivals.

email: pillay@ccla.org

Administrative Assistant

Johanna started out at the CCLA as a co-op student in 2005 and continues to work in the office as an administrative assistant. She currently attends the University of Toronto completing her double major in Political Science and Equity Studies.

email address: administration@ccla.org

Education Coordinator

April Julian joined the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust in September 2009. As an Education Coordinator, April conducts civil liberties workshops and seminars in schools and faculties of education throughout Ontario, where she engages students in discussions about rights, civil liberties, and controversies related to democratic societies. In addition to her speaking engagements, April supports various initiatives to extend the outreach of CCLET education programmes and projects.

Prior to joining CCLET, April worked at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, where she helped build an online learning tool that teaches about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. April is an Ontario Certified Teacher, and holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

email address: ajulian@ccla.org

Administrative Assistant

Anne Lee joined the CCLA in February of 2010. As Administrative Assistant, Anne is the administrative support to the office staff, executive and board and assists in other office management.

General Counsel, Emeritus

Alan Borovoy was General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association from May, 1968 until June, 2009. 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 made presentations to public inquiries and gave testimony before parliamentary committees on issues such as mandatory drug-testing in the workplace, wiretapping, and police race-relations. His community organizing activities 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 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.

Rachel is entering her third year of undergraduate studies at Trinity College in the University of Toronto, majoring in Ethics, Society, and Law. She will be working on various tasks at CCLA over the summer. Rachel is interested in all aspects of law, human rights, and civil liberties and is working towards obtaining a law degree in the future.

Mark is a graduate of the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in international relations (2008).He has interned and contributed political satire pieces for The Mark News, and recently survived his first year at Queen’s Faculty of Law. Originally from Toronto, Mark grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. His obsessions include baseball and all things China-related.

Billeh is a second year law student from the University of Ottawa and joins the CCLA this summer as one of the organization’s legal interns. He previously received his BA in Political Science from the University of Toronto. He enjoys traveling and domestic/international politics.

Martin earned his BA in journalism with distinction from Concordia University. After a short stint working in investment banking he returned to school to pursue a JD/MBA at the University of Toronto: he just finished his first year of law school and is beginning his first year of business in September. Martin is interested in freedom of speech, privacy rights, sexual rights, and civil liberties as they relate to technology. In his free time Martin mountain-bikes and volunteers with Lawyers Feed the Hungry.

Michelle is a second year student at Osgoode Hall Law School and a CCLA legal intern for the summer of 2010. She completed her BA in English Literature and Canadian Politics at McGill University in 2007. She has previously worked in the areas of gender-based violence, access to justice, and workplace harassment. Her legal work has centered around civil liberties and constitutional law, labour issues, policing, and natural resources and aboriginal issues in the Canadian Arctic. Her interests include vegetarian cooking, travel, and Canadian literature.