THE TEAM

Howard Sapers joined CCLA as Executive Director in July 2025.

A recognized thought leader, Howard has made it his life’s work to defend basic rights and freedoms and help create healthier and safer communities. He is an expert in the criminal legal and prison systems, and has spent over three decades advocating for criminal and social justice reform and public policy transformation.

Howard has authored and presented extensively on these topics and has received numerous awards and accreditations for his contributions to the field, including a Canadian Criminal Justice Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Prior to joining CCLA, Howard served as the Correctional Investigator of Canada for more than a decade, conducting comprehensive reviews and analyses, delivering recommendations and championing significant policy and operational changes within the federal prison system. Howard has also advised on the development of national action plans and served as an independent advisor on corrections reform.

Howard has taught Criminology courses at the University of Ottawa and is an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University. He has served as the Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Alberta, an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Director of Canada’s National Crime Prevention Centre Investment Fund and Vice Chairperson (Prairie Region) of Parole Board Canada.

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah BA (Carleton) MA, PhD (Toronto) is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto and a Senior Fellow at Massey College. His work examines the intersections of race, crime and criminal justice, with a particular focus in the area of policing. Prof. Owusu-Bempah began his academic career in the United States at Indiana University, Bloomington. Prior to becoming a professor, he held positions with Canada’s National Judicial Institute, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Prof Owusu-Bempah is frequently sought out to provide commentary and advice to police agencies, government bodies, community organizations, and media outlets on matters relating to policing, justice and social inequality. He also publishes regularly in both academic and popular forums. He is the author (with Prof. Shaun Gabbidon) of Race, Ethnicity, Crime and Justice: An International Dilemma.

“I strive to advance equality and access to justice for marginalized communities across Canada who seek to use law, policy, and advocacy as a tools for social justice and addressing systemic inequalities.”

Harini Sivalingam is Director of the Equality Program at the CCLA. She oversees and executes advocacy strategies to marginalized individuals and groups whose right to full equality has not been realized.  Her work at CCLA includes monitoring significant equality issues and egregious violations across Canada, strategizing on litigation interventions, public outreach and education, and engagement with policymakers of issues concerning equality.

Harini was called to the Ontario bar in 2006.  She has political science undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto and law degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School (LLB) and McGill University (LLM). She is in the process of completing a PhD in Socio-Legal Studies at York University, pursing research on the lived experiences of maritime forced migrants as they navigate legal and non-legal governance over borders and mobilities.

Harini is also an adjunct instructor in the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law at Queen’s University teaching courses on the Foundations of Canadian Immigration Law and Refugee Protection Law.

Harini has advocated for low-income communities as a law student and lawyer working in community legal aid clinics focusing on advancing access to justice in the area of worker’s rights, tenant’s rights, advocating for social assistance and ODSP recipients, and newcomer and refugee communities.

For over two decades Harini has been involved in anti-racism activism and community organizing on domestic and international human rights issues. She was an intern at the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva, monitoring and reporting on various United Nations human rights bodies. Harini has also served on the Board of Directors for Lawyer’s Rights Watch Canada.

“I believe that upholding the rights of persons suspected, charged, or convicted of criminal offences is fundamental to our societal commitment to civil liberties.”

Shakir Rahim is the Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the CCLA. He oversees advocacy strategies to protect and develop Charter rights in criminal law, hold police accountable, and defend prisoners’ rights. His work includes managing CCLA’s criminal law interventions before all levels of court, developing constitutional test cases, providing comment to the media, and engaging with policymakers.

Prior to joining the CCLA, Shakir practiced criminal law at Presser Barristers and Kastner Lam LLP. He also acted on significant public interest matters, including co-leading the campaign to establish the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations.

Shakir is a member of the board of the HIV Legal Network. He received his J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School, where he graduated with distinctions in criminal law, legal ethics, and community service.

Anaïs Bussières McNicoll is the director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program at CCLA.

Since joining CCLA, Anaïs has fought in various forums for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms. In parliamentary committees, she has criticized federal and provincial bills that infringed on freedom of expression and freedom of association. She also speaks regularly in the media, including to defend people’s right to use their civic space to protest peacefully.

With the (in)valuable assistance of external lawyers, Anaïs manages multiple litigation files in which CCLA, as a party or intervener, endeavors to advance the law on fundamental freedoms, democratic rights and mobility rights. Anaïs is also deeply involved in CCLA’s efforts to challenge provincial governments’ increasing use of the notwithstanding clause. She believes that a society cannot be truly free and democratic without a transparent and accountable state that respects the rule of law and upholds Charter-protected rights. She is honored to dedicate her professional career to defending these principles.

Before joining the CCLA, Anaïs was a partner in a national law firm where she practiced litigation, with a focus on public and constitutional law as well as civil law.  She was particularly sought after to contribute to complex cases at the appellate stage, particularly before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Anaïs was called to the Quebec Bar in 2015 after completing her law degree at the University of Montreal. She then completed a two-year clerkship at the Quebec Court of Appeal.

“In the age of information and rapid automation, our right to privacy is under constant strain as governments and the private sector alike rush to exploit our personal data to make decisions that impact every aspect of our lives. Privacy is fundamental to navigating this digital world, and critical to the realization of other human rights including our freedom of expression and association, our right to equality and our right to participate in a democracy.”

Tamir is Director of the Privacy, Surveillance and Technology Program at the CCLA, where his work focuses on privacy, law enforcement and national security surveillance, cybercrime, cross-border data sharing and the detrimental impacts of artificial intelligence.

Tamir is committed to advancing human rights, particularly in light of threats posed by emerging technologies. His advocacy has included parliamentary testimony, regulatory proceedings, interventions at all levels of court in Canada, and participation in international law and policy development fora.

Prior to joining CCLA, Tamir worked at Human Rights Watch and the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), and lectured on Internet regulation at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Graduate & Post-doctoral Studies. He holds a J.D. from the University of Toronto, is on the advisory board of OpenMedia, and is a consultant with Human Rights Watch.

Timilehin Ojo serves as the Privacy, Surveillance, and Digital Rights Coordinator at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA). Timilehin is responsible for recommending and coordinating advocacy strategies for these critical programs. He closely monitors significant issues and developments in Privacy Law Reform, Surveillance & Technology, Search & Seizure, and National Security.

He earned his law degree from Lagos State University and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 2019. He obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with a concentration in Law and Technology from the University of Ottawa. He also holds a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

Before joining the CCLA, Timilehin practised dispute resolution and corporate commercial law across multiple industries in Nigeria. His Canadian professional journey includes a technology law internship with a leading international law firm, and subsequent work with another global law firm in Canada. Additionally, Timilehin has been actively involved in professional project management activities and community development roles, demonstrating his commitment to advancing legal standards and public interest.

Aaden Pearson is a Staff Lawyer and Trans Rights Legal Fellow at the CCLA. They develop and coordinate advocacy strategies to advance trans rights in Canada as well as monitor significant developments in this area.

Prior to joining the CCLA, Aaden held a fellowship position with the Law Commission of Canada and was engaged in Canadian law reform. Aaden clerked at the Federal Court of Appeal and was a litigation associate at a boutique law firm practicing in the areas of civil litigation, public interest and administrative law.

Aaden is invested in disrupting systems that disadvantage marginalized communities and has worked for and within communities as both a law student and lawyer. They currently do pro bono work for the 519’s Gender Affirming Care Legal Support Clinic and serve on the board of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexuality and Gender Diversity Alliance.

Aaden holds both J.D. and B.C.L. degrees from McGill University’s Faculty of Law, as well as an undergraduate degree in journalism from Concordia University. They were called to the bar in 2021.

Alexandra received her Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto. During her time as a law student, she sought opportunities that aligned with her interest in social justice, intersectional legal work, and advocacy. She worked as a caseworker at Downtown Legal Services and spent two years as a senior editor for the University of Toronto’s Indigenous Law Journal.

Nat Paul comes to the CCLET and CCLA with a theoretical background informed by critical pedagogy, a deep commitment to emancipatory education and over a decade supporting Ontario teachers engaging with the law in their classrooms. As Director of Education, Nat oversees rights-focused programming in school and community settings and joins his colleagues in presenting to a variety of audiences to build a sense of ownership and agency with respect to the justice system and the rights and freedoms of people in Canada. Firm in the belief that eventually, teachers will change the world, Nat is grateful for the chance to do good work with outstanding colleagues and audiences.

Together with the CCLET team, Erica oversees rights-focused educational programming in school and community settings.  She is a strong believer in the importance of civic education for building a healthy and resilient democracy.

Erica has over a decade of experience in pedagogical training, classroom instruction, curriculum design, and research in democracy and human rights. Prior to joining the CCLA, Erica was a Research Associate at the Samara Centre for Democracy and a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto.  She was also a policy and research analyst across various ministries in the Ontario Public Service, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, and the Cabinet Office.

Erica completed her Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Toronto with a focus on youth political participation and civic engagement.  She also holds a Master’s degree in International Studies (with a concentration in human rights) from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto.  She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the CCLA/CCLET team to expand access to rights-focused educational programming across Canada.

At CCLET Megumi delivers civil liberties programming and works together with the CCLET team to manage rights-based educational outreach in schools and communities.

Megumi has over a decade of experience both as an educator, and in working to support human rights. Prior to joining the CCLET, Megumi headed public policy and research at Habitat for Humanity in Hong Kong, SAR, where she developed and implemented public policy strategies to promote a rights-based approach to housing. Previously, she worked for the U.S. State Department in Beijing, China, tracking the progress and impact of human rights projects across the country and reporting on civil society activity.

Megumi has taught at both high school and community college levels in the US and Asia. Megumi holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an undergraduate degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts, USA. Megumi was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, by immigrant parents. She holds dual Canadian and U.S. citizenship.

Greg Nicholson brings over 20 years of senior-level experience in financial management, systems integration, and organizational accountability. He has held leadership roles at some of Canada’s largest companies, including Loblaw Companies and Shoppers Drug Mart, where he led complex financial operations, oversaw enterprise-wide system integrations, and managed both consolidated and operational reporting. Greg is deeply committed to ethical financial stewardship and transparency—principles that are also reflected in his extensive non-profit experience as a long-time volunteer Treasurer at his church.

“I’m excited to join the CCLA and contribute to the financial sustainability and operational strength of this respected organization, which plays such a vital role in protecting justice, civil liberties, and human rights in Canada.”

Rosemary Oliver has led growing fundraising and donor engagement programs for non-governmental organizations for more than 30 years, serving as fundraising director with both Greenpeace (1992-99) and with Amnesty International (1999-2022). Rosemary has also raised funds for Oxfam and Central Hospital in Toronto. Rosemary has been a frequent speaker at national and international fundraising conferences in Canada, the US and Europe for more than 25 years. Rosemary joined CCLA as our Advancement Director in October 2022.

“I’m excited to be joining CCLA at this time. Fundamental rights and civil liberties are under attack all over the world and also here at home in Canada. I’m proud to be able to join the principled and hard-working team at CCLA in fighting for the rights and freedoms of all people in Canada.”

“I have lived my entire life as a sufferer of mental illness, and I have seen first-hand the prejudice and systemic issues that sufferers can face. As I find myself in a fortunate position, I want to do my part to improve the lives of others facing these challenges. The work done at CCLA to stand up for their rights is just one reason I am so excited and proud to work here.”

Michael is a graduate of the University of Toronto and McMaster University, bringing over seven years of dedicated fundraising experience to his role at CCLA. His career has afforded him the privilege of working with organizations championing a diverse array of causes, from cancer support to international development and animal welfare. Each experience has deepened his commitment to making a positive impact in the world.

I am a passionate and goal oriented professional and proudly identify as a South Asian woman. As an outspoken feminist and equalist, I strongly support the CCLA’s and am particularly passionate about equality and fundamental freedoms.

With over seven years of experience working in non-profit, Aliya has extensive experience working with women’s organizations including Girls 20 Summit, Plan International Canada, and the Spark of Hope Foundation.

In 2013, Aliya received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa in International Development & Globalization and Women’s Studies, with specialization in Feminist Theories; Women, Gender and Development, Feminism, and Justice and the Law.

For the past two decades, I have been working in the area of equity, diversity and human rights for government and non-profits.  When I started working in this field, I had come to realize there were so many more issues than I realized in human rights even though my main role was administrative support and project coordination.

More recently, I was the Office Manager/Executive Assistant for Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) who advocate for rights in housing. Prior to this I had worked for Egale Canada Human Rights Trust as well as the City of Toronto’s – Equity, Diversity and Human Rights Division. During my time with the city, I had great experiences as the Program Coordinator for Access, Equity and Human Rights Awards, Grant Administrator for the Access, Equity and Human Rights Grants Program and Project Coordinator for the Profession-to-Profession Mentoring Program (in partnership with TRIEC).