Alberta Human Rights Information Service October 12, 2010
Government of Alberta appoints new director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission and new members of the Commission
Philippe Rabot, Director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission
Philippe Rabot has been appointed Director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission:
The Government of Alberta has appointed Philippe Rabot as director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Read the Government of Alberta news release.
Mr. Rabot's appointment is effective from October 12, 2010 to October 11, 2015. Mr. Rabot brings expert knowledge of labour and administrative law to the Commission, having served on various tribunals in Canada, most recently as Commissioner of the Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security Act Review Tribunals from 2005 to 2010. In that position, he headed an administrative tribunal with over 300 members across Canada, with the primary area of jurisdiction pertaining to deciding eligibility for CPP disability pensions.
His prior tribunal experience included serving as Chair of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee for seven years. The Committee heard appeals by RCMP members of decisions on grievances and disciplinary measures arising from allegations of misconduct. He was also Vice-Chair of the Assessment Review Board of Ontario for four years in the mid 1990s, after having served as Secretary to the Copyright Board of Canada and Assistant Director General of Appeals for the Public Service Commission of Canada. He received his law degree from the University of Ottawa and has been a member of the bar in Quebec since 1983.
Mr. Rabot takes over from Marie Riddle, who served as Commission director for 13 years. Ms. Riddle is moving on to a new senior executive role in the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit. The Chief of the Commission and Tribunals, D. Blair Mason, acknowledges Ms. Riddle's contribution to the work of the Commission: "In her 13 years as Commission director, Ms. Riddle contributed greatly to the advancement of human rights in Alberta. In addition to directing the administrative aspects of the Commission's complaint resolution and settlement process with equanimity and fairness, she advanced the Commission's education program in significant ways, supporting and contributing to a province-wide education program that has been emulated by other commissions across Canada and engaging the Commission in varied community partnerships. On a personal note, I have been indebted to Ms. Riddle for her invaluable help to me in my role as Chief of the Commission and Tribunals. Her lively intelligence and her extensive experience in government administration at the executive management level have contributed greatly to my learning as I have taken on this role."
The Commission director and staff are responsible for the administrative responsibilities related to the resolution and settlement of complaints made under the Alberta Human Rights Act. In keeping with the purposes of the Act, the director and staff are also responsible for providing public education and information services, engaging in community initiatives and undertaking other related activities.
Four new members of the Commission:
The Government of Alberta has also appointed four new members of the Commission: Jennifer Burns, Moosa Y. Jiwaji, Shirley Claire Heafey and William D. McFetridge, each for a term beginning September 30, 2010 and ending June 30, 2013. Read the Government of Alberta news release.
The new members of the Commission are members of the Alberta legal community who bring expertise in relevant areas of the law, including human rights law, labour law, mediation and arbitration. You can learn more about the new members of the Commission by reading the biographies of the members of the Commission.
The main responsibility of members of the Commission is to serve on human rights tribunals in order to adjudicate human rights complaints. This work is separate and distinct from the administrative role played by the director of the Commission and staff in relation to human rights complaints.
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