Ms. Ginette Brazeau was appointed as Chairperson of the Canada Industrial

Relations Board (CIRB) on December 28, 2014. Prior to her appointment as Chairperson of the CIRB, Ms. Brazeau held the position of Executive Director and General Counsel of the CIRB since September 2012 and was first appointed as Executive Director and Senior Registrar of the CIRB in April 2008. In these capacities, Ms. Brazeau had delegated responsibilities for the administration of the Board and was responsible for case management, legal services and the regional operations of the Board.

Prior to joining the Board, Ms. Brazeau was the Senior Director of Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform with the Labour Program of the Department of Employment and Social Development and also worked at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service as Director of Legislation, Research and Policy. In these capacities, she was responsible for advising senior management and the Minister of Labour on labour and employment programs or legislative initiatives and on the administration of the Canada Labour Code. She started her career in the Public Service with Industry Canada serving in different positions related to corporate law policy and strategic planning. Ms. Brazeau serves on the executive boards of the Association of Labor Relations Agencies and the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.

Mireille Giroux is an associate lawyer in the Koskie Minsky Labour Group. Representing trade unions’ and employees’ interests in a broad range of labour and employment matters, including grievance arbitration, labour board proceedings, human rights applications, and workplace safety and insurance appeals. She has also defended trade union clients in court against injunctions during a work stoppage. She also advises clients on the application on legislative developments.

Maureen Haan is a Board member for the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization (CASDO). CASDO is an organization in the federal government that is responsible to enhance the full and equal participation of all persons, especially persons with disabilities, in society. This is to be achieved through the realization of a Canada without barriers, particularly by the identification, removal and prevention of barriers.

Maureen has been very active in the cross-disability sector, currently focusing on employment issues.  She has been involved with numerous committees and groups that increase awareness of and access for the disability sector and the Deaf community, including involvement with Civil Society on the UN Convention of Rights for Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as the lead for employment for persons with disabilities – specifically Article 27; leadership with the Conference on Work and Disability in Canada; co-development and leadership of the pan-Canadian Strategy on Disability and Work; and as a Board member on the Canadian Accessibility Standard Development Organization (CASDO).  Maureen is also the President & CEO of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) since 2012. Maureen started her career in the Deaf community and is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Maureen lives in Thornhill with her two sons and her partner, Mike.

Jennifer Hodgins practises in all areas of employment and labour law, including human rights, pay equity, employment standards, labour and employee relations, grievance arbitration, wrongful dismissal and health and safety matters. Jennifer has acted on behalf of employers in grievance arbitrations, human rights tribunal proceedings, wrongful dismissal claims, judicial review proceedings and federal and provincial labour board matters. She also regularly provides proactive and strategic advice to employers relating to workplace issues and labour relations, including collective bargaining.

Prior to joining our Toronto office, Jennifer practised labour and employment law at a management-side labour and employment boutique firm and completed a clerkship at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. She has also worked as in-house labour counsel at a large regional hospital.

Samia Hussein is a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP and her practice is focused on the representation of management in many areas of employment and labour law with particular emphasis on employment law, employment agreements, policy development and implementation, human rights and accommodation and all matters relating to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Karen Jensen is an experienced lawyer who is widely recognized as an expert in human rights, labour and employment law. Having represented unions, employers and the Canadian Human Rights Commission in pay equity disputes at different points in her career, Ms. Jensen has developed a deep appreciation for all perspectives on this important issue. In addition, as a full-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal from 2005-2009, Ms. Jensen adjudicated and mediated human rights disputes, including pay equity matters, in both official languages.

Prior to joining the Commission, Ms. Jensen was a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP and was the National and Local (Ottawa) Chair of their Labour and Employment group. Previously, she was an assistant dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, where she taught dispute resolution.

Ms. Jensen is known for her collaborative and respectful approach to her work. She was recently elected by her peers to the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in recognition of the civility, collegiality, and professionalism she has demonstrated throughout her legal career.

Before her legal career, Ms. Jensen worked for six years with marginalized women and sexual abuse survivors in social service agencies in both Winnipeg and Toronto. She has been a volunteer and a member of the Board of Directors of a centre for the homeless and an agency supporting people with disabilities for many years.

Ms. Jensen holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg, a Masters in Psychology from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Laws from Western University. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Ms. Jensen is fluently trilingual in English, French and Spanish.

Norm Keith, B.A., J.D., LL.M., CRSP, practices employment, health & safety, environmental, regulatory, government investigation and business crime litigation. Norm’s employment and human rights practice includes executive compensation, workplace investigations, employment contracts & restrictive covenants, employee discipline, workers compensation, ESA enforcement, and human resources risk management. He represents employers in wrongful dismissal, workplace fraud recovery, whistle-blower cases, human rights, labour arbitrations, workplace safety, WSIB appeals and fiduciary duty litigation.

Norm is the leading Occupational Health and Safety (“OHS”) lawyer in Canada. He has successfully defended more than 1,000 health & safety, environmental and workers’ compensation administrative, regulatory and criminal cases. Norm has written many of the leading books in his field, including Canadian Health and Safety Law, Canadian Emergency Management and Response Manual, and Workplace Health and Safety Crimes (3rd ed.). He was the first lawyer in Canada to achieve the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (“CRSP”) designation.

Norm has extensive experience in advising and representing organizations in matters involving alcohol & drugs in the workplace, harassment, sexual harassment, and violence in the workplace. He has written a leading texts in these areas: Human Resources Guide to Preventing Workplace Violence (2nd ed.) and Alcohol & Drugs in the Canadian Workplace (2nd ed.).

Norm has completed 5 Ironman distance triathlons, run the New York, Chicago, Toronto and Hamilton marathons and rides in the annual Ride to Conquer Cancer for cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital. He is also the longest serving judge in the Canadian Safest Employers awards.

Veronica is the Labour and Employment Legal Manager at UPS Canada.  Veronica’s primary role is in the legal department providing a full range of labour relations and employment law advice.  Veronica provides general human resources advice on a proactive basis to assist management in resolving issues before litigation commences. She often prepares and delivers in-house training sessions to help management deal with matters without having to resort to her advocacy skills. Veronica is also the head of UPS Canada’s Occupational Health Department with responsibility for managing all of the organization’s workers compensation claims, non-occupational disability claims and medical accommodation requests.    Prior to joining UPS, Veronica practiced employment and labour law with various management side labour and employment boutique law firms. In the past, Veronica has also been a part-time faculty member in the Conestoga College Human Resource Management Program teaching courses in labour relations and employment law. Veronica is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario Law School and holds a Bachelor of Science, Honours Degree from the University of Toronto.

Miguel Mangalindan is a Senior Associate Lawyer at Monkhouse Law, a Toronto Employment & Labour Law boutique firm. His particular areas of practice include workplace, human rights, and disability insurance law, representing both employees and employers, including federally regulated employers such as trucking and broadcasting companies. Miguel has appeared as counsel before several levels of court in Ontario including the Divisional Court and Superior Court. He has also represented clients before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, Ontario Labour Relations Board, and Employment and Social Development Canada.

Andrew Monkhouse is the managing partner, senior lawyer, and founder of Monkhouse Law, one of Toronto’s top boutique employment law firms. Andrew along with a team of passionate, experienced lawyers who specialize in wrongful dismissal and long-term disability actions. Andrew represents both employees and employers in dealing with a wide range of workplace issues such as bullying and harassment, contract drafting and review, employee rights, constructive dismissals, unjust dismissals among other workplace issues. Before starting his own law firm Andrew worked in the Government of Canada in HRSDC (as it was then) both in the Employment Equity divisions (LEEP and FCP) and the Foreign Temporary Worker section (FTW and E-LMO), in that role he was often reviewing positions on jurisdictional determinations for employers.

Susan Ursel is a senior partner with the Toronto law firm Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP. Since her call to the Bar in 1984, Susan has fought for justice and equality, working with trade unions, employees, individuals and progressive organizations. As labour counsel, Susan works primarily with public sector and broader public sector trade unions and associations. Her practice encompasses arbitrations, labour board matters, pay equity, human rights, judicial reviews and appellate litigation. Susan is a frequent speaker, teacher and writer on human rights and Charter issues, as well as labour related issues such as pay equity, pensions, and labour rights. She has received many rewards in recognition of her long-term commitment to justice. Most recently, Susan was deeply honoured to be a  2019 recipient of the Law Society of Ontario Medal, which is given for outstanding service within the profession, in accordance with the highest ideals of the legal profession. Her numerous accolades and vast experience are detailed at www.upfhlaw.ca. 

Claire Vachon assists clients in all areas of labour and employment law in both official languages.  She is licensed to practice law in Québec and in Ontario. Claire is the leader of Fasken’s Labour, Employment and Human Rights Practice Group.

For close to two decades, Claire’s work has been focused on the education sector. Drawing on an extensive knowledge of this sector’s legal and political environment, Claire has become a trusted advisor to many Ontario school boards and trustees associations in collective agreement negotiation, labour arbitration proceedings, human rights proceedings, and employment standards inquiries.

With experience in major pay equity litigation, Claire’s knowledge of the technical processes involved in achieving pay equity, such as job evaluation and regression analysis, allows her to bring highly focused, strategic advice to clients, in addition to sound legal advice. Whether assisting in audits or developing proactive monitoring mechanism, Claire ensures ongoing pay-equity compliance is achieved.

A seasoned speaker, Claire presents labour and employment issues in a dynamic manner and is frequently called to provide specialized in-house training, specifically tailored to clients’ needs.

Jackie VanDerMeulen is a partner in the Labour, Employment and Human Rights group at Fasken.  She regularly represents clients in labour and employment adjudication, such as labour arbitrations, interest arbitrations, federal and provincial labour board matters, employment litigation and applications for judicial review. Jackie also provides strategic labour and employment advice, including on labour negotiations, litigation, workplace policies and law reform.   Jackie has developed a particular specialty in accessibility legislation, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Accessible Canada Act.

With over 25 years of diverse experience in the areas of policy development, human resources, communications, community development and project management, Jeff is committed to the areas of social development and inclusion. He has served as a media advisor to CTV news on the subject matter of disability rights and accessibility for Ontario.

Jeff’s professional work experience has been in the areas of employment, social services, health care, housing and human resources. As an active community leader, his goal is to bring sustainable change and build capacity in the not-for-profit sector. He has had the opportunity to serve on several Boards and advisory committee.

As a consultant, Jeff was responsible for the City of Ottawa’s 2004/2005 Municipal Accessibility Policy Plan and was appointed to Ontario’s Accessibility Standards Advisory Committee to assist the Ministry of Community and Social Services to implement accessibility standards.

Following his career in municipal and provincial government, he joined the Federal Public Service in 2006 working on a number of assignments related to human rights and social policy. Today he is pleased to lead accessibility policy at Canada Post.