Human Rights Law Conference 2023: Day 2

Course Chairs
Sandra F. Guarascio (she/her) — Roper Greyell LLP, Vancouver
Lindsay Waddell (she/her) — Moore Edgar Lyster LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chairs
Sandra Guarascio (she/her) is a partner with Roper Greyell LLP, Vancouver who has been recognized by Lexpert, Best Lawyers Canada, and Who's Who Legal for her work in workplace human rights. She assists public and private sector employers by providing balanced, strategic and proactive representation and advice for unionized and non–unionized environments. Sandra practices in all areas of employment and labour law, with a particular interest in human rights and respectful workplace issues. She is an experienced investigator, advocate, facilitator and speaker, and has conducted numerous workshops dealing with management issues, discrimination, accommodation, and workplace harassment and bullying.

Sandra clerked with the BC Supreme Court and was called in 2002. She has been the co-chair of CLEBC's award winning annual two–day Human Rights Conference since 2007.

Lindsay Waddell (she/her) is a partner at Moore Edgar Lyster LLP where she practices human rights, labour, administrative, and professional regulatory law. She acts for public and private sector unions, individuals, and professional regulators on a wide variety of matters.

Lindsay is an experienced litigator who has appeared as counsel at all levels of court and in front of all manner of administrative tribunals. She has extensive experience as counsel in judicial review and appeals involving complex human rights, administrative law, and freedom of expression issues. When not litigating, Lindsay also conducts independent investigations for institutional clients and acts as independent legal counsel to administrative tribunals and decision-makers.

Lindsay is a former co-chair of the Human Rights Subsection of the CBABC, a regular speaker for Lancaster House and Labour Law Online, an annual instructor at the Canadian Labour Congress Winter School, and a contributing author and editorial board member for the Administrative Law Practice Manual published by CLEBC.

Planning Committee
Tonie Beharrell — Southern Butler Price LLP, North Vancouver
Devyn Cousineau — BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver
Koml Kandola — Kandola Arbitration Services Ltd., North Vancouver
Allison Lachance — First Nations Health Authority, West Vancouver
Jitesh Mistry — Jitesh Mistry, Labour Arbitration and Mediation Services, Burnaby
Harmit Sarai — Forte Workplace Law, Surrey
Laura Track — Community Legal Assistance Society, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask — BC Teachers' Federation, Vancouver
Kristen Woo — Legal Counsel, BC Public School Employers Association, Vancouver

Faculty
Reut Amit (she/her) — Southern Butler Price LLP, North Vancouver
Tonie Beharrell (she/her) — Southern Butler Price LLP, North Vancouver
barbara findlay, KC (she/her) — Law Office of barbara findlay KC, Vancouver
Lisa C. Fong, KC (she/her) — Ng Ariss Fong, Lawyers, Vancouver
Gurleen Grewal (she/her) — Student Research Officer, BC's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Victoria
Afifa Hashimi (she/her) — Moore Edgar Lyster LLP, Vancouver
Carly Hyman (she/her) — Acting General Counsel, BC's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Victoria
Guuduniia La Boucan (she/her) — Staff Lawyer, BC's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Victoria
Shawnee Monchalin (she/her) — BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver
Sonya Sabet-Rasekh (she/her) — BC General Employees' Union, Burnaby
Maria Sokolova (she/her) — Staff Lawyer - Inquiries and Investigations, BC's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, Vancouver
Ruben Tillman (he/him) — Ng Ariss Fong, Lawyers, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask (she/her) — BC Teachers' Federation, Vancouver
David G. Wong (he/him) — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Jim Wu (he/him) — Forte Workplace Law, Surrey

Course Materials Contributors
Matthew Allard — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Fabian Jankovic (he/him) — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Joana Thackeray (she/her) — BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

• review and update of significant BC Supreme Court, BC Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court of Canada cases

• different approaches to mediation
• how mediation is currently used and what parts of that are ineffective
• what kind of cultural/beliefs shifts for counsel or clients, or process/procedural shifts, are necessary to achieve that change
• what strategies (such as education) could be used to effect that change

• anti-trans initiatives relating to trans youth in schools
• human rights and Charter law regarding schools, in particular in Hansman v. Neufeld, 2023 SCC 14

• update on the Commissioner's inquiry into hate in the COVID-19 pandemic, including update on the From Hate to Hope Inquiry report, the Commissioner's findings and recommendations, and next steps
• interventions update
  
  • BC Teachers Federation obo Chilliwack Teachers' Association v. Barry Neufeld
  • Gitxaala and Ehattesaht v. HM the King in the Right of BC, 2023 BCSC 1680
  • the Commissioner's next inquiry, including update on the inquiry selection criteria, topic/terms of reference, process and timelines