Appointments Made to the Human Rights Commission and
Panel of Adjudicators

The Honourable Felix Collins, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, announced today appointments to the Human Rights Commission and the commission’s Panel of Adjudicators.

“The Human Rights Commission and its Panel of Adjudicators have an important role to play in our society to ensure that people are free from discrimination in its many forms,” said Minister Collins. “The commission is an invaluable organization which has done much to promote human rights in our province. The women and men appointed today have a strong commitment to protecting the rights of our residents and the contribution they will make to the commission’s mandate will benefit us all in the years to come.”

The new chairperson of the Human Rights Commission is Remzi Cej of St. John’s. New members announced today are Caroline Hackett Power of Corner Brook, John J. Walsh of Mount Pearl and Darlene Didham of Mount Pearl. Mary Rita Ennis of St. John’s and Jorge Villanueva of Pasadena have been re-appointed. They join current members Stephanie Newell Q.C. (Vice Chair), Ruth Noel, Fred Framp and Deborah Armstrong.

Two new members for the Panel of Adjudicators announced today are Rob Ash of Corner Brook and Gladys Dunne of Mount Pearl. They join four returning members James Merrigan of Corner Brook (Chief Adjudicator), Jennifer Newbury of St. John’s, Kerri-Lynn Power of Mount Pearl and Glenda Best, Q.C. of St. John’s. The Panel of Adjudicators hears specific complaints in a public hearing format and decides if there has been a violation of the Human Rights Act.

Established in 1971, the Human Rights Commission is responsible for investigating written complaints of alleged violations of the Human Rights Act, promoting the act, conducting education and research designed to eliminate discriminatory conduct, and advising and helping individuals, groups, organizations and governments on matters related to human rights.

For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please visit www.justice.gov.nl.ca/hrc. 

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Media contact:
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca 

BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of the Appointments
to the Human Rights Commission and Panel of Adjudicators

Remzi Cej (Chair of the Human Rights Commission) has extensive human rights research and advocacy experience. In 2002, he was among the youngest recipients of the YMCA Peace Medal for Human Rights Education. Mr. Cej is also a recipient of the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Cej has spoken extensively to a number of groups and conferences on such human rights topics as violence against women, human trafficking, refugees, international humanitarian law, and discrimination based on sexual orientation or religious and ethnic belonging. He has worked and volunteered extensively for organizations such as the Association for New Canadians, AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador, Amnesty International, Oxfam Canada, War Child Canada, International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations Association in Canada. In 2007, he advised the Department of Justice on amendments to the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Code. Mr. Cej is a Rhodes Scholar and holds a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from Oxford University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Memorial University in German and French Studies. He is an Action Canada public policy fellow for 2011-12 and works as a Program and Policy Development Specialist for the Department of Advanced Education and Skills, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition to English, Mr. Cej speaks Albanian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Turkish, French, and some German.

Caroline Hackett Power has a degree in social work and a certificate in criminology from Memorial University. She has worked as a parole officer with the Correctional Service of Canada. She was also previously employed as a Probation Officer with the Adult Corrections Division of the Department of Justice and as a Social Worker with the Department of Social Services. Ms. Hackett Power currently serves on the Provincial Council of Health Professions and the west coast branch of the federal retirees association, Federal Superannuates National Association.

John J. Walsh has Bachelor of Arts degrees in both English and Education from Memorial University and a Masters degree in Educational Administration from St. Michael’s College, Vermont. Mr. Walsh had a long teaching career that included nine years as principal of O’Donel High School in Mount Pearl. He is a municipal councillor with the City of Mount Pearl and President of JW Consulting Associates which focuses on the municipal consulting field.

Darlene Didham has a Bachelor and Masters of Social Work degrees from Memorial University and is currently employed by Eastern Health as a Provincial Youth Corrections Mental Health Coordinator working with complex needs youth and their families. Mrs. Didham has an extensive background in working with children, youth, families and groups. Her career spans 18 years and includes consulting, program development, training and managerial roles in youth corrections and youth services. Ms. Didham has been of Chair for the Mount Pearl Citizens Crime Prevention Committee for the past six years and has also volunteered in crisis counselling over the past five years and volunteers with school councils.

Mary Rita Ennis has a Bachelor of Social Work from Memorial University and in 1975 joined the Department of Justice as the first female Adult Probation Officer in the province. In 1981, she was appointed to administer the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Centre for Women and later served as a warden at Nova Institution for Women in Truro, Nova Scotia. Ms. Ennis has served on many boards including the MUN Board of Regents and the HUB. She also spent eight years in Peru as a missionary.

Jorge Villanueva was born in the Philippines and earned a Bachelor of Laws degree in the Philippines as well as a Bachelor of Education and Special Education degrees from Memorial University. Mr. Villanueva retired from the education field in 1997 and is actively involved in numerous community and charitable organizations in the Pasadena area.

Stephanie L. Newell, Q.C. (Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Commission) obtained a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Memorial University in 1984 and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1987. She was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 1988 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006. She was appointed Master and Taxing Officer of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2009. Ms. Newell is a Senior Partner of the law firm of O’Dea Earle and her practice is primarily in the areas of personal injury, family law and employment law. Her practice involves appearances before all levels of court in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as various boards, commissions and tribunals. Ms. Newell has served as president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and is currently Honourary Bencher. In addition, she served as council member for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. She was also formally the Law Society representative on the Provincial Judicial Council and has been involved in the Advisory and Regional Implementation Committee for the Family Justices Services Program of the Family Court. She is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Approval of new Canadian Law Degree Programs.

Frederick J. Framp was born in Harbour Breton, and received his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from Memorial University. Mr. Framp had a successful career as a high school educator. He is now self-employed and his business interests are associated with marine services, the offshore, and insurance. Mr. Framp has received the C.I.P. (Chartered Insurance Professional) designation from the Insurance Institute of Canada. Mr. Framp was the founding President of the Arnold’s Cove Area Chamber of Commerce. He has served on many economic development and community committees, including the North Atlantic Refinery Community Liaison Committee, and was the Chairperson of the Community Liaison Committee for the proposed Newfoundland Liquified Natural Gas project in Placentia Bay. Mr. Framp was also the project Leader for the Isthmus of Avalon Regional Broadband Project within Industry Canada’s broadband program for the deployment of infrastructure for high speed internet access. Mr. Framp was previously a Director of the Bull Arm Site Corporation and is currently a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association, the Insurance Institute of Canada, the Insurance Brokers Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and he is a Director of the Arnold’s Cove Area Chamber of Commerce.

Deborah Armstrong has spent her entire career in education in both classroom and administrative positions. Prior to her retirement, she was Director of Education with the Baie Verte Central Connaigre school board from 2000 to 2004. She currently teaches part time at the Faculty of Education of Memorial University. She has lived her adult life in Grand Falls-Windsor and has committed a lot of her time and energy to volunteer causes. She has volunteered with youth, adults and service organizations at the local, national and international levels. She currently chairs the Central West Rural Secretariat Council and sits on the board of the Exploits Valley YMCA. Ms. Armstrong enjoys travelling both at home and abroad and now in retirement can enjoy longer periods on the road.

Ruth Noel was born in Scotland of Lithuanian and Scottish parents and her family immigrated to Canada when she was an infant. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University in 1969 and her Bachelor of Education and Masters in Education from Dalhousie University. Mrs. Noel had a successful career working with the Federal Government in human resource training and coordination of national technical training programs. Mrs. Noel has volunteered throughout her life. She was a member of the Avalon Consolidated School Board and was the Newfoundland and Labrador representative on the Atlantic Jewish Council. She is the Past President of the Jewish Community Havura in St. John’s.

James Merrigan (Chief Adjudicator) has a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Victoria. He is a partner at the law firm of Poole Althouse in Corner Brook. He is Vice-Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Constitutional and Human Rights Section and has previously served as the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Newfoundland and Labrador Constitutional and Human Rights Section. He has also served as a review commissioner for the Canada Pension/Old Age Security Review Tribunal.

Jennifer Newbury has a Bachelor of Science from Memorial University and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the bar in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1994 and is now a partner at the law firm of Martin Whalen Hennebury Stamp in St. John’s in the areas of civil litigation, insurance, construction and administrative law. Ms. Newbury has previously served as President of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Bar Association and held positions in the Canadian Bar Association national organization. Ms. Newbury is a member of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.

Keri-Lynn Power was born and raised in Churchill Falls but now resides in Mount Pearl. Ms. Power has a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and a Masters of Law in International Commercial Law from the University of Kent in Canterbury. She also has obtained the National Accreditation Certificate from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management from the University of Windsor Law School and a Certificate in Mediation from the Harvard Mediation Institute at Harvard Law School. Ms. Power practices with Robert R. Regular Law Office in Conception Bay South and has clerked with the Department of Justice. Since entering private practice, Ms. Power has coached people on mediation courses, been appointed as an adjudicator with the Human Rights Commission and enjoyed a diverse practice in mediation, civil matters, personal injury litigation, estates, real estate, administrative law, labour law, property law, tax law, family law, aboriginal law and admiralty law. In her spare time, Ms. Power is a volunteer with Scouts Canada and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards along with other organizations.

Glenda Best, Q.C. has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Acadia University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor. Ms. Best was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 1986 and began her legal career with the law firm of Lewis, Day. In 1987, she joined Roebothan McKay Marshall and was admitted to partnership in 1992. Ms. Best has appeared before all levels of court in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as federal and provincial administrative tribunals. Ms. Best has an Executive Certificate in Advanced Mediation and Conflict Management from the University of Windsor. Ms. Best is active in the community with previous roles as a Director of the St. John’s Board of Trade, Chair of Mediation Newfoundland and Labrador and Chair of the School Council of Booth Memorial High School. Ms. Best is currently a volunteer with the Heart Truth Campaign of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, a Director of the Canadian Paraplegic Association (NL) Inc. and Honourary Counsel for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Rob Ash has a Bachelor of Arts and Education from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick Law School. Mr. Ash was the recipient of numerous law school academic awards. He is an associate with the law firm Poole Althouse in Corner Brook where he maintains a varied litigation practice. He is involved in the community as a member of the Criminal Law Reform Committee of the Canadian Bar Association.

Gladys Dunne has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University. She was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador bar in 1991 and has worked at a number of law firms before operating her own practice, Gladys Dunne Law. Her practice focuses on areas of family law and real estate. Ms. Dunne has provided legal counsel for Cabot Habitat for Humanity and the Canadian Red Cross Society, Newfoundland and Labrador branch. Ms. Dunne’s adjudicative experience includes her roles as a Commissioner of the Assessment Review Commission in both the City of Mount Pearl and the Town of Paradise. She is also a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Panel of Adjudicators and for six years she was Chairperson of the Canada Pension Plan Review Tribunal.

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