About our people | Canadian Human Rights Commission

Browse this page to learn about our senior officials and what they do:

Charlotte-Anne Malischewski was appointed Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission in October 2022 and has been serving as Interim Chief Commissioner since December 2022. She brings to the role extensive experience in human rights and administrative law and a deep commitment to building a more just and equitable society.

Since joining the Commission, Ms. Malischewski has had the privilege of working with the diverse and dedicated people of the Commission to advance human rights through anti-racism, reconciliation, accessibility, and the recognition of socio-economic rights, and to modernize the Commission's operations to support its many roles as a human rights advocate, a complaints screening body, an auditor, and, more recently, home to regulatory and advocacy functions in accessibility, pay equity, and housing.

Prior to joining the Commission, Ms. Malischewski worked as civil litigation lawyer in Toronto where her practice included administrative law, civil and professional liability, commercial matters, and constitutional cases. Throughout her time in private practice, she maintained an active pro bono practice that included representing refugees, privacy rights litigation, and a landmark constitutional challenge to the practice of solitary confinement in federal prisons. Ms. Malischewski also has experience working in the non-profit sector and conducting human rights research in Canada and abroad.

Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland, Ms. Malischewski holds a BA Honours in International Studies and Music from Earlham College, a Masters with Distinction in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford, as well as a Bachelor of Civil Law and Bachelor of Laws (B.C.L. and LL.B.) from McGill University's Faculty of Law. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Sasha Kiran Cragg-Gore was appointed as full-time Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in October 2022. He brings to the position extensive experience in adjudication and administrative law, as well as other areas of the law that intersect with the lives of low-income people including criminal law, family law and refugee law.

Since joining the Commission, Mr. Cragg-Gore has focused much of his energy on rendering decisions on human rights complaints and more recently, conducting mediations. He has also assisted the Commission in implementing more efficient procedures and prioritizing plain language initiatives. He is currently pursuing a part-time LLM in Administrative Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Cragg-Gore worked as a Coordinating Board Member at the Refugee Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada where he adjudicated refugee appeals, managed a team of fellow decision-makers and was the national lead on professional development, adjudicative strategy and new member training. Before that, Mr. Cragg-Gore worked as a staff lawyer at the legal services division of the Centre francophone du Grand Toronto, a francophone legal clinic that provides services in refugee, immigration and family law to low-income populations. Mr. Cragg-Gore has volunteered extensively, including resettling Syrian refugees, providing pro bono legal services to the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community through the 519 legal clinic and sitting on the board of the Scarborough Community Legal Services Clinic.

Mr. Cragg-Gore was born and raised in downtown Toronto by an East Indian mother and a Caucasian father. He holds a Bachelor degree in Political Science and Psychology as well as a combined Civil and Common Law degree (BCL/JD) from McGill University, with an interest in aboriginal law and aboriginal legal perspectives. Mr. Cragg-Gore is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and also has proficiency in Portuguese and Hindi.

Jose Ordonez was appointed full-time Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in January 2023. He brings to the position extensive experience in human rights and access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized individuals.

Since his appointment, Mr. Ordonez has become an integral decision-maker within the Commission, lending his years of experience on a variety of discrimination cases. These include cases about sex-based discrimination and sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces that individuals may bring directly to the Commission following recommendations by the Honourable Louise Arbour. Mr. Ordonez also conducts mediations and conciliations of cases involving systemic and public interest issues.

Throughout his career, Mr. Ordonez has dedicated himself to issues related to gender-based violence, including trauma, intersectionality and sensitive approaches to questioning survivors. During his time with the Immigration and Refugee Board, he decided over refugee claims and specialized in gender-based cases. Mr. Ordonez also worked domestically and internationally with gender-based violence survivors and people from various backgrounds affected by discrimination, poverty and mental health issues. He has represented domestic violence survivors and individuals from marginalized communities in their family law and child protection proceedings.

Mr. Ordonez holds a Master of Laws in Public International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands, a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor of Science from Western University. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Dianna Scarth has spent the greater part of her career promoting human rights and addressing issues of discrimination and harassment. She resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts, her Master of Social Work, and her Bachelor of Laws degrees.

Ms. Scarth spent the early part of her career working as a probation officer, as a social worker in an adolescent treatment centre, and as a field instructor for social work students. Those experiences deepened her understanding and personal commitment to issues of human rights and social justice issues.

Ms. Scarth served as Executive Director of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission from 1996 to 2012. It was a period of growth and change for the Commission, during which mediation options were expanded, a systemic approach to complaint resolutions was adopted and a number of new education programs for employers and youth were created under her direction. It was in this role as Executive Director for the Commission that Ms. Scarth received the Government of Manitoba Service Excellence Award for Leadership in 2008.

After leaving the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, Ms. Scarth took on various other roles including Visiting Professor in the Global College and Human Rights and Diversity Officer at her alma mater, the University of Winnipeg.

In 2017, she was appointed a member of the Manitoba Accessibility Advisory Council which has the responsibility to make recommendations to the minister regarding the development of standards under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act.

Ms. Scarth has always remained involved in community roles, including most recently as board advisor for the Legal Help Centre from 2012-2017.

Ms. Scarth was appointed part-time Commissioner to the Canadian Human Rights Commission in July 2018.

Julie Lassonde (she/they) was first appointed as a part time Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in June 2022. They were re-appointed to this mandate for another three-year term in June 2025. Mx. Lassonde brings to the Commission their experience and expertise in human rights, social justice, and access to justice.

Over the past few years, Mx. Lassonde has developed a consultancy business focused in the areas of harassment, discrimination and violence, including domestic violence. Her work offers training, mediation in workplaces, universities, and communities, as well as legal work in family law, mainly in the public and non-profit sectors.

From 2018 to 2020, Mx. Lassonde worked part time as a law researcher at the Ontario Law Commission, where they led a family law project. From 2010 to 2012, one of their main projects included managing the construction of the first Francophone women's shelter in Toronto. From 2018 to 2020, they were a part-time member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board of Ontario. They enjoy being involved in volunteer work and have volunteered on several committees and boards of directors, including the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO).

Mx. Lassonde is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and the Barreau du Québec, and an accredited mediator. They hold a joint Bachelor of Civil Law and Bachelor of Laws from McGill University, and a Master of Laws with interdisciplinary studies in visual arts from the University of Victoria. In 2024, Mx. Lassonde received the Laura Legge Award from the Law Society of Ontario for their leadership in the profession. In 2007, they won the Innovative Electronic Theses & Dissertations Award for their master's thesis at the University of Victoria titled « Performant le droit », which combined the domains of law and performance art. They also maintain a professional practice in performance art.

Brian Eyolfson was appointed as a part-time Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in February 2025. Mr. Eyolfson is a lawyer who practices alternative dispute resolution, providing independent investigation, mediation and adjudication services, primarily in the area of human rights.

Mr. Eyolfson also currently serves as a part-time Commissioner at the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

His recent experience includes serving as Commissioner with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Before that, Mr. Eyolfson served as Acting Deputy Director in the Legal Services Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. From 2007 to 2016, he was a full-time Vice-Chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, where he adjudicated and mediated many human rights applications. Mr. Eyolfson was also a Senior Staff Lawyer with Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto (ALS) where he practiced human rights, Aboriginal and administrative law before a variety of tribunals and the courts. He represented ALS at the Ipperwash Inquiry. Mr. Eyolfson also previously served as Counsel to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, was an Editor of the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and taught human rights law and practice to community legal clinics in Ontario.

Mr. Eyolfson has a B.Sc. in psychology, an LL.B. from Queen's University, and an LL.M., specializing in administrative law, from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was admitted to the Ontario bar in 1994.

Born and raised in Fort Frances, Ontario, Mr. Eyolfson is a member of Couchiching First Nation in Treaty #3 territory.

Lori Straznicky was appointed as the Pay Equity Commissioner in November 2022. She brings to the position extensive public and private sector expertise in proactive pay equity, workplace and industrial relations, and human rights.

Since her appointment, Ms. Straznicky has had the privilege to connect with stakeholder groups and the global pay equity community to raise awareness about pay equity as a tool to help close the gender wage gap and to keep pushing for progress. Over the years, she has promoted compliance with Canada's Pay Equity Act for thousands of federally regulated workplace parties by providing guidance and tools, rendering decisions in disputes, and setting the foundation for enforcement activities.

Ms. Straznicky has dedicated her career to advancing workplace equity and fairness in a variety of contexts. Prior to joining the Commission, she was a Senior Executive in the federal public service, where she provided strategic policy advice and recommendations to the Minister of Labour. She played a key role in the creation of Canada's Pay Equity Act and has extensive experience working with stakeholders in the federal jurisdiction. She has spoken on the importance of pay equity as a tool to close the gender wage gap at national and international events.

Ms. Straznicky values the role that administrative bodies play in providing access to justice and believes in the power of alternate dispute resolution, particularly mediation, to resolve differences and bring about lasting change between workplace parties. It was through this lens that she provided practical advice as legal counsel to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board. As a lawyer in private practice, she advocated for clients before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and was active in negotiating and signing what was then known as the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in 2005 to ensure Nunavut Inuit were included in the agreement.

She is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from McGill University and a LL.B from the University of Ottawa. She lives with her family in the Ottawa Valley.

Christopher T. Sutton was appointed Accessibility Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in May 2025. Mr. Sutton's work is influenced by both his professional expertise and lived experiences of advocating for accessibility as a fundamental human right in Canada.

Before his appointment to the Commission, Mr. Sutton served as the Chief Executive Officer of Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility, where he spearheaded initiatives focused on hearing healthcare, accessible communication, and inclusive technology solutions. Under his leadership, Wavefront Centre significantly expanded its programs and services, strengthened strategic relationships, and emerged as a national leader in communications accessibility. A recognized thought leader in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, he has also held leadership roles across the not-for-profit, public, and start-up sectors in both Canada and the United States.

Throughout his career, Mr. Sutton has worked closely with disability communities to ensure that accessibility policies are intersectional and inclusive. He has played a significant role in shaping Canada's accessibility policies and legislation at both the federal and provincial levels, including the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessible British Columbia Act.

Originally from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Sutton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gallaudet University and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.

Marie-Josée Houle was appointed as Canada's first Federal Housing Advocate in February 2022, marking a new chapter in a career defined by her work in the affordable housing and homelessness sector.

Ms. Houle is an experienced leader who is recognized for her community activism, expertise in human rights, and extensive knowledge of the housing and homelessness system.

Prior to her appointment as Canada's first Federal Housing Advocate, Ms. Houle has held a number of roles that inform her broad experience, including frontline work in housing co-ops, consulting and project management for affordable housing development, by-law review, housing-related research projects, developing educational programs for housing co-ops and non-profits, and senior leadership roles.

Most recently, she was the Executive Director for Action-Logement, an Ottawa housing loss prevention organization, where she did extensive work in research, education, community partnerships, and on developing tools to support successful tenancies in spite of intensified inequity, growing failures and human rights violations in the housing system. Ms. Houle was also formerly the Executive Director of OCISO Non-Profit Housing Corporation (now called Unity Housing Ottawa). She has also worked as a development consultant and project manager on seven new and existing housing co-operatives and non-profit housing corporations.

Ms. Houle has been actively involved in advocacy work at a national, provincial and community level. She has advocated for tenant rights and the non-profit housing sector at all three levels of government. She has worked with diverse partners in the sector to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, improve efficiencies, influence key opinion leaders, leverage strategic partnerships, and address gaps and human rights violations related to housing and access to housing. Building a sense of community among diverse partners is particularly important to her. Ms. Houle has been a member the National Right to Housing Network, the Ottawa Alliance to End Homelessness and the Canadian Housing Renewal Association. She sat on the Ottawa Homelessness Community Advisory Board, the Ottawa Social Housing Network Steering Committee, and co-chaired both the City of Ottawa's Housing Loss Prevention Committee, and the Refugee 613 Housing Task Force.

A supporter and amplifier of marginalized voices, Ms. Houle promotes respectful and inclusive dialogue, creating a space for disadvantaged people to be heard, and applies an intersectional and anti-racism lens to her advocacy work. She has liaised with Indigenous housing providers, developers and tenant support organizations to devise ways to be a better ally, support their work and amplify their voices.

Born in Val D'Or, Québec, and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, she holds a Master of Arts in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Dalhousie and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta. Ms. Houle is fluently bilingual in English and French.

From 2003 to 2010, Marie-Josee celebrated her dual cultural roots as a professional singer, songwriter, accordionist and bassist. She became the go-to accordion player for many Canadian acts, recorded two solo albums and toured relentlessly from one coast to the other, to Paris, Vienna, Oslo and beyond.