The new members will carry out the commission’s mandate of fostering equality and reducing discrimination. It does this through public education and community initiatives, by resolving and settling discrimination complaints and through the human rights tribunal.
“Congratulations to the five new tribunal members who were appointed to the Alberta Human Rights Commission. I am confident their diverse backgrounds and knowledge will help the commission protect the most important and sacred rights of Albertans as equal persons.”
All appointments are for three-year terms.
Member biographies
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Faraz Bawa
Called to the bar in 2014, Faraz Bawa is now the senior associate at Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Law Firm primarily practicing immigration and family law. He provides regular counsel to all four divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Federal Court of Canada, the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of Queen’s Bench in Alberta.
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Samuel Crowfoot
Samuel Crowfoot is a councillor and the chairperson for the Siksika Nation, where he is a member of the lead negotiating team concerning the 1910 Land Claim Surrender. He has served as the chief judge and program director for the Pueblo of Zuni Tribal Court in Zuni, New Mexico, and as an associate attorney for Rosette LLP in Chandler, Arizona.
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Jessica Gill
Jessica Gill is a legal counsel with the Canada Energy Regulator in Calgary. She has provided legal advice on labour and employment, human rights, privacy and administrative law matters to provincial and federally regulated employers for more than six years. Prior to her current role, Gill was an associate lawyer with Dentons Canada LLP.
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Ali Memon
Mohammed (Ali) Memon is a partner in the financial services team at Miller Thomson LLP.
Prior to his current position, Memon was a senior associate with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP and an associate with Dentons Canada LLP. He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association and the Calgary Bar Association.
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Salimah Walji-Shivji
Salimah Walji-Shivji is the senior vice president and chief operating officer and general counsel for AgeCare – Communities of Care & Wellness, where she acts as legal counsel and strategic advisor to the AgeCare board and executive leadership team. Prior to this role, she worked at Alberta Health Services for 11 years as general counsel. Walji-Shivji also serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Law Society of Alberta.