Backgrounder

March 13, 2008

BIOGRAPHY

Raj Anand is a partner with Toronto law firm WeirFoulds LLP, where his practice includes human rights and employment law. He is a former Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and has adjudicated complaints under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Anand acts for a variety of non-governmental organizations in public interest litigation. For seven years he was the Advocates' Society representative on the Equity Advisory Group of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He also served on the Equality Rights Panel of Federal Court Challenges Program, the boards of directors of two community legal clinics, the Advocates' Society and Pro Bono Law Ontario (where he served as President from 2003 to 2005). He is currently a member of the board of directors of Legal Aid Ontario and President of the University of Toronto Law Alumni Council.

Anand graduated with the Dean's Key in 1978 from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. In 1997, he was the first recipient of the Advocates' Society Award of Justice. His experience as an adjunct professor includes "The New Administrative Law" (2000 and 2006) in the LLM program at Osgoode Hall Law School and "Diversity and the Legal Profession" at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. Anand has spoken and written on diverse subjects including trial, appellate and administrative advocacy and human rights.

In 2003, he received the Law Society Medal, the highest honour awarded by the governing body of the legal profession in Ontario. In 2007, he was elected to a four-year term as a bencher of the Law Society. In June 2007, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce named him Professional Man of the Year.

ONTARIO'S HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM

The government is moving forward to implement a new and strengthened human rights system consisting of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the new Human Rights Legal Support Centre. The new system is set to launch on June 30, 2008.

A new Human Rights Legal Support Centre will offer independent human rights information and support services to individuals throughout Ontario.

Anand's appointment as Chair of the centre is subject to review by the Standing Committee on Government Agencies.