The Nova Scotia government appointed lawyer and social worker Shawna Paris as chair of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission on Oct. 10.
Paris is a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and a licensed, registered private practice social worker. She was named to the Order of Nova Scotia in 2020.
Attorney General and Justice Minister Becky Druhan announced the appointment. “Nova Scotians expect that their rights and freedoms will be protected, and Ms. Paris has the expertise and commitment to safeguard the human rights of everyone in our province,” she said.
Background and experience
Paris serves on the board of directors of the Africville Heritage Trust. She worked as legal counsel for the Be the Peace Institute at the Mass Casualty Commission public inquiry and was a member of the governing council for the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children restorative inquiry.
Druhan thanked outgoing commissioners Diana Brothers, Fola Adeleke, Julien Matte and Sharon Ross for their service.
New commissioners
The government appointed two new commissioners for two-year terms and reappointed one commissioner:
Dr. Muhammad Khan is a radiologist at IWK Health and a professor of radiology at Dalhousie University. He is a member of the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders.
Quy Linh is a lawyer with experience in criminal, civil and corporate litigation. She served on the boards of the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia and the Vietnamese Association of Nova Scotia.
Jenifer Tsang was first appointed as a commissioner in 2022. She has more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur.
About the commission
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission is an independent government agency that administers the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. The commission addresses issues of discrimination and protects human rights.
The commission maintains between three and 12 members and meets six times per year. The chair receives $6,000 per year plus $100 per half day and expenses. Commission members receive $100 per half day plus expenses.
