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About Us
The NWT Human Rights Commission is made up of four part-time Commission Members, two full-time Directors, three full-time staff, and four part-time Adjudicators.
Commission Members
Commission Members are responsible for human rights education and promotion. They are appointed by the Legislative Assembly. Commission Members work part-time.
Mary Pat Short, Chair
Mary Pat Short has made her home in the Northwest Territories since 1980, residing in small communities and in the regional centre of Fort Smith where she lives currently. She is proud to have been an educator for 34 years and has taught students from the primary level to adults. Mary Pat held elected and appointed positions with the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association both regionally and territorially. For seven years, as Chairperson of the Status of Women Committee, she represented NWT teachers at the national level. Mary Pat Short has been the Chairperson of the NWT Human Rights Commission since the Commission was founded in 2004.
Yacub Adam, Commission Member
Yacub Adam, originally from Malawi, currently lives and works in Yellowknife as a political consultant. He has provided consulting services to private companies, government corporations, government departments, and Ministers in the Northwest Territories. He has served as Chair of the Aurora College Board and Chair of the Aurora Research Council. Yacub hold degrees in Politics from various Universities in Britain. In his academic career, he has lectured in various fields of politics at universities in West Africa and the UK. Yacub brings to the Commission a very personal interest in human rights, his academic background, as well as his varied life experiences of having lived and worked in three continents.
Rita Mueller, Commission Member
Rita Mueller has recently taken on the position of Director of Early Childhood and School Services for the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Education, Culture and Employment. She moved to the Department of Education from Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School in Behchoko. Rita began her teaching career at CJBS in 1994 where she worked as a teacher until becoming the principal of the school in 1998 until Sept 30, 2007. Since 2006 she has also contributed to the educational mandate of the NWT Human Rights Commission as a Commission Member.
Tammy Rogers, Commission Member
Tammy, born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, is of Métis of Gwich’in descent. A recent graduate of Aurora College, she holds a Diploma in Management Studies, a Diploma in Accounting and a Diploma in Theology. During her career she has worked in the areas of Finance, Administration and Human Resources in both the GNWT and for Aboriginal Governments – (Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Gwich’in Tribal Council (GTC)). She has been involved with several volunteer organizations in the past including Western Arctic Business Development Services, Aboriginal Finance Officers Association, and Social Assistance Appeal Committee Member. Her current activities include being a Board Member for her Church, a Landlord, a Figure Skating Coach, and a mother of an active three year old. Tammy became a Commission Member in 2006.
The Office of the Director of Human Rights
The Director and the Deputy Director are appointed by the Legislative Assembly.
Thérèse Boullard, Director
Thérèse Boullard worked for the BC Human Rights Commission and its predecessor, the BC Council of Human Rights, for 10 years. She has acted in a variety of positions, including Human Rights Officer, Policy Analyst, and Manager of Education and Communication. She has also conducted investigations for the Canadian Human Rights Commission. In addition to her domestic human rights work, Thérèse has worked in Latin America as an international electoral observer. She has observed and written reports on the electoral processes for national elections in Guatemala (1999), Mexico (2000), and El Salvador (2003 & 2004).
Deborah McLeod, Deputy Director
Deborah McLeod received her PhD from the University of Alberta in 1996 and was a Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of Victoria when she and her husband decided to move to Inuvik in 1998. Deborah spent five years as a senior manager with health and social services in Inuvik, first as Director of Communication and Planning and later as Director of Population Health/Strategic Initiatives. Deborah has had a lifetime interest in human rights and equality issues and is excited to be part of the first Human Rights Commission in the Northwest Territories.
Commission Staff
Commission staff are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Commission office. The staff provide information about the Human Rights Act to individuals and organizations and answer inquiries.
Isabel Gauthier, Human Rights Officer
Isabel Gauthier worked as a community organizer in various grass root organizations for eight years. Her interest in this field stems from her studies in Leadership and Cultural Research. Through her experience with women, youth and cultural organizations, Isabel has worked towards social change by creating awareness around such issues as poverty, marginalization and community development. Isabel assists the Commission with the complaint process and with its education mandate.
Carolyn MacKay, Human Rights Officer
Carolyn has lived in Yellowknife for nine years. Before coming to the Commission, she worked as a teacher, adult literacy instructor and most recently as an information and support coordinator at a disability organization. Through her work, she has had the pleasure of traveling to communities across the Northwest Territories and meeting people from diverse cultures. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking and taking her husky-cross dog on long walks. She is very excited to be at the Commission and looks forward to working with people in her role as Human Rights Officer.
Linda Noseworthy, Administrative Officer
Linda arrived in the Northwest Territories from Newfoundland in 1996. For the past 13 years, her career included working in municipal, private and non-government sectors. Her formal education includes bookkeeping and administrative training. Linda not only brings a wide variety of experiences and skills but also a mature outlook to her role in this office as Administrative Officer. She finds joy in spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren. Human rights, equality and respect are life skills she wishes to pass on to her two grandsons who are of Aboriginal and Caucasian descent. She is very honoured to be working for the NWT Human Rights Commission.
Adjudication Panel
The Adjudication Panel hears human rights complaints, makes decisions on complaints, and orders remedies. The members of the Adjudication Panel are appointed by the Legislative Assembly.
Adrian Wright, Chairperson
Mr.Wright's biography will be posted soon.
Joan Mercredi, Adjudicator
Joan Mercredi was born and raised in Fort Smith where she now has a small law practice. Her legal career has taken her to various places including Nunavut where, among other things, she worked on the new Nunavut Human Rights Act. This work included everything from initial community consultations to implementation issues. Joan’s past law practice has also included human rights litigation and work in the Northwest Territories as a Deputy Fair Practices Officer.
Jim Posynick, Adjudicator
Jim was a resident of the Northwest Territories from 1982 until 2008. He has recently moved to Creston, BC. Jim has been involved in justice programs and services in the North and elsewhere in Western Canada since 1969. He was admitted to the Northwest Territories Bar in 1992 and between 1995 and 2004 held an appointment as a Fair Practices Officer under the former Fair Practices Act. Jim is presently studying both the theoretical and practical implications of group conflict leading to an MA in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University, Victoria, B.C.
Karen Snowshoe, Adjudicator
Ms. Snowshoe's biography will be posted soon.