Biography
Celia is a partner and practises labour and employment law and insurance litigation.
Her work focuses on employer clients in respect to employment contracts, policy and manual drafting, employee discipline and termination, wrongful and constructive dismissals, employment standards and human rights issues including discrimination, accommodation and harassment. She also acts for employers in respect to labour relations, including collective bargaining, grievances and arbitration, and the interpretation and application of collective agreements. She frequently acts as an independent workplace investigator.
Celia has appeared before the Manitoba Labour Board, various arbitration panels, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and every level of court in Manitoba.
Select Experience
- Howardson v. 7273887 Manitoba Inc. et al., 2021 MBQB 148 (CanLII): Represented Western Interlake Planning District (WIPD) in recent litigation involving the construction of a residence in the Rural Municipality of Coldwell, Manitoba. The Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench dismissed the claim against the WIPD pursuant to The Public Officer’s Act since the action against the WIPD was started outside the applicable two-year limitation period.
- The Portage la Prairie Teachers’ Association v The Portage la Prairie School Division, 2021 MBCA 50 (CanLII): Represented the Portage la Prairie School Division in a labour arbitration hearing, appealed to the Court of Queen’s Bench and to the Manitoba Court of Appeal. In a unanimous ruling and one of the first decisions in Manitoba to apply the Vavilov standard of review framework in arbitral jurisprudence, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the management rights of the Portage la Prairie School Division.
- Qumsieh v Brandon School Division, 2019 MBHR 3 (CanLII)
- The River East Transcona Teachers’ Association v., 2019 MBQB 3 (CanLII)
- Matic et al v Waldner et al, 2016 MBCA 60 (CanLII)
Presentations
- Presenter, "Recent Amendments to the Insurance Act of Manitoba" (Manitoba Bar Association Litigation Sub-Section, October 2013)
Education
- University of Manitoba, JD, 2011
- University of Manitoba, BComm (Honours), 2008
Bar Admissions
- Manitoba, 2012
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, Manitoba Branch