Testimonials
I can only speak of Charles C. Smith in superlatives. As an equity consultant at the University of Windsor, Charles has been a tremendous mentor to faculty, staff and students over six months of hands-on training, activism and coalition-building. Through his acute analysis and foresight, his mindfulness, skill, diplomacy and tenacity, he has not only helped make this university a better place to be, but has given those of us who care deeply about equity the skills and tools to empower ourselves as we continue to move forward in this important work.
Dr. Richard Douglass-Chin
Chair
Senate Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
University of Windsor
Dedicated, hard-working, visionary. A man for our seasons.
Warren Garrett
Executive Director
Community Cultural Impresarios
Charles is an individual whom I have known professionally for years as a result of his former positions as the Equity Advisor for both the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Canadian Bar Association and through his consulting work. His expertise in the areas of racism; cultural and linguistic diversity; discrimination; multiculturalism and equality rights is extremely impressive. Charles is adept at identifying and analyzing issues and devising mechanisms for change. His consensus building has proven to be very effective in anti-racism training and policy development. I have recommended Charles to clients who have praised his work and I continue to value his judgment and skill.
Arleen Huggins
Barrister and Solicitor, partner Koskie Minsky LLP; Chair, Ontario Bar Association Equal opportunity Committee; former Chair, Canadian Bar Association Standing Committee on Equity; Board of Director, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers
Charles is an analytical thinker with extremely refined facilitation skills in the areas of anti-racism, human rights and organizational change.
David Mitchell
Association of Black Law Enforcers
Charles has a justly deserved reputation for leading in-depth and lasting equity initiatives that have set the standard for systemic change efforts in large and small institutions. He understands how power works in institutions and the resistance that accompanies efforts to challenge discrimination. Charles has developed the skills and knowledge necessary to review complex systems and work with senior leaders to undertake a process of dismantling barriers. Most importantly, his passion for the issues and his eloquent portrayal of the impacts of racism often serve to persuade decision-makers of the necessity of anti-racism organizational change.
Tina Lopes
Anti-racism organizational consultant, co-author Dancing on Live Embers: Challenging Racism in Organizations, winner of the 2007 Gustavus Myers Human Rights Award
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has benefited enormously from Charles’ years of expertise, research, collegiality and dedication. His book, Conflict, Crisis and Accountability: Racial Profiling and Law Enforcement in Canada, is a compelling, information-packed read, and has made a significant and timely contribution to the current debates on justice, equality, law and order, Canadian sovereignty, and security in a post-9-11 world. It is our ongoing pleasure and privilege to have him as a Research Associate.
Erika Shaker
Director, Education
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
I have known Charles for many years since his days at Metro Toronto Council as the manager at the then equity department. It has always been a pleasure to work with Charles, not only because of his good nature and friendly disposition overall, but more importantly because of his commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression work. While Charles has spent much of his career working with “mainstream” organizations where doing equity work is not at all easy, he has somehow managed to find a way to inject his own principles and analysis into these institutions which – sometimes – do respond to his good counsel and make the necessary change.
Avvy Go
Executive Director
Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Over more than two decades, Charles Smith and I have travelled down common pathways, each of us searching for social justice and equity. When we first met in the earlier eighties we both worked in voluntary anti-racism community-based organizations. We came together many times when Charles was working with the City of Toronto and the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto as Equity Adviser and when he was an Equity Adviser to the Toronto Law Society and the Law Society of Upper Canada. In each of these organizations Charles was a passionate and very skilled change agent. As consultants and trainers we tried our best to assist organizations and institutions address systemic barriers their policies, programs and practices. We both had the opportunity to enter the academy late in our careers and found great satisfaction in teaching our respective students how to be change agents in an unjust world. Our paths crossed again when we both found ourselves researching and writing at the same time about racial profiling in Canada. Charles contributed a wonderful chapter in a book that Frances Henry and I wrote on the subject. While we have not reached our destination as yet, our relationship has been marked by many collegial and collaborative experiences.
Carol Tator
Professor, Department of Anthropology, York University
Charles C. Smith is fierce and inspiring. I was Charles’ student at the University of Toronto , Scarborough from 2005-2007. Having studied cultural pluralism and issues relating to equity in his classes has had a life-changing impact on me. His lectures have not only been inspirational and eye-opening, but have also helped me discover my path and inspired my life decisions. The assigned readings for his courses are mentally stimulating. The most powerful aspect of his classes has been his style of teaching – he motivates his students to challenge what they read and what they experience, and share those ideas by engaging in conversation with peers and the lecturer. Being in Charles’ classes has given a whole different meaning to my educational experience. Now working at Soulpepper Theatre Company, I find the much use for the discussions we have had about cultural pluralism in the arts, and in life.
Farwah Gheewala
Education Manager
Soulpepper Theatre Company
Charles and I worked together closely while at the Metro government from 1985 to 1998. He is one of a handful of access and equity experts in Canada and has successfully handled clients as diverse as Caribana and the Law Society. He's as good as it gets!
Kathleen Sharpe
Executive Director
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
Change is tough, especially when it involves hearing things about yourself that you might otherwise choose to overlook. Charles will not let you pass over the challenging issues. The wonderful thing is, that in my experience with Charles, you might be left with the feeling, “Now why didn’t I think of that” but you will never be left with the feeling that you and your organization have been failures. Besides being incredibly smart, Charles acts with integrity, tact and with a profound sense of the strategic. He will leave you ready and able to move on.
Patrick Case
LL.B, LL.M.
Assistant Deputy Minister. Ontario Ministry of Education
Former Director, Human Rights and Equity Office
University of Guelph