MINISTER OF JUSTICE APPOINTS COMMISSIONER FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS

OTTAWA, August 7, 2008 – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C. Q. C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the appointment of Claude Provencher, as Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.   

Mr. Provencher received his law degree in 1988 from Université of Montréal, was called to the Bar of Québec in 1989, received his Post Graduate Degree in Management in 2001 and his Master in Business Administration (MBA) in 2002. He is fluently bilingual. 

The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs (FJA) was created in 1978 under an Act of the Parliament of Canada to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and put federally appointed judges at arm's length from the Department of Justice. Its mandate extends to promoting better administration of justice and providing support to the federal judiciary. In supporting federal judicial activities, FJA must strive to meet three priorities: protect the independence of the judiciary; achieve greater administrative efficiency in the judiciary using up-to-date technology; and support the judiciary and provide central administrative services to judges.
 
For further information on the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs visit: http://www.fja.gc.ca/.

This appointment is effective September 1, 2008.

-30-

Ref.:

The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs
613-995-5140