APPOINTMENTS TO THE CANADIAN JUDICIAL COUNCIL'S INQUIRY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED

, January 24, 1996 -- The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Allan Rock, today announced the appointment of two lawyers to the Canadian Judicial Council's Inquiry Committee, which is to investigate the conduct and comments of Mr. Justice Bienvenue of the Superior Court of Quebec during the trial in The Queen v. Tracy Théberge. The Minister has appointed these members in accordance with the powers conferred on him under subsection 63(3) of the Judges Act.

Paule Gauthier of Quebec. Ms. Gauthier received an LL.B. from Laval University in 1966 and an LL.M. in 1969. She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1967.

Ms. Gauthier has practised corporate and commercial law with the firm of Desjardins, Ducharme, Stein, Monast since 1984. From 1967 to 1984, she practised law with the firm of Gagné, Letarte, Royer, Gauthier, Lacasse & Boily. Ms. Gauthier also has experience in arbitration and mediation. She is chairperson of the disciplinary committee of the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec, and was President of the Canadian Bar Association in 1992-93.

Nathalie DesRosiers of London, Ontario. Ms. DesRosiers received an LL.B. from the University of Montreal in 1981 and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 1984. She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1982 and to the Ontario Bar in 1987.

Ms. DesRosiers has taught in the Faculty of Law of the University of Western Ontario since 1987, and has been an associate professor there since 1993. From 1985 to 1987, she practised civil litigation with the firm of Lerner & Associates in London. In 1982-83, she worked as law clerk to the late Mr. Justice Julien Chouinard, who was then on the Supreme Court of Canada. Ms. DesRosiers is a member of the Ontario Law Reform Commission. She has been a member of the Ontario Environmental Appeal Board since 1988 and a Small Claims Court judge since 1992. She is also an ad hoc member of the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal.

The Minister of Justice of Quebec, the Honourable Paul Bégin, requested the Canadian Judicial Council under subsection 63(1) of the Judges Act to make an inquiry to determine whether Mr. Justice Bienvenue has become incapacitated or disabled from the due execution of the office of the judge for the reasons set out in paragraphs 65(2)(b) and (c) of the Judges Act.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada requested that the Inquiry Committee also consider whether the judge in question has become incapacitated or disabled from the due execution of the office of judge for the reason set out in paragraph 65(2)(d) of that Act. He further required that the Canadian Judicial Council hold the inquiry in public.-

Ref.:    Johanne Senécal
         Minister's Office
         (613) 992-4621