MINISTER OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF PART-TIME MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

 OTTAWA , April 18 2005 – The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today announced the appointment of Professor Maureen Maloney, Q.C., as a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Professor Maloney joined the Institute for Dispute Resolution at the University of Victoria in January 2000 and is currently the Director and the Lam Chair of Law and Public Policy. From 1993-2000, she served as Deputy Minister in the provincial government of British Columbia, including a term as Deputy Attorney General of the Province of British Columbia from 1997-2000.  Prior to her work with the provincial government, Professor Maloney served as Dean of Law at the University of Victoria .  She has published and lectured extensively in the areas of tax law, tax policy, women and the law, and aspects of the law on disadvantaged groups. Her current teaching and research interests are in the areas of dispute resolution, international human rights law, the administration of justice and restorative justice. She is a former board member of the Canadian Human Rights Foundation and the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and has been a governor of the Law Foundation of British Columbia, president of the Canadian Council of Law Deans and co-chair of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Deputies of Justice meetings.  She has also served as a board member of the Need Crisis Centre, and an executive committee member of Lawyers for Social Responsibility. In addition, she has been involved in justice, dispute resolution and human rights projects in Brazil , South Africa , China , Cambodia , Indonesia , Thailand and Guatemala .

“ I am delighted that Maureen Maloney has agreed to serve on the Tribunal. Her extensive knowledge and experience will be invaluable,” said Minister Cotler.

The CHRT inquires into complaints of discrimination to decide if what is alleged to have occurred is a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Its main goal is to ensure that the Act is interpreted and applied fairly and impartially at all its hearings.

For more information on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, visit www.chrt-tcdp.gc.ca.

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