News Release

Citizenship judge appointment

OTTAWA, November 4, 2005 — The Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced the appointment of a new citizenship judge for Edmonton.

Sonia Bitar, the executive director of Changing Together: a Centre for Immigrant Women, is a recipient of the 2003 Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case. She has a broad variety of community experience, including work as a board member for the Canadian Council for Refugees, a member with the Court Challenge Program, Vice-Chair for the Greater Edmonton Foundation, and a member of the Advisory Committee of Tobacco Free Alberta. She is also an executive member with the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, and a member of the Planning Committee of Northern Alberta Alliance on Race Relations (NAARR).

Citizenship judges are appointed by order-in-council and are responsible for making decisions with regard to applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the oath of citizenship to new citizens.

For more information:

Stephen Heckbert
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(613) 954-1064