News Release

Appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board

Ottawa, April 30, 2007 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced four full-time appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Viviane Ducheine, Lyne Gauthier, and Georges Nahas were appointed to a three‑year term in Montreal. Kenneth D. Atkinson was appointed to a three‑year term in Toronto.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Ducheine was the coordinator of the Equal Access to Employment Program for the City of Montreal and the Superintendent of the Intercultural Bureau of Montreal. Ms. Ducheine received her Bachelor of Arts and her Master in Political Science from the University of Québec.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Gauthier was a Refugee Protection Officer with the Board. She was in private practice specializing in immigration law. She received her Bachelor of Arts and her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Nahas was a socio-economic research and planning officer with the Quebec department of public safety. He also has international experience as a consultant and representative for investor immigrants, visitors, refugees, and entrepreneurs in Canada. Mr. Nahas received his Bachelor’s degree in Lebanese Law from Université St-Joseph in Lebanon; his Bachelor and Master degrees in French Law from Université Jean Moulin in France and his Doctorate in Law from Université Laval in Quebec.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Atkinson was a private practice lawyer and a Consent and Capacity Board Member for the government of Ontario.  Mr. Atkinson received his Bachelor of Law from the University of Western Ontario, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1975.

Created in 1989, the IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The Board has three divisions — the Refugee Protection Division, the Immigration Appeal Division and the Immigration Division. The IRB determines refugee protection claims made in Canada, hears immigration appeals, and conducts admissibility hearings and detention reviews.

For more information (media enquiries only), please contact:

Philippe Mailhot
Press Secretary 
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064