News Release

Appointment to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

OTTAWA, December 21, 2006 — The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced one full-time appointment to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Gilles L. Guénette was appointed to a three-year term in Ottawa. This appointment was made in accordance with the IRB merit-based appointment process.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Guénette practised law in the Ottawa-Carleton area for many years as a general practitioner, mainly as a civil litigator since 1979. He was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1964 and appointed to the Queen’s Counsel in 1984. Mr. Guénette received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social, Economic and Political Sciences and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa.

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 inquiries), please contact:

Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064