ALBERTA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, October 27, 2006 – The Honourable Vic Toews, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Mr. Justice Frans F. Slatter, Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta sitting in Edmonton, is appointed a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal, a Judge of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories and a Judge of the Nunavut Court of Appeal. He replaces Madam Justice A.H. Russell (Edmonton) who retired May 1, 2006.

Mr. Justice Slatter received a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford in 1980, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1977, and a Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction) in 1973. His academic awards include the medal for highest standing in class during final year at Dalhousie Law School, the Viscount Bennett Fellowship from the Canadian Bar Association and a SSHRC Fellowship for Graduate Studies in Law. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Queen's Bench in 2001, Mr. Justice Slatter was admitted to the Bars of Ontario, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He is the author of several academic and practice articles in tort law and civil litigation.

The Honourable Kirk L. Sisson, Q.C., counsel with the firm of Sisson Warren Sinclair of Red Deer, is appointed a Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. He replaces Mr. Justice J. L. Foster ( Red Deer) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Sisson received a Bachelor of Laws in 1979 from the University of Alberta and was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1980. His practice expertise developed from a general rural practice to the specific areas of municipal, administrative and corporate/commercial law. Mr. Sisson has also acted as a member of Conduct Committee of the Law Society of Alberta and of Red Deer County's Subdivision & Development Appeal Board. He is also very involved in the Red Deer community and is currently a Director of the Red Deer Hospice Society.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

Mike Storeshaw
Director of Communications
Minister's Office
613-992-4621