JUDICIAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS

OTTAWA, October 2, 2003 - The Honourable Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the appointments of Roderick A. McLennan, Q.C., Earl A. Cherniak, Q.C., and Gretta Chambers to the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission. All appointments are effective until August 31, 2007.

Roderick A. McLennan, Q.C., of Edmonton is appointed Chairperson.

Mr. McLennan graduated in law from the University of Alberta and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1959, and the Northwest Territories Bar in 1961. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1974.

Mr. McLennan is currently a senior partner at the law firm of McLennan Ross. He has participated in several federal and provincial commissions of inquiry and has advised governments on constitutional and litigious matters. Mr. McLennan has also lectured for a number of years at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law in advocacy.

Earl A. Cherniak, Q.C., of Toronto is reappointed a member as recommended by the judiciary.

Mr. Cherniak graduated in law from Osgoode Hall Law School and was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1960, and the Bar of Alberta in 1972. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1974.

Mr. Cherniak is a senior partner at the law firm of Lerners in Toronto. He has served as a commissioner of the Ontario Law Reform Commission, and is currently an elected bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada and Chair of the Proceedings Authorization Committee.

Gretta Chambers of Montreal is appointed a member as recommended by the Minister of Justice of Canada.

Ms. Chambers obtained her B.A. in Political Science from McGill University.

Ms. Chambers is a columnist for The London Free Press and a regular contributor to Language and Society, as well as CBC Newsworld and CBC radio as a political commentator. She has over 30 years experience in media.

Ms. Chambers has served in numerous public-interest capacities, including Chancellor of McGill University from 1991 to 1999 and Governor of McGill University since 1978 (emeritus since 1988). As well, she has been Chair of the Board of Governors of the McGill University - Montreal Children's Hospital Research Institute since 1985, and also Public Governor of the Montreal Exchange since 1996. Ms. Chambers was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994.

The Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission is established under the Judges Act to inquire at least every four years into the adequacy of the salaries and benefits of the federally appointed judiciary. The Commission consists of three members: one is nominated by the judiciary and another by the federal Minister of Justice, and these two then nominate a Chairperson. The Commission will have nine months in which to conduct its inquiry and provide its recommendations to the Minister of Justice for consideration by the government.

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Ref.:

Catherine Gagnaire
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
(613) 992-4621