Backgrounder - Biographies of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada members

Lyne Gauthier

Lyne Gauthier (Montréal) was originally appointed to the IRB on April 30, 2007. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Gauthier was a refugee protection officer with the IRB. She has also worked as an immigration lawyer and criminal lawyer in private practice. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law from the Université de Sherbrooke. Ms. Gauthier is a member of the Québec Bar.

Kenneth D. Atkinson

Kenneth D. Atkinson (Toronto) was originally appointed to the IRB on June 4, 2007. 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 Laws from the University of Western Ontario and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1975.

Joanne Sajtos

Joanne Sajtos (Toronto) was originally appointed to the IRB on May 31, 2004 and was reappointed on May 31, 2007. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Sajtos held the positions of Vice-Chair with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (Ontario Ministry of Labour) and Adjudicator for the Indian Residential Schools Alternative Dispute Resolution process. On a part-time basis, she instructed several courses at Seneca and George Brown College in Toronto. She also worked as an Appeals Commissioner/ Consultant with the British Columbia Worker’s Compensation Board in 2002 and 2003. Ms. Sajtos is the co-author of The Practical Guide to Worker’s Compensation Hearings in Ontario and has been a guest speaker and trainer at various seminars. She received her Bachelor of Arts from York University and her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990.

Philip J. MacAulay

Philip J. MacAulay (Vancouver) was appointed to the IRB on June 25, 2007. Prior to his appointment, Mr. MacAulay was a managing partner with Smiley & MacAulay. Mr. MacAulay is a senior litigator specializing in administrative law. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and his Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1977.

Lois D. Figg

Lois D. Figg (Toronto) was originally appointed to the IRB on June 26, 2000. She was reappointed on June 26, 2002 and was designated Assistant Deputy Chairperson (ADC) with the Immigration Appeal Division on May 5, 2005. She served in that position until November 2006, when the Chairperson assigned her to act as ADC with the Refugee Protection Division (RPD). On June 26, 2007, she was reappointed and designated ADC RPD. Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Figg worked as an appeals counsellor at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Western Ontario, her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor and her Master of Laws from the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Ms. Figg was called to the Ontario Bar in 1988.