News Release – Minister Kenney announces reappointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Ottawa, February 12, 2010 — Five reappointments and one designation to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) were announced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

Lyne Gauthier was reappointed for a five–year term in the Montréal regional office. Kenneth D. Atkinson was reappointed for a five–year term and Joanne Sajtos was reappointed for a four-year term, both in the Toronto regional office. Philip J. MacAulay was reappointed for a five–year term in the Vancouver regional office.

Lois D. Figg was reappointed for a two–year term in the Toronto regional office and was designated Assistant Deputy Chairperson of the Refugee Protection Division for the Central Region.

These reappointments and designation were made in accordance with the IRB’s merit-based appointment process. Since October 2008, the Minister has made 61 appointments and 28 reappointments to the IRB.

Created in 1989, the IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. 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 further information (media only), please contact:

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Backgrounder

• Biographies of the IRB members