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

Ottawa, March 19, 2010 — Today, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced three appointments, five reappointments and one designation to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

In the Montreal regional office, Stephen J. Gallagher was appointed for a three–year term. Ruth Delisle and Michael J. Hamelin were reappointed for a one–year term and Viviane Ducheine was reappointed for a three–year term.

In the Toronto regional office, Leonard Favreau and David Lee were appointed for three-year terms. Irvin H. Sherman was reappointed for a five–year term.

Kim D. Workun was reappointed for a one–year term in the Vancouver regional office and was designated Assistant Deputy Chairperson of the Immigration Appeal Division for the Western region.

These appointments, reappointments and designation were made in accordance with the IRB’s merit–based appointment process.

Minister Kenney is committed to delivering on his promise to fill vacancies on the Board with qualified individuals as quickly as possible after vacancies arise. Since October 2008, the Minister has made 64 appointments and 33 reappointments to the IRB. With today’s announcement, it is at 98 per cent of its full complement.

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 the biographies of the IRB members, please see below.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada

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

Backgrounder

• Appointments, reappointments and designation to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada