Department of Justice

PANEL OF ARBITERS NAMED TO ASSIST THE WORK OF THE

AD HOC COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS REVIEWING
THE AFGHAN DETAINEE DOCUMENTS

OTTAWA, July 14, 2010 - The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara
Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced that three eminent
jurists, the Honourable Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, C.C., G.O.Q., the Honourable Frank Iacobucci,
C.C., Q.C., and the Honourable Donald I. Brenner, Q.C., will serve as the panel of arbiters for the
Ad Hoc Committee of Parliamentarians reviewing the Afghan detainee documents.

“These highly-respected legal experts will help to ensure that the work of the Ad Hoc
Committee of Parliamentarians does not jeopardize Canada’s national defence, international
relations and national security,” said Minister Nicholson. “I am confident all parties involved will
proceed in good faith so that our men and women serving abroad will be able to perform their duties
safely and effectively. This has been the Government’s primary concern from day one.”

The composition of the panel of arbiters was agreed to unanimously by the Government and
two Opposition parties.

The Ad Hoc Committee of Parliamentarians was formed to respond to a ruling from the
Speaker of the House indicating that parliamentarians should have access to documents related to
the Afghan detainee issue, while respecting the Government’s legitimate concerns about possible
injury to Canada’s national defence, international relations and national security. The Committee
will continue to meet throughout the summer.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

The Honourable Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, C.C., G.O.Q., was appointed to the Superior Court of
Quebec in February 1973. Madame L'Heureux-Dubé was elevated to the Quebec Court of Appeal
in October 1979, and was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, on April 15, 1987. She
retired from the Court on July 1, 2002. Madame L’Heureux-Dubé was appointed Companion of the
Order of Canada on May 8, 2003 and is a past President of the International Commission of Jurists.
She is a member of several International legal associations and has published extensively in the
areas of International law and human rights.

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Government Gouvernement
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The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, C.C., Q.C., joined Torys LLP as Counsel in September
2004 after retiring as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Prior to his appointment to the
Supreme Court, Mr. Iacobucci had been Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada and Deputy
Minister of Justice following a distinguished career in academia. From September 2004 to July
2005, he also served as Interim President of the University of Toronto. Mr. Iacobucci has received
numerous awards, honours and other recognitions in Canada, the United States, England and Italy.
He is a Companion of the Order of Canada.

The Honourable Donald I. Brenner, Q.C. was a judge of the British Columbia Supreme
Court for eight years and then its Chief Justice for nine years, before joining the legal firm Farris,
Vaughan, Wills and Murphy, in September, 2009, as Senior Counsel. Prior to joining the B.C.
Supreme Court in 1992, Mr. Brenner had a distinguished career as a practising lawyer who
specialized in the fields of aviation, professional indemnity, and products liability law.

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Press Secretary Department of Justice
Office of the Minister of Justice 613-957-4207
613-992-4621

Internet: www.canada.justice.gc.ca
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Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada