ALBERTA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, December 15, 2006 - The Honourable Vic Toews, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Robert Graesser, Q.C., a partner in the firm of Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP in Edmonton, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. He replaces Madam Justice C. Johnstone who passed away in April 2006.

Mr. Justice Graesser received a Bachelor of Laws in 1973 and a Bachelor of Arts in 1972 from the University of Alberta and was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1975. He practised with Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer (and its predecessor firms) from 1975-2006. His practice expertise is in the areas of arbitration and mediation, construction law, employment law, civil litigation, environmental law and media law. Mr. Justice Graesser has been a frequent lecturer at the University of Alberta; Chair of the Legal Education Society of Alberta; and Governor and Treasurer of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers. He has also acted as the Public Member of the Alberta Association of Architects and has been a Board Member of Alberta Music.

The Honourable Donna L. Shelley, Q.C., Chair of the Law Enforcement Review Board of Alberta in Edmonton is appointed a Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. She replaces Mr. Justice J. Watson who was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Alberta.

Madam Justice Donna Shelley received a Bachelor of Laws in 1979 and a Bachelor of Arts (Special) in 1976 from the University of Alberta and was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1980. She practised with the City of Edmonton Law Department (1979-1981), with Cruickshank Karvellas (1981-2000) and with McLennan Ross (2000-2005) before becoming the Chair of the Law Enforcement Review Board of Alberta. Her practice expertise is in the areas of general corporate/commercial law, real estate law and administrative law. Madam Justice Shelley has been a Member of the Citizens Appeal Panel of Alberta, the City of Edmonton Court of Revision and the Alberta Municipal Government Board. She is also an active Member and Past Director of the Rotary Club of Edmonton.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:

Mike Storeshaw
Director of Communications
Minister's Office
613-992-4621