Minister Van Loan announces ten appointments
to the National Parole Board
OTTAWA, January 23, 2009 — The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of Public Safety, today announced four part-time and six full-time appointments to the National Parole Board.
Atlantic Region
Jean Dubé of Campbellton, New Brunswick, is appointed as a full-time member. He currently owns and operates a consulting business. He has had extensive involvement in professional and community organizations, including Chair of the Campbellton Regional Chamber of Commerce. He also chaired and co-founded the Bay Chaleur Alzheimer Society, and is the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.
Ontario Region
John Muise of Toronto, Ontario, is appointed as a full-time member. He is the Director of Public Safety for the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness, a national office dedicated to the eradication of child exploitation and abuse. Mr. Muise has extensive law enforcement experience as a front-line Toronto police officer and manager, including more than five years working at the Ontario Attorney General’s Office for Victims of Crime.
Prairies Region
Craig Michael Allan of Warren, Manitoba, is appointed as a full-time member. He has held a number of positions within the Correctional Service of Canada over the course of his career, including working as a parole officer and correctional officer. He is currently the Director of the Osborne Community Correctional Centre in Winnipeg.
Roger Simms of Edmonton, Alberta, is appointed as a full-time member. Mr. Simms has over 20 years’ experience as a senior manager for various private organizations including non-profit organizations in Alberta. He has a vast experience in human resources management and policing, including conducting sensitive and confidential investigations.
Lorrie Vacing of Sherwood Park, Alberta, is appointed as a full-time member. She has vast experience related to victims’ issues. She is currently a victim’s program coordinator at the Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security Department and was the Director of the Child Advocacy Program for the Zebra Child Protection Centre Society in Edmonton. Ms. Vacing worked for the Edmonton Police Volunteer Victim Service and was awarded the Edmonton Police Service Favourable Notice for developing a court preparation program.
Pacific Region
Linda Cross of North Vancouver, British Columbia, is appointed as a part-time member. A criminology graduate from Simon Fraser University, Ms. Cross worked as a dispute resolution officer for the Residential Tenancy Branch of the Ministry of Forest and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing. She is also the Adjudicator of the Student Appeals Branch, Board of Education and Tribunal Member of the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal. Ms. Cross worked as an Assistant Professor at Okanagan College and served as a lay member on the Vernon and Area Health Services Bioethics Committee.
Alex Dantzer of Surrey, British Columbia, is appointed as a part-time member. Mr. Dantzer is a lawyer who specializes in administrative law. His career began in the Foreign Service of the Government of Canada when he was named Vice-Consul in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria as well as Vice-Consul in New York City. Mr. Dantzer is an active community member affiliated with numerous organizations including the Surrey Public Library, Friends of the Surrey Museum and Archives, Knights of Columbus, Western Canadian Society to Access Justice and the Newman Association.
Ian F.A. MacKenzie of Abbotsford, British Columbia, is appointed as a part-time. With 32 years’ experience in municipal policing with the Abbotsford Police Department and the Vancouver Police Department, Mr. MacKenzie also taught criminal law, criminal procedure and civil liberties courses at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the Fraser Valley in B.C. Mr. MacKenzie is a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.
Patricia Pitsula of North Vancouver, British Columbia, is appointed as a full-time member. She is a senior justice analyst at the Criminal Justice Reform Secretariat. Before starting her legal career, she was a teacher with the Saskatchewan Department of Education. Ms. Pitsula spent two years as a research associate at the Centre for Education, Law and Society and was subsequently named Executive Director, Program Director at the Law Foundation of British Columbia.
Sam Reimer of Kelowna, British Columbia, is appointed as a part-time member. He is a certified counsellor and has worked for various treatment centres including the Crossroads Treatment Centre and the Salvation Army Family Services. He was the Director of the Restoration Counselling Services in Kelowna, and Vice-President and Board member of the Association of Clinical Counsellors.
“I am pleased to make this annoucement today. The federal government is committed to ensuring that appointments to the National Parole Board are based on merit and ability,” said Minister Van Loan. “The National Parole Board is an independent decision-making tribunal that plays a significant role in contributing to the safety of our communities, making it imperative that we appoint highly qualified and committed people,” he added.
Information:
Caroline Douglas
Director of Communications
National Parole Board
613-954-6547