Minister Kenney Announces Citizenship Judge Appointments and Reappointments

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 7, 2009) - Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today announced the appointment of Ann Dempsey Dillon and Robert Douglas Watt in Vancouver, and Gilles Duguay in Montreal, as citizenship judges for three-year full-time terms. Anne-Marie Kains of Vancouver, Terrence O'Malley of Regina, and Wojciech Sniegowski of Mississauga were named for three-year part-time terms. The Minister also announced the reappointments of Renata Brum Bozzi in Mississauga, Brian Coburn in Ottawa, Philip M. Gaynor in Scarborough, Patricia Phenix in Toronto, and Mina Yung-Fung in Mississauga for three-year full-time terms. Judge Dillon practised corporate law for 15 years as a partner of two major Toronto law firms. Prior to her appointment as Citizenship Judge, she was active in her community through her volunteer work in the educational sector. Judge Dillon holds of Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Queen's University and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto. Judge Duguay has extensive diplomatic experience, including serving as Canadian ambassador to Cameroon, Morocco, and Romania. He has also had numerous university teaching positions in Canada, Europe, and Africa, and was involved in the creation and setting up of post-secondary institutions in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has studied at the Universite de Montreal, Northwestern University, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. Judge Kains worked for 25 years at BC Tel, Stentor Canada, and Telus, before retiring in 2002 as Assistant Vice President and Director of National Operations. Prior to her appointment as Citizenship Judge, she was actively involved in volunteer work in the community. Judge Kains received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and a Diploma in Organizational Behaviour from Simon Fraser University. Judge O'Malley served in many capacities at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, including as president between 2003 and 2006. He was a member of the Canadian Olympic and national hockey teams between 1964 and 1970, and in 1980, and served as captain of the team in 1966. Judge O'Malley was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998. He holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Canadian History from the University of Manitoba, and a PhD in Sacred Letters from St. Mark's College, the Catholic theological college at the University of British Columbia. Judge Sniegowski has previously worked at OMNI-TV, where he was responsible for producing two Polish-language programs. He has also been responsible for producing and managing large-scale cultural events. Judge Sniegowski has served as president of the Canada-Poland Chamber of Commerce of Toronto and as a member of the Toronto Police Chief's Community Advisory Council. Judge Watt served for nearly 20 years as Chief Herald of Canada. He has also been a director and chief curator of the Vancouver Museum, and an archivist at the City of Vancouver and the Public Archives of Canada. He is currently a member of the Heraldry Society of Canada, the Heraldry Society of Scotland, and L'Academie internationale d'heraldique. For the biographical profiles of Judges Brum Bozzi, Coburn, Gaynor, Phenix, and Yung-Fung, please visit the CIC website (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/commission/cit-judges.asp). Citizenship judges are responsible for making decisions with regard to citizenship applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the oath of citizenship to new citizens.