News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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PRIME MINISTER HARPER ANNOUNCES COMMISSIONER FOR INQUIRY INTO DEALINGS BETWEEN THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BRIAN MULRONEY AND KARLHEINZ SCHREIBER

June 12, 2008
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the appointment of Mr. Justice Jeffrey J. Oliphant as a Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into certain allegations respecting business dealings between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney.

Mr. Justice Oliphant, Associate Chief Justice, Court of Queen's Bench for Manitoba, has been appointed as Commissioner under Part 1 of the Inquiries Act, with all the powers set out in the Act, including the authority to hold hearings, summon witnesses and gather evidence needed to conduct the inquiry.

"The Government is acting on its commitment to establish a public inquiry into this matter," said the Prime Minister. "A number of questions remain unanswered and it is in the public interest to investigate further and to find answers."

As Commissioner of the Inquiry, Mr. Justice Oliphant's mandate will be to investigate and report on the 17 questions raised by Professor David Johnston in his report to the Prime Minister of January 9, 2008. The report resulting from the Inquiry will be submitted to the Government on or before June 12, 2009.

Biographical notes are attached. The terms of reference are available online at www.pco-bcp.gc.ca. Justice Oliphant will be unavailable for public comment until the Office of the Commissioner is established.



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JUSTICE JEFFREY JAMES OLIPHANT

Justice Oliphant was appointed on August 22, 1985 as a Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba. On December 24, 1990 he was appointed as Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba. He was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice in October 2002 and is a former Chair of the Judicial Inquiry Board of Manitoba.

Justice Oliphant was born February 10, 1944. He graduated from the Faculty of Law from the University of Manitoba in May 1967 and was called to the bar on June 2, 1967. He worked for the law firm of Johnston & Company in Dauphin, Manitoba from 1967 – 1985.

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