Canadian Copyright Board, Chair Appointed

  Mr. Justice John Howard Gomery Appointed Chair of the

                Copyright Board of Canada

OTTAWA, March 18, 1999 -- John Manley, Minister of Industry, today announced the appointment of Mr. Justice John H. Gomery as Chair of the Copyright Board of Canada.

"I am pleased that Mr. Justice Gomery has agreed to take on this challenge. He will be a great asset to the Copyright Board," said Minister Manley. "Canadian copyright owners and users will benefit from Mr. Justice Gomery's leadership and experience."

Appointed to the Quebec Superior Court for the District of Montreal in 1982, Mr. Justice Gomery will continue to exercise his functions as a supernumerary judge. Prior to his appointment to the Bench, Mr. Justice Gomery practiced law with Martineau Walker in Montreal where he was a partner for 16 years. He specialized in family law, commercial litigation and bankruptcy law.

The Copyright Board of Canada, established on February 1, 1989, is the regulatory body that establishes the royalties to be paid for the use of copyrighted works. In so doing, it ensures that the tariffs approved are fair and reasonable to both Canadian copyright owners and users of copyright protected works. It also issues non-exclusive licenses authorizing the use of works when the copyright owner cannot be located.

(Biographical notes are attached.)

For further information, please contact:

Jennifer Sloan
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001

                   BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Mr. Justice John H. Gomery

Mr. Justice John H. Gomery, born on August 9, 1932, was appointed a Judge of the Quebec Superior Court, for the District of Montreal, on December 17, 1982. Prior to his appointment to the Bench, Mr Justice Gomery practiced law with the firm Martineau Walker, in partnership for 16 years. Mr. Justice Gomery elected to become supernumerary in December 1997.

Mr. Justice Gomery, who is fully bilingual, obtained his B.A. from McGill University in 1953 and graduated in law in 1956. Following his call to the Bar in 1957, he practiced with Martineau, Walker where he became a partner in 1966. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1972.

Mr. Justice Gomery is a past member of Council of the Montreal Bar and the Quebec Bar. He has been an active member of the Canadian Bar Association as National Secretary of the Commercial Law Section and as a member of the special committee on "Uniformity on Personal Property Security Law."

Release Number: 8205-e Received on Thu Mar 18 1999 - 20:10:45 GMT