APPOINTMENT TO THE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD
OTTAWA, July 4, 2002 -- The Honourable Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced one part time appointment to the Convention Refugee Determination Division (CRDD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) in Toronto.

Paul A. Ariemma of Toronto has already served as a Member of the IRB until 1996 in order to help in reducing the inventory of cases created by the arrival last year of a record number of refugee claimants.

Created by Parliament under the Immigration Act, the IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The Board has three divisions -- the Convention Refugee Determination Division, the Immigration Appeal Division and the Adjudication Division. The IRB hears claims to Convention refugee status made in Canada and looks after appeals, investigations and reviews of detention orders.