Minister Fraser announces appointment of chair of Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, issued the following statement:

Ottawa, July 14, 2023—The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, issued the following statement:

“I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Manon Brassard as Chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for a five-year term, effective July 23, 2023.

“Ms. Brassard began her public service career at the IRB in 1989, where she served in a number of roles, including senior legal adviser and director general of the Policy, Planning and Research Branch.

“Ms. Brassard went on to serve in executive roles in a number of public service organizations. In 2010, she was appointed assistant deputy minister (ADM) of Corporate Services at what was then Citizenship and Immigration Canada and, in 2013, she became ADM of Programs at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In 2014, she moved to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, where she served as ADM of the Compensation and Labour Relations sector.

“Ms. Brassard was appointed president of the Canada Economic Development Agency for Quebec Regions in 2016, a position she continues to hold today. She will remain in this role until she takes on her new position as Chair of the IRB.

“Ms. Brassard holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Université Laval and was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1984. She is also trained as a mediator and is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her contributions to Canada.

“I also wish to take this opportunity to thank outgoing Chair Richard Wex for his leadership of the IRB over the past five years.

“I look forward to working with the new chair in ensuring the continued integrity and efficiency of Canada’s immigration and refugee determination systems.”

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