May 14, 2018
Province Announces Appointments to Manitoba Criminal Code Review Board
Manitoba Justice has appointed a new chairperson and several other members to the Manitoba Criminal Code Review Board (CCRB).
Michael Mercury, QC, (Winnipeg) is appointed as chair of the CCRB. He is a retired partner from former firm Aikins, MacAulay and Thorvaldson, now MLT Aikins, and practised general law, civil litigation, municipal law, municipal assessment, and taxation and administrative law. He was appointed to the Queen’s Counsel in 1978 and received the Governor General of Canada Commemorative Medal in 1992.
Dr. Jim Skinner (Winnipeg) is appointed as a psychiatrist member. He is an assistant professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of Manitoba and a private practice psychiatrist. He has served as a consultant for the Northern Regional Health Authority, the Northern Medical Unit and FASD Life’s Journey.
Dr. Hazel Wiebe (Winnipeg) is appointed as a psychiatrist member. She is currently an acute care psychiatrist at Eden Mental Health Centre in Winkler and previously worked at St. Boniface General Hospital. She is a member of the Mental Health Review Board, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Psychiatric Association and Doctors Manitoba.
John Field (Winnipeg) is appointed as a layperson to the board. He served for more than 30 years as a Crown attorney specializing in criminal law in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Before retiring, he also served as the Manitoba co-ordinator for the National Flagging System, an initiative designed to track and share information about high-risk violent and sexually violent offenders.
The CCRB is an independent tribunal designed to bring legal and medical expertise to matters once the court determines an accused person is either not criminally responsible or unfit to stand trial. The board must include at least five members, one of which must be a psychiatrist. All members are required to have a good knowledge and understanding of the relevant sections of the Criminal Code of Canada.
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