The info on the info (commish): Legault's got the job!

Interim Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault holds a news conference in Ottawa in April. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

It's official! Christmas comes early for the new information commissioner, who's lucky to be ali....OK, sorry. I just wanted to get every cliche out of the way. Suzanne Legault's got the thumbs up from House and Senate to keep on truckin' as information commish, but in a non-interim fashion:

Release Date: June 30, 2010

For immediate release PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER WELCOMES NEW INFORMATION COMMISSIONER OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today welcomed Canada's new Information Commissioner, Suzanne Legault, whose appointment was recently approved by the Senate and the House of Commons.

This appointment is effective immediately. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to thank Ms. Legault for serving as Interim Commissioner since June 30, 2009, and to congratulate her for her commitment and dedicated service. The Office of the Information Commissioner was created in 1983 under the Access to Information Act -- Canada's freedom of information legislation.

An agent of Parliament, the Information Commissioner oversees the implementation of the Access to Information Act by government institutions. The Information Commissioner investigates complaints from individuals who believe they have been denied rights under the Act and is also responsible for mediating between dissatisfied applicants and government institutions.

Biographical notes on Ms. Legault are attached. - 30 -

Backgrounder

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: SUZANNE LEGAULT

Suzanne Legault was appointed as Interim Information Commissioner of Canada effective June 30, 2009.

Ms. Legault was Assistant Information Commissioner for the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada from June 18, 2007, responsible for the Policy, Communications and Operations Branch.

In 2006, she participated in the Federal Public Servant in Residence Program and worked with the Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management at the University of Ottawa.

Ms. Legault began her career in the Public Service in 1996 at the Competition Bureau, where she held increasingly senior positions, including Special Advisor to the Commissioner of Competition.

She then served as Legal Counsel with the Department of Justice, before returning to the Competition Bureau where she was Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Legislative Affairs, then Deputy Commissioner, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs.

Prior to joining the Public Service, Ms. Legault practiced law as a criminal defence lawyer from 1991 to 1996, as well as Crown prosecutor from 1994 to 1996.  Ms. Legault holds a bachelor of civil law and a bachelor of common law from McGill Law School, which she obtained in 1988.