Commissioner Biographies

Mr. Fong received his law degree in 1991. He has special training in the areas of mediation, collaborative and administrative law. He was appointed a commissioner in 2005 and became a hearing chair in 2009. He has been involved in his community and public service. He served as the Chair of the Lethbridge Subdivision and Development Appeal Board for five years. He was a member for the Lethbridge Regional Police Commission. He served as acting president of the Board of Directors for Lethbridge Family Services. He was twice elected as a Trustee of the Lethbridge Public School Board and served as its Vice Chair. Most recently he served the public as a member of the Surface Rights and Land Compensation Boards.

Rodney commenced as a Hearing Chair on March 2, 2009.

Mr. Oliver was appointed an appeals commissioner in 2006 and hearing chair in 2009. He holds degrees in computer engineering, electrical engineering and divinity and a diploma in aerospace engineering. He served over twenty years with the Canadian Forces as an aerospace engineering officer working in aircraft maintenance, flight test and as a weapons specialist. He was an advocate before military tribunals and was appointed under the National Defence Act to hear disciplinary cases as a summary trial president. Since retiring from service in uniform he has worked as an ordained minister and as a consulting forensic engineer.

Matthew commenced as a Hearing Chair on March 2, 2009.

Lynn Parish has a background in law having practiced in the United Kingdom and Canada . As a solicitor in England she acted for primarily trade union clients pursuing compensation for workplace accidents. More recently she has been a member of the City of Edmonton Subdivision and Development Appeal Board for six years, including one year as Chair and current member of Alberta Law Enforcement Review Board. Lynn is a Chartered Mediator and is a roster mediator for Alberta Municipal Affairs and Provincial Court Civil Claims. Lynn also is an instructor for Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society in arbitration and for the Faculty of Law, University of Alberta in Client Interviewing and Counseling.

Lynn commenced as a Hearing Chair on June 6, 2011.

Rob Reimer operated a ranch, along with his spouse Marlene, for 40 years. He served as Trustee with Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools from 1995 until 2010, with 11 years as Chair. He was Vice Chair of the County of Wetaskiwin Subdivision and Development Appeal Board from 1996 until 2009. Rob was a Co-Chair with Region 9, and later, Region 4, Child and Family Services Authorities from 1998 until 2006. He served as Chair of the Family Supports for Children with Disabilities Appeal Panel from 2006 until 2009 and Chair of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Appeal Panel from 2006 until 2010. He is also a member of the Municipal Government Board.

Robert commenced as a Hearing Chair on March 14, 2011.

Derek Vermette earned his Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (with distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan.  He has experience as a litigation lawyer in private practice, as well as Investigative Counsel and Litigation Counsel with the Enforcement division of the Alberta Securities Commission.  Prior to his appointment as a Hearing Chair, Derek held the position of Manager, Investigations, Prairie Region with the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada.  Derek is also a member of the Consumer Services Appeal Board Roster, members of which may be called to participate on appeal boards to hear appeals under the Fair Trading Act, Funeral Services Act or Cemeteries Act.  In addition, he serves on his local Youth Justice Committee, which is one of many such committees of community volunteers sanctioned by the Alberta Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security to assist the government in administering the Extrajudicial Sanctions Program under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.   

Derek has served as a Hearing Chair since his appointment on October 14, 2010.

Benjamin Ayorech had extensive experience in General Management in Uganda and Tanzania after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1972 majoring in Economics & Management and Administration. He came to Canada in 1988 and settled in Edmonton where he obtained a Management Studies Diploma from Grant MacEwan College in 1992. Benjamin served as Member and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage (1992-1996) and as Member and Chair for the Edmonton Police Commission (1995-1998). Benjamin gained adjudication experience serving as a full-time member with the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (1998-2006).

Ken Balkwill had an extensive career as a Business Agent with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 30, which included negotiation and administration of collective agreements with the City of Edmonton, Northlands Park and EPCOR. Ken served as a Provincial Executive member of CUPE for approximately 15 years.

Ken was appointed to the Local Authorities Pension Plan Board and through his service of over 20 years served as Vice-Chair and Appeals Committee Chair.

Jean Bara has served as a Vice-Chair and member of the Edmonton Assessment Review Board for seven years. Jean has had an extensive career with the City of Edmonton for 39 years. During this time Jean has served in various senior management positions including the Director of Budgets, Executive Director of the Executive Committee of City Council and Corporate Planning Officer. Jean has served on the executive of St. Joseph's Auxiliary Hospital Board of Governors, United Way of Edmonton and Banff School of Advanced Management Edmonton Alumni among others.

Gary Belecki served as a Crown Prosecutor in Manitoba before moving to Alberta where he has been a Crown Prosecutor with Alberta Justice for over 29 years. Gary has over five years administrative tribunal experience as Chairman of the Appeal Tribunal Alberta Racing Corporation. Gary has served in executive positions with various organizations and is currently serving his second three- year appointment to the Board of Directors Horse Racing Alberta.

Gary commenced as a Hearing Chair on May 1, 2005 and served in that capacity until April 30, 2009 when he was reappointed as an Appeals Commissioner.

Gordon Bogstie has worked for Canada Post for over thirty years. He has also been elected to a variety of positions within his Union and has served as a full time officer in the capacity of Local President and Health and Safety Officer. He has served on the executive of the Calgary and District Labour Council and recently finished a 9 year term on the Board of Referees Tribunal for Employment Insurance.

Kelly spent the last 7 years of his working career as Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1007. During his 21-year career with Local 1007 he has had extensive experience in collective bargaining and grievance proceedings and has served on many related committees directly resulting from these activities.

Kelly is a journeyman power lineman and represented labour on various committees including Electrical Utility Regulations committees for Alberta Labour.

Wendy Clark began her professional career as a Registered Nurse, and then moved into a leadership role with a major international airline. There she had extensive experience in labour relations, customer service, operations and safety management. The last few years of her airline career she was in an HR role focusing on injury prevention, employee case management and wellness. Since 2001, Wendy has been a consultant in Human Resources and Leadership. She is a past member of the Calgary Health Region Board and Calgary Aboriginal and Urban Affairs Committee and presently serves as a member of the Occupational Health and Safety Council.

Guy Delisle is a retired lawyer with extensive experience in administrative, transportation and labour/employment law. He was a Member of The Canadian Transportation Agency from 2002 until 2007. Prior to his appointment to the CTA, he practiced law as a member of legal services at the National Energy Board, Air Canada and the Canadian National Railway. As well, Mr. Delisle lectured in aviation and transportation law at the Continuing Education Department of McGill University in Montreal for many years. He was Vice-President and Secretary of the Air Transport Association of Canada and Corporate Secretary of Air Alliance, an Air Canada subsidiary.

Ron Everard has more than 30 years of legal experience. As a practicing lawyer, Ron has acted either as advocate, mediator, or arbitrator, in many different kinds of cases. He has appeared as counsel at all levels of the Alberta courts, and has conducted numerous trials and appeals.

In the last 15 years of his practice, Ron has focused almost entirely on the areas of injury compensation, and insurance law.

Throughout his legal career, Ron has lectured and instructed at seminars and conferences in the areas of Injury Law, Insurance, Alternate Dispute Resolution, and Advocacy for various legal and professional organizations.

Ron has been a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta since 2004, and previously, he served as a Trustee for the Calgary District Hospital Group, and was a Member of the Development Appeal Board for the City of Calgary.

Since 2000, Carolyn Hutniak has had a law practice restricted to neutral, non-partisan activities in Administrative and Labour law including acting as Legal Counsel to various professional disciplinary, regulatory and rights-based boards and tribunals within Alberta.

Don Sibbald was appointed as an Appeals Commissioner in May 2009. He also serves as a Member of both the Alberta Surface Rights Board and the Alberta Land Compensation Board. Prior to his 24 years of legal practice with a major Calgary law firm, Don received B.A., B.Ed. and L.L.B. degrees from York University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Western Ontario, respectively. More recently, he undertook training in Conflict Resolution/Mediation.

After teaching school for a brief time, he began his career as litigation counsel and appeared before all levels of Alberta Court's. His practice included extensive involvement in Alternate Dispute Resolution proceedings both as counsel and as a Mediator. His community involvement includes serving on the executive of a school council, volunteer work with a non-profit society, acting as an instructor in various courses both within and outside the legal profession as well as being a mediator with the Provincial Court Civil Division Mediation Program.