Natural Resources
Justice and Public Safety
November 24, 2017

The following is being distributed at the request of the Commission of Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Falls Project Order:

Commission of Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Falls Project Order Commences Work

The Honourable Justice Richard D. LeBlanc has commenced work as Commissioner for the Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Falls Project Order. Over the coming weeks, the inquiry will be establishing itself and planning for the work ahead. The public will be kept updated on the progress of the inquiry, but for now, it would be premature for Justice LeBlanc to give media interviews.

The Terms of Reference for the inquiry can be found online at: www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/exec/NLG171120.pdf

One of the first tasks of the inquiry is to obtain suitable premises and engage necessary counsel and staff members. It is hoped that the foregoing can be accomplished by the end of 2017.

As of now, Justice LeBlanc has appointed Kate O’Brien as co-counsel to the inquiry with other counsel to be appointed. Ms. O’Brien was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 2003 and the Bar of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2004 having obtained her LL.B. from the University of British Columbia. She completed a Bachelors of Engineering from Memorial University in 1996. Ms. O’Brien was legal counsel to the 2015 Newfoundland and Labrador Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission and co-counsel to the Commission of Inquiry Respecting the Death of Donald Dunphy.

The CVs of counsel and other major staff appointments will be published on a website to be developed.

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Media contact
Kate O’Brien
709-722-0637 (c/o O’Brien White, temporarily)

2017 11 24                              11:10 a.m.