The Taxpayers' Ombudsman

Mr. J. Paul Dubé is pleased to have been renewed for a second term as Canada's Taxpayers' Ombudsman. Named by order-in-council, he was the first person appointed to this position in February 2008. Before his appointment, Mr. Dubé, who resides in Ottawa, had been working since 2006 as legal counsel at Legal Aid Ontario.

During 15 years of law practice, initially in New Brunswick and later in Ontario, Mr. Dubé was involved in several high-profile homicide and narcotics cases as defense counsel. Mr. Dubé gained a reputation as an effective advocate for all people, especially the economically disadvantaged. Mr. Dubé has demonstrated a career-long commitment to procedural fairness and protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In fact, his specialty as a lawyer has been defending people's Charter rights.

Actively involved in the legal community, Mr. Dubé served as president of the Restigouche Barristers Society for 12 years and was a member of the New Brunswick Legal Aid Committee for 10 years. Mr. Dubé was also an instructor for New Brunswick's Bar Admission Course for several years.

From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Dubé served as alternate chairperson on the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board. He conducted hearings and issued decisions related to the Industrial Relations Act and the Employment Standards Act. In this capacity, Mr. Dubé demonstrated his skills for listening to both parties and finding fair solutions.

Mr. Dubé holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, as well as law degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Windsor. In 1991, Mr. Dubé was awarded the Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Centennial Prize in Lawyering Skills for his legal practice skills at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law. Mr. Dubé was a co-recipient of the Canadian Bar Association's Pro-Bono Award in 2003.

A well-developed sense of fairness and dispute resolution skills are some of the qualities Mr. Dubé brings to the position of Taxpayers' Ombudsman. In the spring of 2011, Mr. Dubé was acclaimed as a member to the Board of the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman where he also serves as Secretary. This role will provide him the opportunity to promote the concept of ombudsman and contribute further to the profession.

Looking foward to the next five years, Mr. Dubé is optimistic that he and his team will continue to demonstrate the value of his Office as an effective agent of positive change.

Photos for media use