Department of Justice Canada
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Law reform agencies

Annex

Overview of Selected Agencies
Agency Membership Duration of mandate Appointment and qualifications
Law Commission for England and Wales (1965-present) 5 members
- all full-time
5 years (possibility of reappointment) Appointed by Lord Chancellor.
Persons holding judicial office, lawyers or university law teachers.
Law Reform Commission of Canada (1971-1992) 6 members
- 4 full-time
- 2 part-time
Full-time members : 7 years
Part-time members : 3 years
(possibility of reappointment for all)
Appointed by Cabinet.
At least 3 of the 4 full-time members, including chair and vice-chair, from legal profession. At least 1 part-time member from legal profession. Chair or vice-chair and at least one other member from legal profession from Quebec legal profession.
From 1975 :
5 full-time members only
  From 1975 : At least 3 of the 5 members, including chair and vice-chair, from legal profession. Chair or vice-chair and at least one other member from legal profession from Quebec legal profession.
Law Commission of Canada (1997-present) 5 members
- 1 full-time
- 4 part-time
Full-time member :
5 years
Part-time members :
5 years
(possibility of reappointment for all)
Appointed by Cabinet.
Not restricted to legal community.
Must be knowledgeable on civil and common law systems.
Ontario Law Reform Commission (1964-1996) Not less than 3 members
(No provision on full- or part-time status)
Term not specified by legislation. Appointed by provincial Cabinet.
Qualifications not specified by legislation.
Nova Scotia Law Reform Advisory Commission (1969-1990) 5-10 members 2 years (possibility of reappointment) Appointed by provincial Cabinet.
Must be active or retired judge of the provincial Su-preme Court or county court, or a lawyer of the provincial Supreme Court.

From 1976 : up to 5 non-lawyers permitted.
From 1976 :
10-15
members
(No provision on full- or part-time status)
From 1976 : up to 3 years for chair and 7 members / remaining 7 members up to 2 years (possibility of reappointment for all)
Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia (1990-present) 5-7 members
- may be either full- or part-time
3 years (possibility of reappointment) 2 members appointed by the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society.
1 judge appointed by the government.
1 full-time member of the faculty of law of Dalhousie University appointed by the government.
1 non-lawyer appointed by the government.
If more than 5 commissioners, the additional members appointed by the government.
Quebec Law Reform Institute (1992*)
*As of March 2004, the statute creating the Institute was not yet in force.
5-9 members
- majority of members must be full-time, including chair and vice-chair
Full-time members :
5 years
Part-time members :
3 years
(possibility of reappointment for all)
Appointed by provincial Cabinet.
Full-time members must have legal training or a long-standing interest in law.
Part-time members must be competent in the area of research carried out by the Institute.