The Commissioner
The Honourable Edward (Ted) N. Hughes, O.C., Q.C., LL.D (Hon), Commissioner
Commissioner Hughes worked as a lawyer in private practice before being appointed to the bench of Saskatchewan’s district and surrogate court. He served as a justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Saskatchewan from 1974 to 1980. He is a former B.C. deputy attorney general and has extensive experience conducting inquiries in several provinces including one into the 1996 riot at Headingley Correctional Institution.
The Commissioner’s biographical information includes:
- Partner, Saskatoon law firm of Francis, Woods, Gauley and Hughes (1952-62)
- Judge, district and surrogate courts of Saskatchewan (1962-74)
- Justice, Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (1974-80)
- Legal specialist, Constitutional and Administrative Law Division, Ministry of Attorney General, Province of British Columbia (1980-83)
- Deputy attorney general, Province of British Columbia, Victoria (1983-90)
- Complaints commissioner, British Columbia Police Commission (1990-91)
- Commissioner of conflict of interest for British Columbia under the Members' Conflict of Interest Act (1991-97)
- Acting secretary (C.E.O.), Law Society of British Columbia (1997-98)
- Conflict of interest commissioner for the Yukon (1996-02)
- A chief federal treaty negotiator in British Columbia, appointed by the Government of Canada (1996-98)
- Commissioner of conflict of interest and ethics counselor to the public service of the Northwest Territories (2001-05)
- Chief adjudicator, Indian Residential Schools Secretariat (2003-08)
- Lecturer at law schools at the universities of Saskatchewan and Victoria.
- Chair of numerous task forces, committees, boards and commissions of inquiry, commercial arbitrations, mediation, conciliation and dispute resolution proceedings, and independent reviews and adjudications for various governments and organizations.
- Volunteer chair of numerous boards and commissions.
- Long-time involvement with hospitals and health-care organizations.
- Recognized with awards for contributions to the public service, justice and the legal profession, and community service, including appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada.