Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today the appointments of Dr. Arthur Thomas Porter and
Mr
. Denis Losier as members of the Security Intelligence Review Committee (
SIRC
).
Dr. Porter, from Montréal, Quebec, is the Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre (
MUHC
) in Montréal.
Mr
. Losier, from Cap Pelé, New Brunswick, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Company of Moncton and former Member of the Legi slative Assembly for Tracadie, New Brunswick having served as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Minister of Commerce and Technology and Minister of Tourism, Recreation and Heritage.
In accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Secur ity Intelligence Service Act,
Dr
. Porter and
Mr
. Losier were sworn into the Queen's Privy Council of Canada.
Established in 1984, SIRC provides an external review of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service's performance of its dut ies and functions and examines complaints by individuals or reports by minister relating to security clearances and the national security of Canada.
These appointments are effective immediately.
Biographical notes attached.
* * * *
Arthur T. Porter
MA
MD
DBA
DMRT
FRCPC
FACR
FACRO
FAAMA
Director General and
CEO
, McGill University Health Centre
Dr. Arthur T. Porter brings a unique blend of medical practice, finance and business experience to healthca re leadership.
After attending the University of Sierra Leone, he transferred to Cambridge University in England, where he received his
B.A
. in anatomy,
M.A
. in natural sciences and his Medical degree.
Later,
Dr
. Porter earned his M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee and certificates in Medical Management from Harvard University and the University of Toronto. He received his Diplomate Status and Fellowship in Health Care Administration from the American Academy of Medical Administrato rs.
Following his training in Medical and Radiation Oncology, Dr. Porter assumed several senior positions in Canada, including that of Senior Specialist at the University of Alberta, Chief of Radiation Oncology at the London Regional Cancer Cent re and Chairman of Oncology at Victoria Hospital in Ontario.
Dr. Porter's extensive international background includes medical practice, business and academic leadership positions in Canada, Europe, Africa and the United States. He has also served as a Consultant to the World Health Organization, and has worked to establish international research and treatment programs in Turkey, India, Yemen, Bahamas, Brazil, Liberia, and throughout Europe.
In February 2004, Dr. Porter was appoint ed Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre (
MUHC
) in Montréal, Canada. With six teaching hospitals affiliated with McGill University, the
MUHC
is one of the most comprehensive academic health centres in North America with ove r 1,300 clinicians and some 14,000 healthcare professionals, researchers and other personnel.
Dr. Porter continues to exploit his finance and business background. He teaches part of a M.B.A. course at the University of Tennessee (Mergers and Acq uisitions) and at McGill's School of Business Administration (leadership).
Denis Losier
After completing his schooling in Tracadie,
Mr
. Losier obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1973 and a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Econ omy) in 1974 from the University of Moncton. He continued his studies at the University of Western Ontario, where he received a Master's of Arts (Economy). In May 2003,
Mr
. Losier was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from the Université de Moncton.
Mr
. Losier also received two Paul Harris Awards from the Rotary Club for his community services.
He started his career as an economist by accepting a position at the former Federal Ministry for Regional Industrial Expansion. He then went on to become President of the Société des Acadiens du Nouveau-Brunswick. From 1984 to 1986, he was First Secretary for Industrial Cooperation at the Canadian Embassy in Paris. He returned to Canada to accept the positi on of Executive Director of the Conseil Économique du Nouveau-Brunswick; in June 1988, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Economic Development in Premier Frank McKenna's office.
On November 14, 1988,
Mr
. Losier was elected MLA in the co nstituency of Tracadie and was reelected in September 1991.
On June 15, 1989,
Mr
. Losier was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. On October 9, 1991, he was appointed Minister of Commerce and Technology and Minister of Tourism, Recre ation and Heritage.
Mr
. Losier was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Company of Moncton on September 1, 1994.
Mr
. Losier is also Chairman of Assumption Life's subsidiaries and Louisbourg Investme nts, a company specializing in pension fund management, with assets of more than $1.3 billion under management.
Mr
. Losier is a member of boards of well-known public companies such as Canadian National, NAV Canada, Enbridge Gas NB, PlazaCorp Reta il Property Ltd., as well as several associations and groups, namely, Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, Conseil économique du N.-B., Beauséjour Regional Health Authority, Fondation Dr-Georges-L.-Dumont, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Ass ociation, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute as well as chair of its Discoveries Campaign.
Mr
. Losier was also co-chair of the Université de Moncton Excellence Campaign.
