The Honourable David G. Near

Credit: Couvrette

Born June 18, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario. Education at Mount Allison University, Queen’s University and University of Windsor. Called to the Bar of Ontario, 1983. Practiced with Crawford, Farr, Lewis, Worling, and Booth, 1983-1984, in criminal and civil litigation. Sole practitioner, 1984-1986, in criminal and civil litigation. Special Assistant to the Solicitor General of Canada, Honourable James Kelleher, P.C., Q.C., M.P., 1986-1988. Executive Assistant (Acting Chief of Staff in Chief’s absence), to the Solicitor General of Canada, 1988-1989. Chief of Staff to the Solicitor General of Canada, Honourable Pierre Blais, P.C., M.P., 1989-1990. Chief of Staff to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Honourable Pierre Blais, P.C., M.P., 1990. Legal Counsel (1990-2001) and Senior Counsel (2002-2009), Department of Justice assigned to Legal Services, Environment Canada. Judicial Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Justice, 2007-2009. Recipient of the Department of Justice, Deputy Minister Excellence Award, Species at Risk Act, 2003. Recipient of the Department of Environment, Deputy Minister Excellence Award, Species at Risk Act, 2003. Recipient of the Department of Environment, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Conservation Service, Excellence Award, Species at Risk Act, 2003. Recipient of the Minister of the Environment, Special Award for outstanding support in advancing the designation of CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area, 2003. Recipient of the Department of Justice, Themis Award, Single Achievement Merit Award, 1996, Migratory Birds Convention Protocol. Recipient of the Commemorative medal for the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, 1992. Appointed Judge of the Federal Court and ex officio member of the Federal Court of Appeal on June 19, 2009. Address: Federal Court, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H9.