The Governor in Council, by way of Order in Council P.C. 2007-1015, created the position of Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice, whose mandate is to undertake an external review of, and advise on, the adequacy of the salaries of the prothonotaries of the Federal Court. The Order in Council determined that, in conducting the inquiry, the Special Advisor shall consider:

• the nature of the duties of a prothonotary;
• the salary and the benefits of appropriate comparator groups;
• the prevailing economic conditions in Canada, including the cost of living, and the overall economic and current financial position of the federal government;
• the role of financial security in ensuring the independence of the judiciary;
• the need to attract outstanding candidates to the office of Federal Court prothonotary; and
• any other objective criteria that the Special Advisor considers relevant.

By way of Order in Council P.C. 2007-1316, the Honourable George W. Adams, Q.C., was named the special advisor on Federal Court Prothonotaries’ Compensation.

• Mandate
• Notices
• Important Dates
• Information and Submissions to the Special Advisor
• Report of the Special Advisor
• Government Response
• Press Release

Other Important Documents and Links

• Federal Courts Act
• Federal Court website
• Courts Administration Service website
• Department of Justice website