Randall Hofley Appointed as Special Counsel to the Commissioner of Competition

OTTAWA, December 14, 2004 – Sheridan Scott, Commissioner of Competition, is pleased to announce that Randall Hofley will be joining the Competition Law Division of the Department of Justice on January 4, 2005, to work as Special Counsel to the Commissioner of Competition. Randall is a highly experienced competition lawyer who has extensive expertise in both the criminal and civil provisions of the Competition Act.

Randall is taking a leave of absence from the law firm of Stikeman Elliott LLP, where he has been a Partner since 1998. As Special Counsel, he will be part of the Bureau's senior management team, sitting on the Bureau Executive Committee and providing input on key Bureau files. His responsibilities will include the provision of strategic input on a range of issues, including the conduct of litigation.

His appointment has been arranged through the Interchange Canada Program which promotes stronger ties between the federal public sector and private organizations. Clear conflict of interest guidelines have been established for the duration of Randall's appointment.

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that promotes and maintains fair competition so that all Canadians can benefit from competitive prices, product choice and quality service. It oversees the application of the Competition Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Textile Labelling Act and the Precious Metals Marking Act.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Tim Weil
Director of Strategic Communications
Communications Branch
(819) 953-9271

For general enquiries, please contact:
Information Centre
Competition Bureau
(819) 997-4282
1-800-348-5358