Queen's Law alumna appointed to victim compensation board

Maureen Armstrong, Law '92, has been appointed as Chair of Ontario's Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

Maureen Armstrong, Law '92, has long been dedicated to serving the public, particularly vulnerable communities.  Her hard work and enthusiasm were recently recognized with her appointment as Chair of Ontario's Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) on August 21, 2008.

"I feel tremendously blessed for this opportunity," she said. "Since my early days as a law student at Queen's, I have always been attracted to the social justice field.  The mandate of the CICB in helping address the needs of those who have experienced criminal violence is very compelling."

The CICB, created by the Compensation for Victims of Crime Act, is a tribunal which considers applications for financial compensation by victims of violent crime, and their families.  It operates as an independent agency of the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario.  The board receives over 3,000 applications per year and decides them by either oral hearings or a review of relevant documents.  Armstrong works alongside three Vice-Chairs, 27 part-time members and a permanent staff of 50 to help process all of the applications.

"I am responsible for ensuring that the Board's operations meet the standards that the Ontario public expects of us.  This means delivering fair, objective, high-quality decisions in a consistent, timely and effective manner," Armstrong explained.

Since assuming the position, Armstrong has spent considerable time familiarizing herself with current Board processes and practices, also assessing how she might improve them.  Additionally, she personally renders a number of interim and supplementary decisions on applications, as well as providing guidance to Board members on issues relevant to fulfilling their role as adjudicators.

Armstrong's strong background in social justice issues makes her an ideal candidate for the CICB, which has a stated mandate of providing "compassionate, sensitive, patient and fair service."  She served on the Canadian Human Rights Commission for over a decade and was most recently Vice-President of Central and Eastern Region at Legal Aid Ontario, where she worked to make legal aid more accessible for low-income Ontarians.

Armstrong also acknowledged the important role that Queen's Law played in shaping her career path.

"Queen's has a wonderful tradition as a progressive law school," she said. "Queen's Law helped me prepare for a legal career where the law is one tool in the toolbox for building and re-building lives.

For more information on the Ontario Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, please visit http://www.cicb.gov.on.ca/en/index.htm