XN000022-1989-09-28 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1989

HEAD

MUCH

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE HOUSING SOCIETY'S OFFICE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID: "THE PROGRAMME IS STILL VERY UNDER DISCUSSION. IT'S NOT BEEN FINALISED AND IT'S REALLY FAR тоо EARLY TO COMMENT ON WHERE THEY MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT GO."

ASKED IF THERE WAS DIFFICULTY IN THE DRAFTING WORK ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED A LEGAL EXPERT FROM CANADA TO ADVISE ON THE BILL. SIR DAVID SAID THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.

HONG KONG DID HAVE EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, BUT IT DID NOT HAVE LAWYERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A BILL OF RIGHTS.

"CANADA DOES HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN HAVING A BILL OF RIGHTS AND KNOWING WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT 15.

"BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DETAILS OF DRAFTING, IT'S OBVIOUSLY USEFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM THAT SORT OF ENVIRONMENT, DAVID SAID.

SIR

CONSULTANT ON BILL OF RIGHTS TO ARRIVE SOON

*

MR JUSTICE BARRY STRAYER, OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA, WILL BE ARRIVING IN EARLY OCTOBER TO TAKE UP A THREE-MONTH APPOINTMENT AS A CONSULTANT TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

HE WILL BE ASSISTING THE DEPARTMENT IN LEGAL RESEARCH FOR A BILL OF RIGHTS FOR HONG KONG.

MR JUSTICE STRAYER WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER OF JUSTICE IN CANADA IN 1974.

HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC LAW BRANCH WHICH DEALS WITH CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, ADMINISTRATIVE LAW, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND HUMAN RICHTS UNTIL JULY 1983.

OFFICIAL

ADOPTED

IN THIS POSITION, HE WAS THE SENIOR JUSTICE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACT, IN 1977, AND FOR PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION IN 1980 OF CANADA'S FIRST REPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS,

HE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED FOR MANY YEARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, THE CONSTITUTIONAL BILL OF RIGHTS ADOPTED BY CANADA IN 1982.

HE WAS APPOINTED A JUDGE OF THE FEDERAL COURT IN 1983 AND HAS SINCE HEARD MANY CASES INVOLVING THE CHARTER.

MR JUSTICE STRAYER

"AS CANADA HAS ITS OWN BILL OF RIGHTS AND HAS CONSIDERABLE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF THE OPERATION OF SUCH A BILL WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL MAKE A VERY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION OUR WORK," A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAID.

TO

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