THE HON. JUSTICE SIDNEY B LINDEN

Justice Sidney B Linden graduated from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts (1961) and of Law (1964). He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1966 and has held a variety of challenging positions in the public and private sector.

He was a founding member of the Criminal Lawyers' Association and served as Vice-President from 1975-1979. He was also a member of the Legal Aid Committee of the Law Society, and in 1977-1978, he was the Chair of the 'Delivery of Legal Services' subcommittee which recommended major reforms to the Legal Aid Tariff and to the Legal Aid Plan, most of which were subsequently implemented, including the experience incentive, the expanded Duty Counsel Office and the Research Facility.

From 1980-1985 Justice Linden was the first Police Complaints Commissioner for Metropolitan Toronto and was responsible for starting up and managing the Agency. In 1985-1987, he was Executive Director of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Prepaid Legal Services Plan, the first privately funded national prepaid legal service plan in Canada. This plan continues to successfully operate for more than 90,000 members of the CAW across the country. In 1987, he was nominated by the Attorney General, and subsequently appointed by the Legislature, as Ontario's first Information and Privacy Commissioner. He was responsible for starting up the Agency and served as Commissioner until April 1990.

In April 1990, he was appointed Chief Judge of the newly reorganised Ontario Court of Justice (Provincial Division). In addition to presiding in course, he was responsible for the direction and supervision of the sittings of the court and the assignment of its judicial duties. He also served as Chair of the Justices of the Peace Review Council and Co-Chair, of the Ontario Judicial Council. He was a member of the Canadian Council of Chief Judges and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Judicial Institute (1995-1999), the organization that is responsible for developing judicial education programs for federally and provincially appointed judges.

In 1997, Justice Linden was awarded the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, 'Justice Award'. This award is presented every second year as a mark of distinction and exceptional achievement to a person who, in the opinion of a panel of independent judges, has shown distinctive leadership in the administration of justice in Canada.

In 1999, he was appointed Chair of the Transitional Board and subsequently of the full Board of Directors of Legal Aid Ontario, a position he continues to hold while on leave of absence from the Court.