Dennis Cann of North Battleford is one of 16 Saskatchewan lawyers honoured recently with Queen's Counsel (QC) appointments.
Cann, Regional Crown Prosecutor, Battlefords Prosecutions, with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, was admitted to the bar in 1978.
Queen's Counsel is an honourary designation. A selection committee of Saskatchewan's Justice Minister and Attorney General, the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan or the Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench (on an alternating basis), and past presidents of the Saskatchewan branch of the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Saskatchewan makes these recommendations.
Individuals must meet the following criteria: they must live in Saskatchewan, and must have practiced law for at least 10 years in the superior courts of any province or territory of Canada, the United Kingdom or Ireland.
"A Queen's Counsel designation is an important honour bestowed for the significant contribution made by the recipient to the legal profession and to our province," Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said.
"This year's recipients exemplify the very best of our legal community."
The first Queen's Counsel appointment in British North America was in 1815; however, the practice dates back to 1594 when Queen Elizabeth I appointed Sir Francis Bacon as her exclusive legal advisor and roving representative of the Crown.
The other 2010 Queen's Counsel appointments are:
Douglas Curliss, a prosecutor with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada Regional Office in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1980;
Sheila Denysiuk, a lawyer with A.S.K. Law in Saskatoon. She was admitted to the bar in 1982;
Perry Erhardt, a lawyer with Olive Waller Zinkhan & Waller law firm in Regina. He was admitted to the bar in 1990. He is the president of the Canadian Bar Association, Saskatchewan Branch;
Paul Favel, a lawyer with the McKercher law firm in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1996;
Neil Fisher, a lawyer with McDougall Gauley law firm in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1979;
Allan Haubrich, a lawyer with Robertson Stromberg Pedersen law firm in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1971;
Richard Hischebett, Executive Director of the Civil Law Division, Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General in Regina. He was admitted to the bar in 1988;
Mitchell Holash, a lawyer with Holash Logue McCullagh law firm in Prince Albert. He was admitted to the bar in 1985;
Randy Kachur, a lawyer with Rusnak Balacko Kachur & Rusnak law firm in Yorkton. He was admitted to the bar in 1979;
Jerry Katz, a lawyer with MacDermid Lamarsh law firm in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1985;
Kevin Lang, a lawyer with McDougall Gauley law firm in Regina. He was admitted to the bar in 1990;
R. Neil MacKay, a lawyer with MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman law firm in Saskatoon. He was admitted to the bar in 1979;
Michael Megaw, a lawyer with Gerrand Rath Johnson law firm in Regina. He was admitted to the bar in 1985;
Maria Pappas, a lawyer with the Regina City Area Office of the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission. She was admitted to the bar in 1981; and
Patricia Warsaba, a lawyer with the McKercher law firm in Regina. She was admitted to the bar in 1983.
