Former Chair, CRTC
LLB, Queen's University
Hon BA, Carleton University
Summary
Konrad W. von Finckenstein serves as Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, a role that helps elected and appointed public officials avoid conflicts of interest. Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute, focusing mainly on communications law, dispute resolution, competition law, and mergers and acquisitions.
Von Finckenstein served as Chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) from 2007 to 2012. A Federal Justice from 2003 to 2007, and Commissioner of Competition from 1997 to 2003, he is also an accomplished trade negotiator and diplomat. He was Senior General Counsel in the Trade Negotiations Office during the Canada-US free trade negotiations in 1987 and 1988. In that position he was responsible both for negotiating the dispute settlement provisions and overseeing the drafting of the Canada US Free trade Agreement as well as its implementation legislation.
He has also held senior positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Industry, and Department of Justice.