Legislative Assembly Approves Reappointments for Independent Officer Positions: Child and Youth Advocate and Information and Privacy Commissioner

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, May 8, 2025 – On April 10, 2025, the Legislative Assembly approved motions of reappointment for independent statutory officers: the Child and Youth Advocate and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. These motions followed a recommendation by the Standing Committee on Legislative Assembly Management resulting from a public competition initiated by this committee. In each case the top candidate was recommended to the Legislative Assembly by the committee. These independent officers are non-partisan and serve important roles in assisting the Legislative Assembly in providing government oversight.

Child and Youth Advocate

The Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a motion to appoint Mr. Marvin M. Bernstein, B.A., J.D., LL.M. (ADR) as Child and Youth Advocate).  Mr. Bernstein has been in the role on PEI since July 2020. He will continue to serve as a voice for Island children and youth to ensure that their interests and well-being are respected in government practice, policy and legislation until July 2030.

Mr. Bernstein has decades of relevant experience both professionally and personally. He is very passionate about improving the life conditions of children and youth and also about child rights advocacy, with the goal of ensuring that the fundamental human rights and dignity of all children and youth are respected everywhere.

Throughout his professional career, he has held many roles, including that of Children’s Advocate for the Province of Saskatchewan and Chief Policy Advisor for UNICEF Canada, while also having extensive experience in child welfare, policy, government/stakeholder relations, management, alternative dispute resolution and communications/media relations. Mr. Bernstein is an experienced lawyer, who has a Bachelor of Arts, a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution and has engaged in child rights advocacy before the Supreme Court of Canada and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Switzerland.

Marv has received several honours and awards related to his child and youth advocacy. He has been awarded the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and is the recipient of both the Child Welfare League of Canada Advocacy Award and the North America Council on Adoptable Children Adoption Activist Award. He has also been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus and Children’s Champion for Justice by the University of Toronto and as a Distinguished Canadian Endorser by invitation of the Joint Statement on the Physical Punishment of Children and Youth.

Information and Privacy Commissioner

The reappointment of Information and Privacy Commissioner was confirmed as Ms. Denise N. Doiron, BSc. LLB, from Charlottetown. Ms. Doiron will continue in the role until 2030. The Information and Privacy Commissioner upholds the public’s right to access government held information and access to their own personal information, while ensuring that personal information held by public institutions remains private and secure. The Information and Privacy Commissioner is now also responsible for the Health Information Act, as well as FOIPP.

Ms. Doiron has extensive legal practice experience and has been a member in good standing with the Law Society of Prince Edward Island since December 1997.  She has been the Information and Privacy Commissioner since June 2020.

During the majority of her legal career, Denise served as legal counsel within the PEI Provincial Government and represented most levels and areas of the PEI Provincial Government, including programs, departments, administrative tribunals, and Crown Corporations. She also served as legal counsel to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board for a time. Denise has practiced in most areas of law, including but not limited to administrative law and access to information and protection of privacy matters, and has expertise in the interpretation and application of statutory law and common law.