OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/19/13 -- The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada (OSB), today announced the appointment of William James as Superintendent of Bankruptcy.

"The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy is key to protecting the integrity of our bankruptcy and insolvency system," said Minister Paradis. "I am pleased that Mr. James will be leading the organization, ensuring that bankruptcies and insolvencies are administered in a fair and orderly manner for the benefit of investors, lenders, consumers and all Canadians."

Mr. James has worked in various capacities for the federal government, including Industry Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Environment Canada. In 2008, he joined Industry Canada as Director General of Service Industries and Consumer Products and served as Director General of Human Resources. Prior to this, he was Director General of Employment Insurance Policy, Senior Director of Labour Market Policy and Director of Federal-Provincial Relations at Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

Mr. James holds a Bachelor of Science from Queen's University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta.

The primary focus of the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy is the effective delivery of its statutory mandate of supervising the administration of all estates and matters to which the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act applies. For more information, visit the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy website (www.osb.ic.gc.ca).