The Honourable Mr Justice Peter deCarteret Cory was appointed by the British and Irish governments to investigate allegations of security force collusion with paramilitaries in six separate murder cases in Ireland.
In May 2002 the governments announced that the retired Canadian Supreme Court judge would investigate the murders of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and his colleague, Superintendent Bob Buchanan.
It was also announced that he would investigate the deaths of Pat Finucane, Lord Justice and Lady Gibson, Robert Hamill, Rosemary Nelson and Billy Wright.
Announcing the appointment, the Republic's foreign affairs minister Brian Cowen said the judge had the full support of both governments in carrying out his cross-border probe.
The then secretary of state Dr John Reid said the British government was committed to ensuring that Mr Justice Cory had all the support and resources he needed during the 18-month investigation.
The judge was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1925 and studied at the University of Western Ontario (Assumption) and Osgoode Hall Law School.
He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Airforce, working overseas with 6th Bomber Group before being called to the Onatrio Bar in 1950. However, he remained a member of the reserve army for another two years.
In 1963, the lawyer was appointed QC and was elected to the bench in 1971. Three years later he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario High Court and moved to the Ontario Court of Appeal in 1981.
He spent 10 years in the Supreme Court before his retirement in 1999.
Mr Justice Cory is married to Edith Nash and the couple have three sons.
