JUSTICE JEFFREY JAMES OLIPHANT, COMMISSIONER, was born in Dauphin, Manitoba on February 10, 1944. He and his wife, Irene, have two children, Joel and Renae. He graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba and was called to the bar of the Province of Manitoba June 2, 1967. He joined the law firm of Johnston, Johnston and Johnston as an associate in June of 1967 where he became partner in 1969. Justice Oliphant continuously engaged in the practice of law from 1967 until 1985, with an emphasis on criminal and civil litigation. From 1970 until 1985, he was engaged as an arbitrator in labour arbitrations throughout the Province of Manitoba.

On December 23, 1980, he received an appointment as Queen's Counsel. He was appointed August 22, 1985 as a Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba and on December 24, 1990 he was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba.

Justice Oliphant was appointed June 13, 2002 as a Deputy Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice.

He was a member of the Canadian Judicial Council from 1990 to 2008. He served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Judicial Council, the Judicial Independence Committee, the Administration of Justice Committee and as Vice Chair of the Judicial Conduct Committee, Chair of the Public Information Committee, Trial Courts Committee, the Judges' Technology Advisory Committee, the Sub-Committee on Computer Security and the Judicial Education Committee.

On July 1, 2008, following his appointment as Commissioner, he resigned as Associate Chief Justice and opted for supernumerary status.