Judicial Advisory Committee Appointments
Backgrounder
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Brenda J. Brown | Vancouver, BC | The Honourable Brenda J. Brown was raised in southern Alberta, in the now-famous Pincher Creek area. She attended the University of Alberta for her undergraduate degree and the University of Victoria for her law degree. She clerked with the British Columbia Court of Appeal and then articled with Boughton & Company in Vancouver. She practiced briefly in Prince Rupert before returning to Vancouver to practice with Boughton & Company until 1995. She then moved to practice with Davis & Company until her appointment to the bench in 2002. Her practice was primarily in commercial litigation, specializing in insolvency before all levels of courts in British Columbia. Since her appointment to the bench, she has continued to lecture extensively at class action and insolvency conferences. Since 2009, Justice Brown has served as the Western Administrative Judge for the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. |
| CBA | Rajwant (Raji) Mangat | Vancouver, BC | Raji Mangat is a Vancouver-based lawyer practicing in the areas of constitutional and administrative law. She currently serves as the Director of Litigation at West Coast LEAF. Her work focuses on substantive equality for women through systemic advocacy covering areas such as criminal justice, family law, child protection, and access to justice. She is also the Vice President of the Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia. Ms. Mangat began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honourable Frank Iacobucci at the Supreme Court of Canada. She then went on to work as a litigation associate at the New York City office of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. After leaving private practice, Ms. Mangat worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague and at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in London, UK. Upon her return to Canada, she practiced law at the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association and at Hunter Litigation Chambers in Vancouver before taking up her current position. Ms. Mangat is of South Asian descent and proud to call Grande Prairie, Alberta her hometown. |
| Law Society | Jan Lindsay, QC | Vancouver, BC | Jan Lindsay, QC is a founding partner of Lindsay LLP and has practiced civil litigation since 1981, specializing in personal injury law. Ms. Lindsay has advocated for the rights of minorities and underrepresented groups in her capacities as Governor of the Law Foundation of British Columbia and President and Life Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. Notably, she has led the profession through her work with the Task Force for the Retention of Women in Legal Practice. During this time, she raised four children and volunteered extensively in her community with Langley Children’s Society, serving children with special needs. In recognition of her work, Ms. Lindsay was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2009 and, among other awards, received the Lee Samis Award of Excellence in 2011 and the BC Women Lawyers Forum Award of Excellence in 2013. |
| Attorney General | Charlotte A. Salomon, QC | Victoria, BC | Charlotte A. Salomon, QC is a partner with McConnan Bion O’Connor & Peterson in Victoria, British Columbia. She has distinguished herself through her community and professional involvement. She has served as Chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee for the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch; was elected a member of the CBA’s Provincial Council for Victoria County; acted as General Counsel for Chabad of Vancouver Island Society; and volunteered with the BC Paraplegic Association and the Jewish Federation of Victoria. Notably, she has organized judicial panels with the aim of encouraging diversity among judicial applicants to the courts in British Columbia, and served on the Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council of BC, which appoints provincial court judges, for six years. |
| Public Rep #1 | Dean A. Crawford, QC | North Vancouver, BC | Dean A. Crawford, QC is a lawyer with Coutts Pulver Crawford LLP, practicing primarily workplace law. Called to the British Columbia Bar in 1995, Mr. Crawford has long worked to strengthen our legal system and to promote access to justice. In 1997-1998, he was a special assistant to the Honourable Allan Rock, first in the Department of Justice and later in the Department of Health. In 2013-2014, he served a term as President of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch), where he led law reform and policy initiatives, including advocating for increased diversity on the bench and for enhanced support for legal aid. In 2014, he was a member of the Judicial Council for British Columbia, recommending appointments to the British Columbia provincial courts. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Society of BC; in this capacity, he advises on access to justice and legal system reform. Outside of the practice of law, Mr. Crawford volunteers with the North Shore Girls Soccer Club. |
| Public Rep #2 | Stephen (Steve) Hanuse | Vancouver, BC | Steve Hanuse is from the ʼNa̱mgis First Nation of Alert Bay, Vancouver Island. Over the course of his 26-year career with the Vancouver Police Department, Constable Hanuse has worked in a diverse range of communities. Since 2009, he has served as the Department’s liaison officer with the Musqueam Indian Band, working to deliver community policing initiatives and to forge strong, trusting relationships with all band members. As part of his role, Constable Hanuse sits on the band’s Justice Committee and on the committee for the Community Wellness Program, in addition to attending camps for at-risk youth. In 2012, in recognition of his tremendous leadership and dedication, he received the Chief Constable R.J. Canuel Award for Community Crime Prevention Excellence. Constable Hanuse has also volunteered to coach youth soccer with the Vancouver Police Soccer and Service Club and has participated in the COPS for Cancer fundraising initiative. |
| Public Rep #3 | Arthur (Art) Sterritt | Prince Rupert, BC | Art Sterritt is an accomplished artist and environmental and economic advocate based in Prince Rupert. A member of the Laxsgiik (Eagle) clan of the Gitga’at Nation of Txałgiu (Hartley Bay), Mr. Sterritt studied printmaking and carving at the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art. As Executive Director of the Coastal First Nations, an alliance of First Nations on British Columbia’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii, Mr. Sterritt has been lauded for his leadership and his ability to bring together a diverse range of people and interests. Notably, he played a critical role in the creation of the Great Bear Rainforest agreements, which protected millions of hectares of the world’s largest remaining coastal rainforest. He continues to speak out about environmental stewardship and sustainable economic development, including working in opposition to pipelines and tanker traffic on the British Columbia coast. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Peter W.L. Martin | Calgary, AB | Born in Varel, West Germany, the Honourable Peter W.L. Martin was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in 1998 and elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2005. Before taking on the role of judge, Justice Martin practiced as a barrister with Evans Martin Wilson from 1995-1998. During this time, from 1995-1996, he also served as President of the Law Society of Alberta. Before joining private practice, Justice Martin was a prosecutor with the Attorney General’s Department of Alberta for 18 years. For ten years, he was assigned to prosecute the most serious and complicated cases in Calgary and later conducted indictable criminal appeals for Southern Alberta. He has appeared at all levels of court in Alberta and before the Supreme Court of Canada. He has taught criminal law and still lectures regularly with the National Judicial Institute. Justice Martin has written numerous papers and articles on issues of criminal law. |
| CBA | Hanan Kamal Campbell | Edmonton, AB | Hanan Kamal Campbell has been in-house counsel at EPCOR Utilities since 2008. She acts as Associate General Counsel, overseeing the legal team at the province’s largest water utility company. Prior to that, Ms. Campbell was legal counsel for the federal Department of Justice in the Commercial Law and Crown Law section. From 1996-1999, she attended law school at the University of Alberta and was awarded the Gordon Wright, QC Memorial Award for superior skill in advocacy. Ms. Campbell has served as the Canadian Bar Association’s Public Sector Lawyers Group Coordinator and sat on the Board of the City West Child Care Society, a not-for-profit daycare society. |
| Law Society | Wendy E. Best, QC | Calgary, AB | Wendy E. Best, QC is a partner with Dunphy Best Blocksom LLP, practicing in the area of family law. Since 2008, she has been a member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Since 1996, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Research Institute of Law & Family, serving as the Institute’s President and Vice-President for eleven years. From 1997-2003, Ms. Best served as a member of the Alberta Securities Commission – acting as Chair of the Enforcement Committee from 2002-2003, Director of the Enforcement Selection Committee, and a member of the Selection Committee from 2000-2003. She has also sat on the Board of Directors of Student Legal Assistance at the University of Calgary. Ms. Best has presented prolifically in the areas of family law, ethics, and practice matters. |
| Attorney General | Michelle Christopher, QC | Calgary, AB | Michelle Christopher, QC is the Executive Director of the University of Calgary’s Student Legal Assistance clinic. She is also an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law, where she teaches first-year and advanced criminal courses. Ms. Christopher also lectures with the Legal Education Society of Alberta in the areas of criminal law, wills and estates, trial advocacy, and family law, amongst others. Prior to her work with the University of Calgary, she acted as staff counsel for the Youth Criminal Defence Office in Calgary. She is a mediator and dispute resolution officer with the Court of Queen’s Bench, and has acted as a mediator with Legal Aid Alberta’s Family Settlement Services. Ms. Christopher has been recognized for her outstanding contributions, having been appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016, receiving the Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Community, and being nominated as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada in 2014. |
| Public Rep #1 | Jennifer N. Davis | Lethbridge, AB | Jennifer N. Davis is a psychologist and an instructor at the Centre of Applied Arts and Sciences of Lethbridge College. She holds a BA from Cornell University, a PhD in psychology from McMaster University, and is a member of the American Psychological Association. As the mother of a transgender daughter, she is an activist and an ally, committed to standing with the trans community of Alberta. She has worked with organizations including OUTreach Southern Alberta and the Trans Equality Society of Alberta, advocating for LGBTQ2 rights in Alberta schools, greater awareness of the trans experience, and the explicit recognition of gender identity in human rights legislation. |
| Public Rep #2 | Danika Billie Littlechild | Maskwacis, AB | Danika Billie Littlechild is a sole practitioner who lives and works in Ermineskin Cree Nation, located in Maskwacis, Alberta. In 2015, Ms. Littlechild received her LLM from the University of Victoria on the issue of First Nations and water governance in Canada. Prior to this, she received a fellowship in comparative and federal Indigenous peoples’ law from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She practices in the areas of Indigenous law, international law, environmental law, corporate and not-for-profit governance, and Indigenous governance. She is the consulting legal counsel to the International Indian Treaty Council, which has General Consultative NGO status with the United Nations. She is a member of the Assembly of First Nations Advisory Committee on Climate Action and the Environment and the National Water Technical Advisory Committee. In 2014, Ms. Littlechild was appointed Vice President of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. |
| Public Rep #3 | Jelle Jeen Van Ens | Beaver County, AB | Jelle Jeen Van Ens is social worker who has devoted his career to supporting and advocating for marginalized populations. He currently serves as Manager of Family & Youth Services for Boyle Street Community Services, working with clients who experience racism, poverty, and homelessness. He develops and manages programs that assist street-involved youth; individuals with FASD or mental health issues; families dealing with domestic violence or Child and Family Services involvement; and Indigenous clients facing the intergenerational effects of the residential school system. Outside of this work, Mr. Van Ens is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta. Since launching his career in 1987, Mr. Van Ens been a mental health worker in the inner city, a housing outreach worker for the Canadian Mental Health Association, and a mental health therapist for Alberta Health Services. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Sarah E. Pepall | Toronto, ON | The Honourable Sarah E. Pepall was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 1999 and to the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2012. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1978 and, prior to her appointment, was a partner at McMillan Binch. There she practiced civil and commercial litigation and was active on management, including serving as the firm’s managing partner. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was also Chair of the Board of the National MS Society of Canada; a member of the Advocates’ Society Board of Directors and editor of its publication “The Brief”; and a member of the Dickson Circle. While on the Superior Court, she served as a Civil Team Leader and then as the Commercial List Team Leader. She also served as President of the Ontario Superior Court Judges’ Association. |
| CBA | Arleen Huggins | Toronto, ON | Arleen Huggins is a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP and the head of the firm’s Employment Law Group. She has expertise in employment law, human rights law, and commercial litigation. As a Black Canadian woman, she won a 2016 Lexpert Zenith Award: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion for her work as the former President of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and former Chair of both the Canadian Bar Association Standing Committee on Equity and the Ontario Bar Association Equal Opportunity Committee (for which she won an OBA Linda Adlam Manning Award for Volunteerism). Ms. Huggins was also on the founding Board of the African Canadian Legal Clinic and currently serves on the Doctors Without Borders Human Resources Committee. |
| Law Society | Emily C. Cole | Toronto, ON | Emily C. Cole is a partner at Miller Thomson, with specialized expertise in securities litigation and white-collar defence. She has extensive experience in complex, multi-jurisdiction investigations and prosecutions of directors and officers of public companies. Prior to joining Miller Thomson, she was senior litigation counsel with the Ontario Securities Commission, responsible for prosecuting individuals who were alleged to have breached Ontario’s securities laws. She taught trial advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School and the University of Toronto for over a decade. A citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario, Ms. Cole acts as a mentor to Aboriginal peoples through the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Equity and Diversity Mentorship Program. As a volunteer, she has lent her talents to numerous organizations, including the Advocates’ Society, the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association, the Massey Centre (which provides housing and resources for pregnant and parenting young women), and Women’s Legal and Education Fund (LEAF). |
| Attorney General | Rosella Cornaviera | Cobourg, ON | Rosella Cornaviera is General Counsel with Crown Law Office Criminal in Toronto. Over the course of her 28-year career with the Crown, Ms. Cornaviera has conducted criminal prosecutions and appeals at all levels of court in Ontario and before the Supreme Court of Canada. She has participated in a range of committees and roundtables focused on diverse aspects of criminal law – including the Domestic Violence Bail Experts Table, the Civil Liberties Roundtable, and the Debwewin Implementation Committee, focused on increasing Indigenous representation on juries. From 2014-2016, Ms. Cornaviera was Deputy Director of Criminal Policy, working on law reform and policy issues including Aboriginal justice, youth justice, sexual violence, and mental health. She has volunteered with the Ontario Justice Education Network and Women’s Legal and Education Fund, and previously served on the Board of the College-Montrose Children’s Place. |
| Public Rep #1 | Keith Forde | Toronto, ON | Keith Forde served over 38 years with the Toronto Police Service, including serving as Deputy Chief from 2005-2010. Originally from Barbados, Mr. Forde was Toronto’s first Black Deputy Chief of Police. During his time with the Toronto Police Service, he spearheaded a number of major projects focused on diversity and training. These included initiatives to enhance relationships with youth and to recruit and promote visible minorities, First Nations, and women officers. Currently, Mr. Forde serves as an adjudicator with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. In addition, he sits on the Board of Directors of Innocence Canada and of the Festival Management Committee for the Toronto Caribbean Festival. |
| Public Rep #2 | Helen (Au) Hayward | Toronto, ON | Prior to joining Western Management Consultants, Helen (Au) Hayward served the people of Ontario as a Chief Executive Officer of two provincial adjudicative agencies and Chief Administrative Officer with Justice Ministries. Leveraging her extensive experience, Ms. Hayward specializes in advising clients in the public and not-for-profit sectors on building high-performance organizations. She brings unique insight, expertise and an inclusion lens to her work on board governance, strategic planning and change implementation. A Canadian born in Hong Kong, Ms. Hayward was profiled as a Leader in Action in DiverseCity Counts 2010 by Ryerson University. In 2008, she received the Strategic Leadership Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership for her dedicated public service. Ms. Hayward volunteers her time in the health care and advanced education sectors, serving on the Board of Directors at Sunnybrook Health Sciences and as former Chair of both the Board of Governors of Seneca College and the Board of Directors of the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care. |
| Public Rep #3 | Bruce Rivers | Toronto, ON | Bruce Rivers is the Executive Director of Covenant House, Canada’s largest agency for homeless youth. Covenant House provides a range of services, from crisis housing and health care to job training and mental health programs, to youth aged 16 to 24. Mr. Rivers is a registered social worker and a child welfare expert, having previously served 16 years as Executive Director of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. He has also held positions as CEO of Community Living Toronto and Executive Director of the Child Welfare Secretariat within the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth. He is actively involved in research, advocacy, and public speaking on issues related to children’s welfare. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | Regional Senior Justice Warkentin |
Thunder Bay, ON | The Honourable Bonnie R. Warkentin is the Regional Senior Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the Northwest Region, based in Thunder Bay. She was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in 2008 and was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Territory of Nunavut in 2010. She has presided in both the Northwest and East Regions of Ontario. From 2012-2015, she chaired the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee for Ontario – East and North. Justice Warkentin has experience in all the service areas of the Superior Court (criminal, civil and family), including conducting complex civil and criminal cases. Prior to her appointment to the Superior Court, Justice Warkentin was a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada and chaired or led a number of committees and task forces. Most notably, she was the first woman Chair of Finance in the Law Society’s more than 200-year history. |
| CBA | Juliet Knapton | Ottawa, ON | After clerking at the Federal Court of Canada, Juliet Knapton went on to develop a plaintiff-side litigation practice. She is now an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. She teaches upper-year courses in trial advocacy, both at the university and with the Advocacy Club in Ottawa. The daughter of Chinese-Malaysian and English immigrants to Canada, Ms. Knapton also worked as a teacher in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan and Pereira, Colombia. She has been recognized for her community involvement for her work as Chair of the Equality Committee and Pro Bono Task Force of the Ontario Bar Association. |
| Law Society | Marisa Victor | Ottawa, ON | Prior to starting her own law firm, Marisa Victor was legal counsel to the Commission into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182. She then went on to practice at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP before joining Greenspon, Brown & Associates. Ms. Victor currently practices as a sole practitioner in the areas of plaintiff-side personal injury, defamation, and employment law. Before attending law school, she obtained a Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University and an MA from King’s College London in London, England. Ms. Victor presently also sits as a tribunal member with the Safety, Licensing Appeals and Standards Tribunals Ontario. |
| Attorney General | Celina Reitberger | Thunder Bay, ON | Celina Reitberger is the Executive Director of Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services in Thunder Bay. She first joined Nishnawbe-Aski in 1996, and since then, has filled a number of different roles within the organization, including Restorative Justice Coordinator, Talking Together Manager, and Director of Community Justice Development. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1980, Ms. Reitberger spent 16 years as a sole practitioner focusing on criminal, family, civil and Aboriginal law. Before attending law school, she worked as a high-school mathematics teacher in the Nipigon Red Rock and Lakehead Boards of Education. Ms. Reitberger is deeply involved in Aboriginal justice and equity initiatives. She was a founding director of the Métis National Lawyers’ Association and currently serves on the advisory committee for the creation of an Indigenous Peoples’ Court in Thunder Bay. She sits on numerous boards, including the Negahneewin Council of Confederation College, the Thunder Bay Police Department Executive Committee on Aboriginal and Diversity Issues, and the Aboriginal Advisory Committee of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. In her spare time, Ms. Reitberger volunteers with youth in her community – including volunteering for the past five years as a square dance coach at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School and travelling with students on the winter road to four First Nations. |
| Public Rep #1 | Mary Kloosterman | Perth Road, ON | Mary Kloosterman is CEO of the YMCA of Kingston, a position she has held since 2008. In this role, she has built lasting partnerships with other organizations and has increased the YMCA’s capacity to spark meaningful change in the community. A graduate of Queen’s University, Ms. Kloosterman is also actively engaged in volunteer work focusing on children’s mental health. She currently holds leadership positions on the Boards of Directors of two organizations – Pathways for Children and Youth, an agency providing children’s mental health and autism services, and Children’s Mental Health of Ontario. |
| Public Rep #2 | Antje McNeely | Odessa, ON | Antje McNeely has served over 30 years with the Kingston Police, most recently as Deputy Chief (2011-present) and interim Chief of Police (September 2012 to July 2013). Throughout her career, Deputy Chief McNeely has worked to address issues of sexual and domestic violence, including being a key stakeholder on the Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee. In the community, Deputy Chief McNeely volunteers with the Helen Henderson Care Home for seniors and serves on the Board of Directors of the John Howard Society of Kingston. In recognition of her volunteer and professional accomplishments, Deputy Chief McNeely received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and, in 2015, was appointed a member of the Order of Merit of Police Forces. |
| Public Rep #3 | Pierre Riopel | Alban, ON | Pierre Riopel spent 30 years working as a teacher and senior executive in the education sector, primarily in northeastern Ontario. Currently retired, he was until recently the President of Collège Boréal. Prior to this position, Mr. Riopel held numerous leadership roles with the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario and contributed to the training of future teachers in Laurentian University’s École des sciences de l’éducation. Early in his career, Mr. Riopel spent seven years teaching French, law, history, and geography at the high-school level. A proud Franco-Ontarian and believer in the power of education, Mr. Riopel has deep roots in his province and his community. He currently serves on the boards of the University of Sudbury and the Société historique du Nouvel-Ontario, among other volunteer commitments. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Nicholas P. Kasirer | Montreal, QC | The Honourable Nicholas P. Kasirer was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2009. Before his appointment, he was James McGill Professor of Law and Director of the Quebec Centre for Private and Comparative Law at McGill University, where he also served as Dean of Law from 2003-2009. After clerking at the Supreme Court of Canada, he was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1987. He received a doctorate honoris causa from the Université de Sherbrooke in 2012. Justice Kasirer teaches in the Seminar for Newly Appointed Federal Judges. He also serves as Vice President of the Conférence des juges des cours supérieures du Québec, Trustee of the Foundation for Legal Research, and a member of the Committee for Access to Justice in English of the Bar of Montreal. He has authored more than a dozen books and numerous articles. He has been awarded various prizes, including the Prix de la Fondation du Barreau, the John W. Durnford Law Teaching Award, the Principal David Johnson Medal from McGill University, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Justice Kasirer is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. |
| CBA | Karine Joizil | Terrebonne, QC | Since her call to the Quebec Bar in 2001, Karine Joizil has developed skills in administrative and commercial litigation. In 2014, she joined Belleau Lapointe LLP; previously, she was a partner in a major international firm. Since 2005, she has taught public and administrative law as a lecturer at l’École du Barreau du Québec. In addition to her legal career, Me Joizil is actively involved in her community. She sits as Chair of the Board of the Société québécoise de récupération et de recyclage. Over the years, she has been involved with Tangente, the Réseau québécois de procréation assistée, the YMCA, the Fonds des petits miracles of the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Jeune chambre de commerce haïtienne, and the Cercle des jeunes leaders de la Fondation du CHU Sainte-Justine. Me Joizil has received numerous prizes and distinctions, including the “Young Politically Engaged Leader” award, which she received from the Jeune chambre de commerce haïtienne in 2009. In 2008, she received the “Lawyer of the Year” award in the civil and commercial litigation category from the Jeune Barreau de Montréal. In 2007, Me Joizil was recognized as an honouree of Black History Month. |
| Law Society | The Honourable Louise Mailhot, Ad. E. | Montreal, QC | A former justice of the Quebec Court of Appeal and retired Vice President of the International Association of Judges, the Honourable Louise Mailhot, Ad. E. now acts as counsel and mentor to Fasken Martineau’s litigation and employment law practice groups. A prolific author, she continues to contribute to many publications on the legal system in Canada and abroad. As an international lecturer, the Hon. Louise Mailhot addresses critical issues including legal discipline and ethics, reform of civil justice, judicial writing, and the history of Canadian women in law. In 1965, she was the first woman law clerk admitted to the firm of Martineau Walker. Then, she practiced in labour and public law. In 1974, she was the first woman elected to the executive committee of the Quebec Bar. In 1980, she was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec and, in 1987, was the first woman appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal in Montreal. From 1996-2005, she was elected Vice President of the International Association of Judges. Since 2005, she has acted as the International Association of Judges’ representative to the United Nations. |
| Attorney General | Lucie Lalonde | Gatineau, QC | A member of the Quebec Bar since 1985, Lucie Lalonde practices in family law, mediation, civil law and collaborative law. From 2009-2010, she was bâtonnière of the Barreau de l’Outaouais. She currently serves as chair of the Comité Hull Strasbourg; in this role, she organizes exchanges between the bars of the Outaouais and of Strasbourg. Me Lalonde has also contributed to professional education by teaching courses for the University of Ottawa and the Barreau du Québec. In recognition of her contributions, in 2014, Me Lalonde received the award of merit of the Barreau de l’Outaouais. In addition to her work within the legal profession, she has served her community as President of the Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Papineau (2008-2015) and of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (since 2015). |
| Public Rep #1 | Louis Charette | Montreal, QC | Louis Charette is a partner at Lavery, de Billy. He is recognized nationally for his expertise in civil liability litigation, transportation, product liability, and aviation law. A graduate of McGill University, he was called to the Quebec Bar in 1995 and to the Ontario Bar in 1998. In addition to his practice, Me Charette has lectured in civil procedure at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. He actively contributes to his community, including through his involvement with the Diversity Committee of the International Association of Defense Counsel. As an openly gay man, he uses his legal skills and voice to achieve progress for LGTBQ2 rights as Co-Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Quebec Division’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community Forum and through his work with the Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention Sociale (GRIS) Montreal. This group is dedicated to encouraging a better understanding of the realities of the gay and bisexual community. |
| Public Rep #2 | Ruth Kovac | Côte Saint-Luc, QC | Ruth Kovac is an elected municipal councillor for Côte Saint-Luc. First elected in 1990, she has worked on countless community initiatives, including the construction of a new intergenerational facility, pool and community centre in Côte Saint-Luc. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Mount Sinai Hospital and has organized over 30 blood donor clinics for Héma-Québec and Mount Sinai. Born in Europe to parents who were Holocaust survivors, Ms. Kovac is a proud Canadian and proud contributor to her community. |
| Public Rep #3 | Jean Perras | Chelsea, QC | Between 1993 and 2009, Jean Perras was a municipal councillor and then mayor of Chelsea, Quebec. During his time in office, Mr. Perras focused on sustainable development, making Chelsea a model for other municipalities in the areas of social, environmental, and economic development. The town received awards for its innovative initiatives such as the H2O Chelsea program, which focused on the management of water resources. Before entering municipal government, Mr. Perras worked for 20 years in international development, notably with the Canadian International Development Agency, Canada World Youth, and the UN Development Program. In recent years, Mr. Perras has been an expert advisor on municipal strategic planning. He currently serves on the board of the organization Ottawa Riverkeeper. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Charles W. White | St. John’s, NL | The Honourable Charles W. White was appointed to the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal in 2009. In 1968, Justice White obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from Memorial University of Newfoundland. In 1971, he obtained his law degree from Dalhousie Law School, and in 1972, was admitted to the Bar of Newfoundland and Labrador. Prior to his appointment, he practiced at White Ottenheimer and Baker. He was deeply engaged in the legal profession and in his community, acting as Chair of both the Criminal Code Review Board and the Board of Regents of Memorial University. |
| CBA | Twila E. Reid | Logy Bay, NL | A partner at Stewart McKelvey, Twila E. Reid has developed expertise in the areas of labour and employment law, administrative law, and commercial litigation. She has appeared before all levels of court in Newfoundland and Labrador, and before numerous tribunals and arbitrators. Ms. Reid has extensive community and professional involvement. She is Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Administrative Law Section, a Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre, and a Director of the School Lunch Association. A past Director of the St. John’s Status of Women Council, Ms. Reid writes prolifically on the importance of diversity in the legal system. |
| Law Society | Gladys Dunne | St. John’s, NL | Gladys Dunne was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 1991 and, since then, has practiced law in the areas of family law, real estate, personal injury and wills. Outside of her practice, Ms. Dunne serves as an adjudicator for the provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons, the provincial Human Rights Commission, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and she is the commissioner of the Assessment Review Commission for two provincial municipalities. She also serves as a council member for the Newfoundland and Labrador Council of Health Professionals. Ms. Dunne has acted as legal counsel for non-profits including the Canadian Red Cross Society (Newfoundland and Labrador Branch) and Habitat for Humanity. |
| Attorney General | Derek P. Ford | Bishop’s Falls, NL | Derek P. Ford is a partner at Jewer & Ford, practicing in the areas of criminal law, family law, and civil litigation. Prior to joining private practice, Mr. Ford was a staff solicitor with the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission in Grand Falls-Windsor. Before moving to Grand Falls-Windsor, Mr. Ford lived in Labrador, where he acted as Area Director for the Legal Aid Commission in Wabush and was a Legal Aid staff solicitor in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Mr. Ford volunteers extensively within his community, acting as the Vice President (Public Relations) of the Grand Falls-Windsor Rotary, the Vice President of the Grand Falls-Windsor Toastmasters, and the Past President and Registrar of the Bishop’s Falls Minor Hockey Association. He is a former chair of the Helen Tulk Elementary School Council and a volunteer with the Grand Falls-Windsor Scout Troup. From 2008-2010, he was an instructor and later a training officer with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador City. |
| Public Rep #1 | Remzi Cej | St. John’s, NL | Remzi Cej first arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2000 as a teenage refugee from Kosovo. While still a student, he began volunteering with organizations including War Child Canada and Amnesty International. He received a BA from Memorial University and, as a Rhodes Scholar, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford. In 2011, he was selected as an Action Canada public policy fellow. Mr. Cej currently works as a Manager of Skills and Training Policy for the province’s Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour. Mr. Cej has advocated for the rights of religious and sexual minorities in Canada, including Muslim and LGBTQ2 Canadians. As Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission, a position he has held since 2011, he helped add “gender identity” and “gender expression” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination under the province’s Human Rights Act. |
| Public Rep #2 | Cathy Follett | Grand Bank, NL | For over 20 years, Cathy Follett has served as Town Clerk for the Town of Grand Bank, a fishing community on the southern tip of the Burin Peninsula. Born and raised in Grand Bank, she earned a BA and certificates in business and municipal administration from Memorial University. She returned to her hometown in 1993 to start her career with the Town. She has been a Brownie Leader, President of the Grand Bank Kinette Club, and a member of the Burin Peninsula Voice Against Violence Committee. Each year, she volunteers to organize several dinners for seniors in her community, as well as Grand Bank’s annual Canada Day and Remembrance Day programs. |
| Public Rep #3 | Madelyn Kelly | Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL | Madelyn Kelly is a retired educator and former town councillor from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. She earned a BA and BEd from Memorial University, and spent 32 years teaching English and literature in the public school system. After retirement, she was elected to the Town Council of Happy Valley-Goose Bay for eight years. In that role, she served on committees devoted to economic development, tourism, community cooperation, and more, in addition to helping organize the Labrador Winter Games. In recognition of her years of service, Ms. Kelly was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Wayne Earle Community Service Award from the Community Councils of Labrador. Post-retirement service also included five years with the College of the North Atlantic, where she taught in the Orientation to Trades and Technology Program for Women and in the Aboriginal Cadet Program, a program designed to prepare Indigenous youth for a career with the RCMP. |
| Nominating Body | Name | City | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | The Honourable Wayne D. Cheverie | Charlottetown, PE | The Honourable Wayne D. Cheverie was appointed to the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island in 2001. Justice Cheverie earned his BA at the University of Prince Edward Island and his LLB at Dalhousie University. From 1977 to 1986, he was a partner in the firm of Campbell, Lea, Cheverie, Michael, McConnell and Pigot. Justice Cheverie was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for 5th Queens in 1986, and subsequently reelected in 1989, 1993 and 1996. During his tenure in provincial government, Justice Cheverie occupied a range of roles including Government House Leader, Minister of Justice, Attorney General, Minister of Labour, Minister of Health and Social Services and Provincial Treasurer. From 1997-2001, Justice Cheverie was Chair of the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission. Justice Cheverie is also a former lecturer at the University of Prince Edward Island and previously served as Director of the Catholic Family Services Bureau. |
| CBA | Krista J. MacKay, QC | Summerside, PE | Krista J. MacKay, QC is a lawyer with Prince Edward Island Legal Aid in Summerside, representing low-income clients in criminal and family law proceedings. Prior to joining Legal Aid in 2015, she was a partner with Cox & Palmer (formerly Patterson Palmer), practicing all types of litigation. Outside of the practice of law, Ms. MacKay is engaged in her community in varied ways. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Community Connections, a non-profit organization that provides services to adults with intellectual disabilities. From 2010-2013, she acted as Chair of the PEI Mental Health Review Board. Ms. MacKay is also an NCCP Level II Certified Figure Skating Coach and, for over two decades, has providing coaching to figure skaters of all ages. |
| Law Society | Nancy E. Birt, QC | Charlottetown, PE | Nancy E. Birt, QC is a founding partner of Birt & McNeill Barristers and Solicitors. Established in 1993, the firm is Prince Edward Island’s first and only all-female law firm. Ms. Birt practices corporate and commercial law, administrative law, real estate, and will and estates. She has a long history of contributing to the legal profession, including serving as President of both the Law Society of PEI (2014-2015) and the Canadian Bar Association – PEI Branch (2011-2012). She is committed to issues particular to women in the profession – notably, teaching the Gender Equality component of the provincial bar course for 20 years and organizing Women Lawyers Forum events. Since 2008, she has been Chair of the province’s Labour Relations Board. Ms. Birt is a mother of three and a committed community volunteer. She has volunteered extensively with local schools and community organizations, most recently serving as Chair of the Colonel Gray High School Education Foundation and the school’s annual Christmas Craft Fair. |
| Attorney General | Erin T. Mitchell | Mermaid, PE | Erin T. Mitchell is Deputy Minister and Deputy Attorney General for the Prince Edward Island Department of Justice and Public Safety. Her career has spanned both the public and private sectors. Following her admission to the PEI Bar, she practiced law in Charlottetown, with a primary focus on criminal law. In 2010, she joined the Department of Justice and Public Safety as Director of Justice Policy and Privacy Services. Ms. Mitchell holds an LLB from the University of New Brunswick, an MA in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a BA in Religion and Classical Studies from Bishop’s University. |
| Public Rep #1 | Nadine A. DeWolfe | Charlottetown, PE | Nadine A. DeWolfe is a clinical psychologist and supervisor with Health PEI’s Pediatric Psychology Services. She obtained her PhD in clinical psychology from Dalhousie University in 1998, and since then, has been a dedicated public practice clinician. Dr. DeWolfe works with young children and families from across the province, investigating the possibility of autism-spectrum disorders and other developmental or behavioural challenges. She strives to provide excellent care to each family she encounters, and is committed to improving the quality of service for children and families with complex health needs. She serves as Chair of the PEI Psychologists Registration Board and is the Past President of the Psychological Association of PEI. She has also spoken to the media and presented seminars to parents on topics related to increasing the confidence, self-esteem, and resiliency of young people. A mother of three daughters, Dr. DeWolfe is an active volunteer with her church and her children’s schools. |
| Public Rep #2 | Mary Gloria MacInnis | Charlottetown, PE | Mary MacInnis’s professional career has spanned over 32 years with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). She was one of the first women to become an RBC branch manager in Atlantic Canada, and now holds the leadership position of Community Market Manager for RBC Prince Edward Island. Outside of work, Ms. MacInnis has lent her energies and business acumen to a wide range of charitable causes. She currently sits on the board of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation and is an active member of the PEI chapter of 100 Women Who Care, the Women in Business Association, and the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, among other organizations. Ms. MacInnis believes all volunteer contributions, large and small, are vital to supporting our communities. Over the years, she has organized fundraisers and community events and participated in activities to preserve our environment, including stream clean-ups and tree planting. She has volunteered on Habitat for Humanity builds, prepared food at the local soup kitchen, and served as a team manager and fundraising chair for various teams in minor hockey and baseball leagues – to name some of her many volunteer activities. |
| Public Rep #3 | Ann Sherman | Charlottetown, PE | Ann Sherman is a legal educator and advocate for access to justice. For nearly 20 years, she served as Executive Director of the Community Legal Information Association (CLIA) of Prince Edward Island. As a non-lawyer, she worked to bridge the access to justice gap by providing clear, compelling legal education and information to members of the public. In addition to her work with CLIA, Ms. Sherman was a commissioner of the PEI Human Rights Commission from 2004-2009. She currently serves as Chair of the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention. Ms. Sherman has held leadership roles with the Rotary Club, AIDS PEI, and the United Nations Association in Canada, among other organizations. |
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