Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Quebec
News release
October 10, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada
The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments under the judicial application process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
The Honourable Éric Hardy, a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Québec, is appointed a puisne Judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec. Justice Hardy replaces Mr. Justice G. Gagnon, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective September 5, 2023.
Maxime Roy, Partner at Roy & Charbonneau Avocats in Québec, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Québec. Justice Roy replaces Justice É. Hardy who was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Quebec effective October 6, 2023.
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“I wish Justices Hardy and Roy every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Quebecers well as members of the Court of Appeal and the Superior Court of Quebec.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biographies
Justice Éric Hardy was appointed the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Québec in 2018. He received his LL.B. from Université Laval in 1987. As a Commonwealth Scholar, he undertook master’s studies at the University of London (Queen Mary College), in England, where he obtained an LL.M. in 1989.
At the time of his appointment to the Superior Court of Quebec, Justice Hardy was practising with Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in Québec City as a litigator. He began his career as a lawyer with the Montreal law firm of Phillips & Vineberg (now Davies) in commercial litigation in 1990. Over the years, he has practised in many areas of law, including insurance law, civil and professional liability law, commercial and business law, and environmental law. He has argued cases before all levels of court in Quebec and before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Throughout his practice, Justice Hardy has contributed to the education and mentorship of young lawyers. He has also worked on simplifying proceedings to ensure access to justice and fairness.
Justice Maxime Roy grew up in Arvida in the Saguenay area. In 2004, he graduated from Laval University with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 2006.
During his time in private practice, Justice Roy worked as defence counsel at the law firm now known as Roy & Charbonneau Avocats, where he focused mainly on criminal law. Since 2016, he has been the firm’s Managing Partner. He has appeared before all levels of the courts and has argued many landmark cases. He has also advised and accompanied numerous victims of crime.
Justice Roy received the best litigant award in the Dean’s Cup Finals in 2004 and the Louis-Philippe Pigeon prize in 2014. He was very active in the profession: he taught at the École du Barreau and at the Trial Advocacy Seminar in Sherbrooke and sat on the Quebec Bar’s board of directors, the liaison committee of the Quebec Court of Appeal, and Justice Canada’s steering committee on judicial efficiency. He has also written several articles and given several training sessions on criminal and penal law.
Justice Roy is an avid trail runner, cyclist and skier. He cherishes quality time with his partner, Cindy Boulanger-Gobeil, and their young boy, Laurent Roy.
Quick facts
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The Government of Canada has appointed more than 655 judges since November 2015. The Honourable Arif Virani has made 30 appointments since becoming Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of racialized persons, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
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To support the needs of the courts and improve access to justice for all Canadians, the Government of Canada is committed to increasing the capacity of superior courts. Budget 2022 provides for 22 new judicial positions, along with two associate judges at the Tax Court of Canada. Along with the 13 positions created under Budget 2021, this makes a total of 37 newly created superior court positions. Since Budget 2017, the government has funded 116 new judicial positions.
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Changes to the Questionnaire for Federal Judicial Appointments were announced in September 2022. The questionnaire continues to provide for a robust and thorough assessment of candidates but has been streamlined and updated to incorporate, among other things, more respectful and inclusive language for individuals to self-identify diversity characteristics.
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Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
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The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.
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Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Advisory Committees, aimed at enhancing the independence and transparency of the process, were announced on October 20, 2016.
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The Government of Canada is committed to promoting a justice system in which sexual assault matters are decided fairly, without the influence of myths and stereotypes, and in which survivors are treated with dignity and compassion. Changes to the Judges Act and Criminal Code that came into force on May 6, 2021, mean that in order to be eligible for appointment to a provincial superior court, candidates must agree to participate in continuing education on matters related to sexual assault law and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination. The new legislation enhances the transparency of decisions by amending the Criminal Code to require that judges provide written reasons, or enter them into the record, when deciding sexual assault matters.
Contacts
For more information, media may contact:
Chantalle Aubertin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-6568
Chantalle.Aubertin@justice.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
media@justice.gc.ca
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