Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Alberta

OTTAWA, ON, August 6, 2021 / CNW / – The Honorable David Lametti, Attorney General and Attorney General of Canada, announced today the following appointments under the judicial application process introduced in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit and the diversity of the Canadian population and will continue to ensure the appointment of lawyers who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

The honorable L. Bernette Ho, a judge on the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta In Calgary, is appointed as the appellate judge of the appellate court Alberta. Madam Justice ho replaces Mr. Justice JDB McDonald (Calgary) who was chosen to effectively become an adjunct judge August 31, 2018.

The Honorable Anne Kirker, a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta In Calgary, is appointed as the appellate judge of the appellate court Alberta. Madam Churches of Justice replaces Mr. Justice BK O’Ferrall (Calgary) who was chosen to effectively become an adjunct judge March 3, 2021.

Colin CJ Feasby, QC, partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Calgary, becomes Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of. appointed Alberta. Gentleman. Justice Feasby replaces Ms. Justice LB Ho, which will be brought to the appellate court of Alberta Effective 4th August 2021.

Eleanor J. Funk, Individual practitioner in Calgary, becomes Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of. appointed Alberta. Madam Justice funk replaces Mr. Justice J. Hopkins (Deer) who died May 23, 2021.

Quote

“I wish the judges Ho, Kirker, Feasby and Funk every success in taking on their new roles. I am confident that they will serve the people of the United States Alberta as well as members of the Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta. ”
– The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biographies

Judge L. Bernette Ho was appointed Court of Queen’s Bench of. appointed Alberta (Calgary) in 2018. She came to Canada when she was six months old and her parents emigrated the Phillipineswhere they were both of Chinese descent. She completed all of her early education in Cochrane, Alberta. She earned a BA (Honors) in Communication Science from University of Calgary (1992) and an LL.B from the University of Alberta (1995). She was appointed to the bar Alberta in 1996.

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Madam Justice ho spent her entire law practice at Macleod Dixon (now Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP), where she focused on energy law matters, including oil and gas and electricity, as well as labor, arbitration and administrative law and commercial disputes. During her 23 years with the firm, she was also heavily involved in several community projects, including the Partnership in Education program, among others Calgary The Ministry of Education led an initiative that brought private institutions together with schools. She was also the firm’s agent for the Law Society of Albertas Justicia project aimed at retaining female lawyers and promoting diversity.

Judge Anne Kirker became the Court of Queen’s Bench of. appointed Alberta (Calgary) in 2018. She worked full time as a nurse after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Alberta 1987. She graduated with a law degree from University of Calgary in 1991.

Madam Churches of Justice worked for 26 years as a civil litigation attorney in her own practice and dealt with complex commercial and professional liability matters. Her work on behalf of other lawyers and law firms in the field of professional negligence has faced a wide variety of legal issues arising from family, personal injury, real estate, corporate law, conflict of laws, contracts, insurance, wills and estates, taxes, and a few criminals Affairs. Churches of Justice worked on cases submitted to the Supreme Court of. went Canada, including a judicial challenge that encompasses principles of private international law and business separation issues. In 2012 she was appointed Queen’s Counsel.

In 2004, Churches of Justice made Lexpert one of the top 40 under 40 lawyers in Canada, and between 2011 and 2017 she was named one of the best lawyers in. excellent Canada, was named Lawyer of the Year in the field of insurance law in 2012, in 2014 for lawyer error law, in 2016 for appointment practice and in 2017 for corporate litigation. She was considered one of Canada Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2014 by the Women’s Executive Network and in 2016 as a Fellow by the American College of Trial Lawyers Alberta from 2012 to 2016 and as President from 2016 to 2017.

Justice Colin CJ Feasby, QC, received his BA from Episcopal University, his LL.B from the University of Alberta where he was the best of his year and his LL.M and JSD from Columbia University. He was a trainee lawyer at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and Court of Appeal and was appointed to the Alberta Bar in 1999.

Gentleman. Justice Feasby practiced on the Calgary Office of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and was Office Managing Partner from 2017 to 2020. He also maintained an active pro bono public interest practice, representing clients in important cases relating to freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the rights of self-represented litigants, access to justice and the right to vote. Justice Feasby has appeared in proceedings in many jurisdictions across the country, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and has published on a range of business and constitutional topics. He is a leading expert on law and democracy and is regularly cited by courts and academic authorities Canada and elsewhere.

Justice Feasby’s The social engagement focused on youth and sport. He has been involved in youth basketball as a trainer and administrator for many years. He was a fundraiser and advisor to Right to Play in Alberta and a member of the Board of Directors of Children First Canada.

Justice Feasby and his wife Becky are the proud parents of two college students.

Justice Eleanor J.. Funk was born in Winnipeg and grew up in Edmonton . She completed her post-secondary studies at University of Alberta, earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1992 and a Bachelor of Laws in 2000. In 2001 she was appointed to the Alberta Bar.

Madam Justice funk moved to Calgary to begin her article in the City of Calgary Legal Department, where she gained experience in civil litigation and administrative, local and quasi-criminal law. Shortly after she was appointed to the bar, she joined the Federal Department of Justice, where she represented the Crown, primarily in drug trials under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Her professional focus was in the area of ​​criminal law, including a short self-directed research sabbatical in the Dominican Republic. She has been working as a freelance criminal defense lawyer since 2007, with a keen interest and focus on constitutional issues. She had the privilege of appearing in court before all instances Alberta and Saskatchewan, the provincial courts of BC and Manitoba, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justice funk Mentoring the Law Society’s Mentor Express Program and the Canadian Bar Association’s Mentor Program was great fun. Every year she was one of many honorary guest lecturers at the University of Calgary Legal internship for third year law students.

In her spare time, Justice funk enjoys cooking and Spanish classes, as well as the company of friends and family. When she’s not working, she can usually be found out in the wild with her beloved dog.

Fast facts

• Since then, more than 475 judges have been appointed at the Superior Court level November 2015. These exceptional lawyers stand for diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and the appointments reflect increased representation from visible minorities, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ2 + and those who identify as disabled.

• The government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, the 2018 budget provides funding for $ 77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of the unified family courts, starting in 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial offices in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

• The appointments to federal judges are made by the Governor General on the proposal of the Federal Cabinet and on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice.

• The judicial advisory boards throughout Canada play a key role in evaluating court applications. There are 17 legal advisory committees on which each province and territory is represented.

• Substantial reforms of the role and structure of the legal advisory committees with the aim of improving the independence and transparency of the process were carried out on. announced 20th October 2016.

• The government of Canada advocates a justice system in which sexual assaults are judged fairly, without the influence of myths and stereotypes, and in which survivors are treated with dignity and compassion. Amendments to the Judges Act and the Criminal Code, which took effect on. entered into force May 6, 2021, means that candidates for appointment to a regional court must agree to receive training on sexual assault law and social context matters, including systemic racism and systemic discrimination. The new law increases the transparency of decisions by amending the Criminal Code so that judges provide written reasons or put them on record when deciding on sexual assault.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

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