Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment to the Federal Court

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 11, 2022 /CNW/ - The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment 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.

Guy Régimbald, Partner at Gowling WLG in Ottawa, is appointed a Judge of the Federal Court. Justice Régimbald replaces Justice R. LeBlanc, who was elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal effective April 28, 2020.

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"I wish Justice Régimbald every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve Canadians well as a member of the Federal Court."

—The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biography

Justice Guy Régimbald obtained his LL.B. from the University of Ottawa and his B.C.L. from the University of Oxford. He was called to the Law Society of Ontario in 2002, the Barreau du Québec in 2007, and the Law Society of Nunavut in 2016.

Justice Régimbald was the National Leader of the Administrative Law Group at Gowling WLG, where his practice focused on constitutional and administrative law, Indigenous law, intellectual property, and taxation. He has appeared before courts and tribunals across Canada, including 26 appeals at the Supreme Court of Canada. Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Justice Régimbald was a law clerk to the Honourable Mr. Justice Rothstein and the Honourable Mr. Justice Major of the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as for Mr. Justice (now Chief Justice) Marc Noël at the Federal Court of Appeal. He also worked for the Department of Justice in the Constitutional and Administrative Law Section and for the Privy Council of Canada, and taught constitutional law, administrative law and international law at the University of Ottawa.

At the time of his appointment, Justice Régimbald was Chair of the Canadian Bar Association's Federal Courts Bench and Bar Liaison Committee and Past Chair of the CBA's Administrative Law Section. He also served on the executive of the CBA's Constitutional and Human Rights Law Section.

Justice Régimbald is the author of Canadian Administrative Law, Halsbury's Administrative Law, and Halsbury's Constitutional Law – Division of Powers, and co-author of The Law of the Canadian Constitution, all published by LexisNexis. He is also a co-author of Supreme Court of Canada Practice, published by Carswell. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada in Administrative and Public Law and in Appellate Practice (lawyer of the year in both categories), by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for his work in Indigenous Law and Litigation – Public Law, by Chambers Canada in Litigation: Public & Administrative Law, and by Managing Intellectual Property in copyright law and trademarks.

Justice Régimbald and his spouse are the proud parents of two young daughters.

Quick facts

• At the Superior Court level, more than 560 judges have been appointed since November 2015. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of visible minorities, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
• The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 provides funding of $77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts, beginning in 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

media may contact Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]