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

OTTAWA, ON, July 24, 2024 /CNW/ - 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 Renee M. Pomerance, Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the Southwest Region, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Toronto. Justice Pomerance replaces Justice D.H. Doherty, who resigned effective March 9, 2024.

The Honourable E. Ria Tzimas, a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Brampton, is appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the Central West Region. Justice Tzimas replaces Justice L. Ricchetti (Brampton), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective July 30, 2023.

Michelle Flaherty, a sole practitioner in Ottawa, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in L'Orignal. Justice Flaherty replaces Justice J.O.R. Pelletier (L'Orignal), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective May 1, 2023.

Brian DeLorenzi, Partner at O'Neill DeLorenzi Nanne in Sault Ste. Marie, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Sault Ste. Marie. Justice DeLorenzi replaces Justice E.E. Gareau (Sault Ste. Marie), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective June 30, 2024.

Jacqueline A. Horvat, Counsel at Gillian Hnatiw & Co. in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Windsor. Justice Horvat replaces Justice K.W. Munroe (Windsor), who retired effective February 7, 2024.

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"I wish Justices Pomerance, Tzimas, Flaherty, DeLorenzi, and Horvat every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Ontarians well as members of the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario". 

—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biographies

Justice Renee M. Pomerance received a Bachelor of Science (Honours – with distinction) in 1984 and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 1987 from the University of Toronto. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1989.

Justice Pomerance was appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the Southwest Region in October 2023. She was previously appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in 2006. Before becoming a member of the judiciary, she practised with Crown Law Office - Criminal, Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario (1989-2006) with leaves of absence to act as counsel to the Honourable Peter Cory (2002-2003), and to act as Senior Advisor at the National Judicial Institute, Ottawa (2003-2004). Her practice expertise was in the areas of criminal law, constitutional law, and judicial education.

Justice E. Ria Tzimas received a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in 1988. She received a Bachelor of Laws in 1991 from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Master of Law in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution in 1999. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1993.

At the time of her appointment to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in 2012, Justice Tzimas was a Crown attorney with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. She was previously an associate with Sotos, Karvanis in Toronto from 1993 to 1998. Her main areas of practice were Aboriginal law, civil litigation, and dispute resolution.

Justice Tzimas was an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School from 2009 to 2012.

Justice Michelle Flaherty graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Bishop's University in 1992. She then attended the University of Ottawa, receiving an LLB from the French Common Law Program in1998 and a Masters of Law in 2012. She clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2001.

Justice Flaherty was an Associate professor of law at the University of Ottawa from 2012 to 2018. Her teaching focussed on access to justice and, more specifically, the role judges and other adjudicators play in making the justice system more accessible. She received an Excellence in teaching award in 2016. She also practised civil litigation, labour and employment law, and human rights with a leading Ontario law firm. In 2008, she became a Vice-Chair of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and, was more recently a labour arbitrator, mediator, and independent investigator working in French and English in many Canadian jurisdictions. She was inducted into the University of Ottawa Common Law Honours Society for her service to the law school and the profession. In 2011, she was named one of Bishop's University's Top 10 after 10 graduates.

Justice Flaherty is a franco-Ontarian from rural eastern Ontario. She is grateful for the support of her family, her husband Blake, and their two children.

Justice Brian DeLorenzi was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie. He obtained a Bachelor of Public Administration degree in 1997 followed by a Bachelor of Laws in 2001 from the University of Windsor. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2002. 

Justice DeLorenzi began his law career as an associate at O'Neill DeLorenzi Cresswell Ostroski, now O'Neill DeLorenzi Nanne where he had been a partner since 2007. He worked in all areas of civil litigation primarily in insurance defence with a focus on personal injury. His practice also involved a wide range of civil litigation including estate, commercial, and employment disputes. He appeared at every level of court in Ontario. His varied practice allowed him to represent a diverse range of public organizations, private companies, and individuals. 

Justice DeLorenzi was a frequent contributor to continuing legal education and was actively involved in his community. He was a member of the Algoma District Law Association and also served on its executive including as president. He served as Treasurer on the board of the local John Howard Society. He enjoyed taking an active role coaching his children hockey and football teams. He served the Italian community of Sault Ste. Marie as a counselor and as the president of the G. Marconi Society. 

Justice DeLorenzi and his wife Mary have three children who they are extremely proud of. He is happiest on his boat and with his family at the cottage on Lake Huron.

Justice Jacqueline A. Horvat grew up in Windsor where she obtained her LL.B. from the University of Windsor in 2001. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2002.

Justice Horvat practiced as a litigation lawyer representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial disputes, shareholder oppression disputes, economic torts, class action litigation, civil sexual assault, and appeals. She was also involved in collaborative projects with the University of Windsor, including the Reclaim Pro Bono Project which provides free legal advice and representation to clients who have suffered technology facilitated violence. She was also a frequent guest lecturer at University of Windsor's Faculty of Law.

In 2022, during her third term as a bencher, Justice Horvat was elected as the Treasurer of the Law Society of Ontario, the top elected official of the body regulating Ontario's nearly 60,000 lawyers and 11,000 paralegals. She championed equity, diversity and inclusion, access to justice, women in law, and the use of technology in law. She is also a past Vice-President and past Ontario representative on the Council of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. She chaired the National Requirement Review Committee. She previously served as a director of Library Co. Inc. (now LiRN) and of the Ontario Judicial Education Network (OJEN), an organization dedicated to fostering public understanding of the judicial system.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 760 judges since November 2015. This includes 137 appointments since the Honourable Arif Virani became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023, a pace of appointments that has no precedent in Canadian History. 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Chantalle Aubertin, Deputy Director, Communications, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations: Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]