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

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 29, 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 Patrick J. Boucher, a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Sudbury, is appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the Northeast Region. Justice Boucher replaces Justice Gregory Ellies, who returned to the regular complement of active Judges effective January 1, 2024.

The Honourable Michael B. J. Carnegie, a Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in London, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in London. Justice Carnegie replaces Justice M.D. Parayeski (Hamilton), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective February 17, 2023. The Chief Justice has transferred Justice M. Valente (Kitchener) into this vacancy and Justice M.D. McArthur (London), into the vacancy left by Justice Valente (Kitchener).  The vacancy is therefore located in London. 

Stephen J. Wojciechowski, Partner at ERYOU Barristers in Thunder Bay, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Thunder Bay. Justice Wojciechowski replaces Justice S.A. Gomery (Ottawa), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario on November 3, 2023, and whose vacancy was transferred to Thunder Bay.

Evelyn M. ten Cate, Partner at Fosters Law LLP in London, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in London. Justice ten Cate replaces Justice B.G. Thomas (London) who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective September 1, 2023.

Joanna M. Shaw, Founder of JMS Law in Barrie, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Family Court, in Newmarket. Justice Shaw fills one of the two remaining positions authorized further to the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1 (Barrie – Family Court). The Chief Justice has transferred Justice J. Bruhn (Newmarket – Family Court) into this vacancy. The vacancy is therefore located in Newmarket – Family Court.

Quote

"I wish Justices Boucher, Carnegie, Wojciechowski, ten Cate, and Shaw every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Ontarians well as  members of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario."

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

Biographies

Justice Patrick J. Boucher received his B.A. (Hons) from McGill University and his LL.B. from the University of Ottawa. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1998.

At the time of his appointment to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in 2020, Justice Boucher was Regional Senior Justice for the Northeast Region at the Ontario Court of Justice. He was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2009 and was a local administrative judge, a director of the Association of Ontario Judges, an education chair for the Northeast, and a member of the Chief Justice's Judicial Pre-trial Best Practices Working Group. He entered private practice in 1998 and spent most of his time in family and criminal litigation in Cochrane North. During that time, he was an active volunteer in the community, including at the Clinique juridique Grand Nord Legal Clinic as well as the health care recruitment and retention committee.

Justice Michael B. J. Carnegie grew up largely in Ottawa, graduating from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in 1995 and Western University's Faculty of Law in 1998. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2000.

Justice Carnegie was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2020. In 2022, he became Local Administrative Justice and was responsible for implementing local practices aimed at mitigating case backlogs. From 2016 to 2020, he was Regional Crown Counsel where he continued to prosecute major cases, conduct conflict prosecutions, provide legal advice to prosecutors and police, and advise the Director of Crown Operations on a wide range of matters. From 2009 to 2016, he commenced secondments on several high-profile major case homicide prosecutions in the Southwest Region. He practiced criminal law in London until his appointment as an Assistant Crown Attorney in Woodstock from 2002 to 2009.

Justice Carnegie has been recognized by the Ministry of the Attorney General and police services for his prosecutorial efforts. He has a passion for legal education and has regularly lectured at Crown attorney and police training seminars. He was a long time Director of the Ontario Crown Attorney's Association Trial Advocacy course.

Justice Carnegie has coached youth hockey and baseball and was the chair of his church's parish council for over a decade.

Justice Stephen J. Wojciechowski received a Bachelor of Arts from Lakehead University in 1985 and graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Laws in 1988. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1990.

Justice Wojciechowski started as an associate with Buset & Eryou - now known as Buset LLP - in a practice which included real estate, wills, labour law, and family law. In 1996, he left Buset LLP to join David W. Eryou and formed ERYOU Barristers which focussed on insurance defence litigation. Serving institutions throughout Northwestern Ontario, he defended claims involving hospital negligence, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful dismissals, human rights applications, and municipal liability claims. He has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justice Wojciechowski has been a member of the Thunder Bay Law Association (TBLA) since his call to the Bar, and has supported, organized and run Continuing Legal Education Programs for the past 25 years. In addition, he has taught at Bora Laskin Law School on the topic of civil practice since the school opened in 2013. He was a director and President of the TBLA, a director on The Advocates' Society, and was a member of the Ontario Civil Rules Committee for two terms. In February 2023 he was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Justice Wojciechowski is happily married to Lisa, and they are the proud parents of three adult daughters.

Justice Evelyn M. ten Cate is the daughter of Dutch and Swiss immigrant parents. She grew up in Brockville, Ontario on the beautiful St. Lawrence River. She received her BA (Hons) from Queen's University in economics (1988) and her LLB from the University of Western Ontario (1992) where she worked at the legal clinic. She received the Greta Grant Award for community service in 1992 and was admitted to the Ontario bar in 1994.

Justice ten Cate worked as a family lawyer at Bastedo Stewart Smith in Toronto and then for Landry Law Firm in London. In 1996, she joined Cockburn Foster Townsend and Graham in London (now Fosters Law LLP) and became a partner in 2004. She worked as a personal injury and insurance defence litigator for 28 years, appearing at all levels of the Ontario courts. Her practice focused mainly on motor vehicle, accident benefits, medical negligence, property loss, and professional negligence claims. In September of 2021, she joined the bench of the Small Claims Court as a Deputy Judge.

Justice ten Cate was a frequent lecturer and demonstrator for Osgoode Professional Development, the Ontario Bar Association, and the Middlesex Law Association. She was a founding member and the long-time treasurer of the Southwest Region Women's Law Association, and helped found a grassroots organization called "Ukraine Help Middlesex", which has assisted in the relocation of over 250 Ukrainian families to the London area.

Justice ten Cate is an avid equestrian, sailor, and kayaker. She now lives near Strathroy with her husband. They have a teenage son and adult daughter who is a lawyer in Toronto.

Justice Joanna M. Shaw received her law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2003 and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2004. She has completed two master's degrees, one in Environmental Studies at York University and the other in ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Justice Shaw was a summer student and articled at Parkdale Community Legal Clinic. She was then a sole practitioner until starting her firm, JMS Law in 2015, a firm focused on resolution, mindfulness practices, access to justice, diversity, and inclusion. Her areas of practice were Family, Real Estate, and Criminal law.

Justice Shaw was a Duty Counsel in both family and criminal court and an agent for the Office of the Children's Lawyer for much of her career. She was a mediator on the panel of the Mediation Centre in Barrie. Her work representing children led to the creation of a parenting program for parents in conflict in the family court. She has taught criminal law, sociology and social science courses at York University, Laurentian University and Georgian College.

Justice Shaw enjoys meditation, yoga, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and her cats.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 685 judges since November 2015. This includes 62 appointments since the Honourable Arif Virani became 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.
• 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: 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]